The first leg of the Champions League semi-finals wrapped up this week. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich put on a show on Tuesday night, with PSG coming out on top in a 5-4 win that was an incredible display of what it looks like when both teams think defending is cowardly behavior. It was a remarkable game that I was only half paying attention to because something much more important was going on at the same time (more on that later). Last night, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid managed to at least
play a game of football, which was a lot more than anyone expected coming into the tie. It finished 1-1, with both goals coming from the penalty spot, but it was a lot more open and interesting than a game between teams managed by Mikel Arteta and Diego Simeone should be.
Of course, the most important fixture this week was Tuesday evening’s clash between two of Europe’s super clubs: Southampton FC and Ipswich Town. The game ended 2-2, which unfortunately means Saints cannot claim automatic promotion on the final day of the season, but the unbeaten run continues. Bring on another trip to Wembley.
Finally, the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals are taking place right now (as are the Conference League semi-finals, where the only team anyone should be rooting for is Crystal Palace). Freiburg are currently drawing 1-1 with Portugal’s Braga an hour into the game, though Braga have also missed a penalty. The other semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa is currently goalless, but Villa are starting to pile on the pressure. Up the Villans!
BVB News
- Borussia Dortmund are reportedly interested in Real Madrid’s out-of-favour 22-year-old forward Gonzalo Garcia.
- Ole Book has carried out an analysis of the club’s football operations over the last few seasons, to identify the strengths and weaknesses and plan for the future. He has identified significant room for improvement in BVB’s approach when sending players out on loan.
- Gregor Kobel has welcomed the possibility of Jadon Sancho returning to Borussia Dortmund.
- Dortmund will not look to buy a new striker while Serhou Guirassy remains at the club.
Bundesliga News
- Eintracht Frankfurt are looking to move Elye Wahi on this summer, and reports suggest the asking price is somewhere in the region of €15-25m. I’d personally like to see the “controversial” forward banished to the wilderness of one of Europe’s smaller leagues, but I suppose Turkey will do for now.
- Bayern Munich are adding Ajax’s Mika Godts to the long list of wingers they are interested in signing this summer.
- Meanwhile, there are seven players Bayern are looking to ship out over the summer, including Korean center-back Kim Min-jae and the leading contender for the next Yashin Trophy, Daniel Peretz.
Your Thoughts?
How do you feel about the possibility of Dortmund signing Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia? Let us know in the comments.
