Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan…it’s time!
We all knew it would happen.
At a time when his career at Bayern Munich was on the brink, Leroy Sané made good on his last ditch effort to secure a new deal from the Bavarians and appears to have convinced the club to sign him to a contract extension here in the waning days of his initial contract.
According to a report from Sky Sport journalist Florian Plettenberg (via @iMiaSanMia), board member for sport Max Eberl has made the final call to reward Sané with a new contract:
Max Eberl is planning to offer Leroy Sané a new contract. The board and supervisory board have been informed and are now open to it. The main reason is that Sané’s performances have been increasingly convincing, and the player is very eager to stay. A 3-year deal until 2028 is being discussed. Sané is willing to accept the necessary pay cut. Arsenal remain interested and have held fresh talks in recent days, but Sané’s focus remains on extending at Bayern.
With the decision on Sané reportedly final and with Michael Olise firmly entrenched as the right wing, the focus will shift on moving a wing or three from the current roster for next season, which includes the likes of Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Mathys Tel, and Bryan Zaragoza — at least as of now.
Bayern Munich has been linked with selling all four of those players and could also be ready to part ways with other players like Arijon Ibrahimović and Gabriel Vidović, who also profile in positions along the front line. This summer could prove to be one for great change…or it could fizzle out with each of those aforementioned players returning.
Coman and Gnabry have failed to impress with Bayern Munich this season, while Tel (Tottenham Hotspur) and Ibrahimović (Lazio) have failed to make a mark on loan assignments. Vidović’s loan at Mainz 05 was so wasteful, he returned to Bayern Munich at midseason.
Zaragoza might be the most marketable of the lot, as there should be a few teams in Spain eager to bring in a player with his skill-set. Sure, there is also a chance that Tel could find a way to turn his loan around in the final weeks of the season, but, regardless, Eberl will have a difficult job in front of him.
How can he refresh the wing position when he might not be able to clear room with the current group of attackers?
That, my friends, is why Eberl is getting paid the big bucks…and now he is really going to have to earn them when faced with this massive task.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan
Bayern Munich will host Inter Milan in the Champions League for a tough battle against a very balanced Serie A power. If you have #IrrationalConfidence you are set, but there is much to consider heading into the match.
The Bavarians, of course, are very banged up at the moment and Vincent Kompany will have to work around the numerous injuries on the squad. We will dive deep into that and more during the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show. Here is what we have on tap:
- A review of the last round results for both teams.
- A look at the injury and suspension situations for both teams.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI, which is a tough ask given all of the injuries.
- A prediction on the match.
Kimmich touches on Müller’s exit, retirement for Hummels
As someone who has played extensively with both Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels, the last week has been a sober one for Joshua Kimmich.
“We all know Thomas, by all accounts. I’ve been playing with him for ten years, and as a teammate, you can’t help but love him; he gives everything for his club, for the team. Accordingly, he’s an absolute role model. And generally speaking, it’s worth highlighting the kind of performances he’s shown, his consistency. I think, even when you look at his numbers, they often get a bit lost in the midst of all the spectacular numbers of the last 15 years with (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo. But Thomas has performed at a very, very high level for over 15 years,” Kimmich told ranSport’s Martin Volkmar (@iMiaSanMia). “I played with Mats three or four years at club level, and a few more years with the national team. Of course, he’s also a special footballer, a World Cup winner for Germany. It’s always a pity when a great player leaves the stage. I wish him all the best, and I believe he has a very exciting career ahead of him after his retirement.”
Song of the Week: “Lakini’s Juice” by Live
There was a period where Live was massive.
Yup, the little band from York, Pennsylvania had quite a few smash hits in the mid-90s. While most know them for their work on the album “Throwing Copper”, the band has put together quite an extensive catalog over the years.
Sure, the hits from “Throwing Copper” garner most of the attention from fans and listeners, but I also like their work on “Secret Samadhi and The Distance to Here”, including this week’s featured song, “Lakini’s Juice.”
Released in 1997, this was in a heavy rotation in my area (roughly two hours from York). Enjoy:
Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 7, Episode 37
Bayern Munich has had a week…and then some.
Let’s get right into what is in store because there is so much to cover on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show:
- We have spoken a lot about Bayern Munich and Thomas Müller this week, but now that everything is official — and the legend’s time at the club is ending, let’s unpack it all.
- Bayern Munich has been ravaged again by injuries and with Inter Milan in the Champions League looming, things could tense up in Bavaria.
- Bayern Munich is reportedly ready to re-up Leroy Sané; Eric Dier, and Sven Ulreich look to be getting new deals. Are these the right moves for Bayern Munich?
Entertainment Rundown
Landman
Okay, so I am finally into this and it has proven to be worth the wait, so far. I won’t do my formal review just yet as I want to finish the season, but I can say — based on what I’ve so far — it is terrific.
We shall see if it holds up for the entirety of the season, but no complaints so far. In addition, they could not have cast a better person for the lead role than Billy Bob Thornton.
Bavarian Podcast Works — The Bundesliga Rundown with Marcus Iredahl: Matchday 28
When Marcus is away, Chuck will play!
Marcus is on vacation, so Chuck went back to his Bundesliga-blogging roots, brewed a lot of coffee, and watched a lot of games this weekend!
In this episode, we discuss:
- A rundown of the league-wide results
- A dive into both El Cashico between RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim, along with a look at Borussia Dortmund’s surprising win over SC Freiburg.
- Lamenting Max Beier’s fall from grace, but appreciating his chance to rebound.
- Why Niko Kovač could thrive if given the leeway he needs to coach the way he wants.
- Maximilian Arnold unraveling after another Wolfsburg loss…as Cher’s “Believe” was blaring in the background.
Predictions
Champions League
For as banged up as Bayern Munich is and as quality as Inter Milan is…you just have to have #IrrationalConfidence here.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2-1 Inter Milan
Other Champions League Predictions:
- Arsenal 1-2 Real Madrid
- FC Barcelona 3-1 Borussia Dortmund
- Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Aston Villa
Prediction Records
- Last Week Bundesliga: 5-4 (Through Matchday 28)
- Overall Bundesliga: 117-135
- UEFA Nations League: 92-79
- Champions League: 96-80 (Through Matchday 12)
- DFB-Pokal: 44-18
- Total: 341-312
- Perfect Picks: 52 (when the score and winner is predicted exactly)
