PSG to ramp up interest in Upamecano? (ESPN)
Well, at least the scouts for Paris Saint-Germain will not have to travel to do some in-personal scouting of rumored transfer target and Bayern Munich center-back Dayot Upamecano:
Paris Saint-Germain are among the admirers of Dayot Upamecano as the Bayern Munich defender’s contractual stand-off continues, Fabrizio Romano reports. While the Bundesliga champions wish to retain the 27-year-old, as things stand he’ll be free to leave the club next summer when his contract expires. A host of other European
clubs are also said to be monitoring his situation at Bayern, with Chelsea and Liverpool recently linked.
As we understand, the salary and contract extension length between Bayern Munich and Upamecano’s camp has been agreed upon. However, there is an open-ended discussion with regard to a signing bonus and a release clause — both of which Upamecano wants included in a new deal.
Basler takes Lewy over Kane (Goal)
The chic debate among Bayern Munich fans these days is one which pits the merits of Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane against each other (why not both?).
When Mario Basler was asked that question, he gave a reasonable response.
“Oh, that’s a very difficult question. The comparisons have been made a lot in recent days and weeks. Robert Lewandowski was also an exceptional striker at FC Bayern. So, ideally, I’d like to avoid the question altogether or take both of them. But if I really had to choose, I would go with Robert Lewandowski,” Basler said. “(Lewandowski) played for FCB for many years and scored his goals; he was an exceptional striker. You don’t really want to hurt either of them, but if I had to choose, I would go with Robert Lewandowski.”
It is really easy to get entranced by what Kane is doing now (which is incredible) and it is also easy to forget just how dynamic and great Lewandowski was with Bayern Munich.
This author still gives Lewandowski the ever-so-slight nod, too.
The Bundesliga Rundown with Marcus Iredahl: Matchday 9 (Bavarian Football Works)
Matchday 9 of the Bundesliga saw Bayern Munich claim their ninth win of the season, Borussia Mönchengladbach secure their first, and Borussia Dortmund earn a typically ‘Kovac-esque’ victory.
In this episode, we will discuss:
- Niko Kovac and the much-needed ‘dull stability’ taking shape in Dortmund.
- Could the next matchday be the last for Sandro Wagner, Paul Simonis, and Bo Henriksen?
- How Mönchengladbach’s board has let down Die Fohlen’s faithful.
- A look at the 2. Bundesliga title race — will Schalke 04 make a triumphant return to the top flight?
- And in the 3. Liga — how much do you really know about MSV Duisburg, dear listener?
PSG’s potential starting XI? (Sports Mole)
Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will get it on later today and this is what the PSG starting XI could look like:
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique will not be able to call upon forward Desire Doue on Tuesday, when his side take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola
There are rumors that Ousmane Dembélé is also dealing with some sort of ailment, so we will have to wait to see exactly what is going on with him.
Paris FC to snap up Kanté? (ESPN)
Is N’Golo Kanté headed back to Paris? Maybe, but not to PSG:
Paris FC are dreaming of signing Al Ittihad midfielder N’Golo Kanté, reports Foot Mercato. The 34-year-old is yet to extend his contract with the Saudi club, and newly promoted Ligue 1 side Paris FC see it as a “golden opportunity” to bring him back to Europe. Kanté has made six starts in the Saudi Pro League so far this season, and he will enter the final 18 months of his deal in January. He won one Premier League title with Leicester City and another with Chelsea, where he also won the UEFA Champions League, before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023. He also wont he 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, for whom he last appeared in November 2024.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich (Champions League)
Well, here we are.
The marquee match-up of this Champions League matchday is Bayern Munich’s visit to Pari Saint-Germain (sorry Liverpool and Real Madrid, this is the best game on the docket). Two of Europe’s most powerful squads will square off in what should be a true battle.
Talent will be featured at all positions and intensity will be off the charts, so let’s get down to brass tacks and discuss it! This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show:
- What to watch for with Paris Saint-Germain.
- A look at Bayern Munich’s injury situation.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI.
- A prediction on the match.
Juve wants to keep Yildiz (ESPN)
Juventus wants to keep Kenan Yildiz, despite all of the rumors persisting that he could move elsewhere:
Juventus are working to renew Kenan Yildiz’s contract to help them see off any interest from Real Madrid and the Premier League, reports Calciomercato. The attacking midfielder will continue to have a central role for the Bianconeri under prospective new coach Luciano Spalletti. Even with the 20-year-old’s contract running until 2029, negotiations about a new contract have been going on for months with the Turkey international seeking a big increase on his current €1.7m salary.
Spalletti wants Kim at Juve (JuveFC.com)
Bayern star Kim Min-jae looks like the third man in Vincent Kompany’s pairings in central defense, and the latest rumor of an exit links the Korean international back to Serie A with Juventus:
New Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti is reportedly hoping to rekindle his collaboration with Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae.
The 28-year-old only spent one year in Italian football, but it was enough to leave an eternal mark, as it yielded a historic Scudetto title for Napoli after a 33-year drought, and it also saw him crowned as the Best Defender in Serie A.
The South Korean’s exploits at the Stadio Maradona convinced Bayern Munich to activate his release clause by splashing €50 million. However, he hasn’t been a regular starter at the Allianz Arena.
The ‘Korean Monster’ is tied to Bayern with a contract valid until the summer of 2028. However, the Bundesliga giants do not consider him ‘unsellable’, adds the source.
Therefore, this could be a story to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months, but it will ultimately depend on the conditions the German club will set to part ways with their defender.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 8, Episode 18 (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich had a great win over Bayer Leverkusen and is now headed for a showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Let’s discuss everything going on with the club at the moment on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show. This is what we have on tap:
- A primer for Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and why this matchday could be special for a number of teams.
- Some of Vincent Kompany’s wild ideas are paying dividends. The experiment with Tom Bischof at left-back achieved many goals and is one of the examples of how Kompany has built trust within the team.
- News and notes from the AGM: Record turnover, the re-election of Herbert Hainer as president, and the continued struggle to make waves internationally with marketing. Can Bayern Munich break through in other countries or does this need to be more of an effort from other teams in the Bundesliga to make the league more marketable?
- Why has Bayern Munich and the league itself struggled to make in-roads abroad? Let’s explore.
