Borussia Dortmundhave sacked head coach Nuri Sahin after the 2-1 Champions League defeat at Bologna.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND AND NURI SAHIN ARE PARTING WAYS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
BVB HAS DISMISSED ITS HEAD COACH FOLLOWING THE DISAPPOINTING 2:1 DEFEAT IN THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AT FC BOLOGNA ON TUESDAY EVENING. PIC.TWITTER.COM/0NLZFWBNHD
— BORUSSIA DORTMUND (@BLACKYELLOW) JANUARY 22, 2025
The German team has struggled since the winter break, losing four games in a row across all competitions.
On Tuesday, they were defeated by Bologna, marking their third loss in this season’s Champions League. As last year’s runners-up, they now need a positive result against Shakhtar Donetsk in their final group match to qualify directly for the knockout stage.
In their domestic league, they have lost three consecutive matches in 2025, dropping to 10th place in the Bundesliga. They are now seven points behind the top four, which puts their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League at risk.
“We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long-term collaboration and until the end we had hoped that we could achieve a sporting turnaround together,” said Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken.
“This decision hurts me personally, but it was unavoidable after the game in Bologna.”
Sahin, 36, who had two stints at the club as a player, said: “Unfortunately, we have not managed to live up to Borussia Dortmund’s sporting ambitions this season.
“I wish this special club all the best.”
Sahin was appointed Dortmund bossin June 2024 as a replacement for Edin Terzic, who left the club following their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.
Vinicius Juniorachieved a remarkable hat-trick as Real Madrid staged a spectacular comeback to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 after being down 2-0 at halftime.
Dortmund initially took control of the match with goals from Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens, giving them a solid lead by the break. This matchup was a repeat of last year’s final, where Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline.
The Spanish champions began their revival in the second half, with Antonio Rudiger scoring a powerful header in the 60th minute to reduce the deficit. Just two minutes later, Vinicius equalised.
Captain Lucas Vazquez then put Real Madrid ahead 3-2 with a fierce finish from a narrow angle in the 83rd minute. Vinicius capped off his outstanding performance by netting two additional goals late in the match, both coming after dazzling individual runs that left Dortmund’s defense struggling.
Vinicius inspires Real to win
Dortmund seemed poised to end Real Madrid’s impressive 14-match unbeaten streak at home in the Champions League when they led at halftime.
Even at 2-2, Dortmund’s captain, Julian Brandt, had a chance to regain the lead, but his close-range shot was expertly saved by Real keeper Thibaut Courtois. Less than a minute later, Lucas Vazquez scored, putting Real Madrid ahead.
In the first half, Real Madrid struggled to mount an effective attack, with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham failing to connect, despite Bellingham hitting the crossbar while the team was down 2-0.
However, after the break, fuelled by the inspiring performance of Vinicius—who is favoured to win next Monday’s Ballon d’Or—the home team looked nearly unstoppable.
Vinicius’s second goal was particularly noteworthy; he picked up the ball in his own half, sprinted down the left flank, and fired a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team now holds a record of two wins and one loss from their three league phase matches, matching Dortmund’s performance. Meanwhile, Jamie Gittens made history by becoming the youngest Englishman to score against Real Madrid at just 20 years and 75 days old, surpassing Alan Smith’s previous record of 20 years and 129 days set while he was with Leeds in March 2001.
Borussia Dortmundhas ended its association with manager Edin Terzic after he requested that the club “terminate his contract immediately.”
Terzic guided Dortmund to the Champions League final in the 2023–24 season, where they were defeated by Real Madrid at Wembley.
The club stated that they agreed to Terzic’s request following “a mutual discussion.”
“After the game at Wembley, I asked for a meeting with the club’s senior management team, because after nine years at BVB, including six on the coaching staff and two and a half as head coach, I feel that the club’s new era should begin with a new man on the touchline,” said Terzic, 41.
“Everyone close to me knows that this has been a very difficult decision for me to take over the last few weeks, but after intensive discussions, my fundamental feeling has not changed.
“I wish Borussia Dortmund the very best, Thank you and see you soon.”
Terzic’s coaching journey began at Dortmund’s academy from 2010 to 2013, before he joined Slaven Bilic at Besiktas as an assistant.
Moving with Bilic to West Ham in 2015, he departed following Bilic’s dismissal in November 2017, returning to Dortmund as Lucien Favre’s assistant the following year.
After Favre’s departure in December 2020, Terzic took over as interim manager until the end of the season, leading Dortmund to victory in the German Cup final against RB Leipzig.
Following this success, he briefly served as the club’s technical director before assuming the managerial role in 2022.
Dortmund finished as Bundesliga runners-up last season, narrowly missing out on the title after a draw with Mainz on the final matchday.
They secured fifth place in the 2023–24 campaign, securing qualification for the next season’s Champions League.
“Edin Terzic has done an outstanding job in his time at BVB, and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude,” said Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Borussia Dortmund aim to sign Ian Maatsen permanently but are hesitant to meet Chelsea’s £35 million ($44.7m) valuation, sources told ESPN.
The 22-year-old, who joined Dortmund on loan in January, became a crucial part of Edin Terzic’s team, playing every minute of their seven Champions League knockout matches, which ended in a final defeat to Real Madrid at Wembley last weekend.
Before that game, Maatsen admitted publicly that his future was uncertain.
Sources informed ESPN that Dortmund is eager to keep the full-back in Germany after he made 24 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals.
Chelsea is looking to generate funds through outgoing transfers to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules and are open to letting several fringe players leave the club, including Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, and Trevoh Chalobah.
However, sources told ESPN that Chelsea’s desire for a lucrative deal for Maatsen is a major obstacle.
Dortmund is reportedly preparing an initial offer significantly lower than Chelsea’s asking price, likely between £20m and £25m.
Any deal Chelsea wants to include in their 2023–24 accounting year must be completed by June 30. Dortmund is hopeful that this deadline could help them negotiatea lower transfer fee.
Borussia Dortmund have become the latest club linked with Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, following the conclusion of his loan spell at Getafe.
According to ESPN, Dortmund is considering a summer move for Greenwood but will finalize their decision after the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley on Saturday.
Greenwood had a productive season on loan at Getafe, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.
This was his first season back in action after charges of assault, attempted rape, and coercive and controlling behavior were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew and new evidence emerged.
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus have also shown interest in Greenwood in recent months. While Getafe has expressed a strong desire to retain the English forward, they lack the financial resources to do so.
“I don’t want to talk about that now,” Dortmund sporting director told reporters when pressed on the Greenwood speculation ahead of the upcoming Champions League final.
“Of course we do have our plans for the next season and of course we discuss many scenarios, but nothing for today. Let’s focus, let’s anticipate that match on Saturday and then we’ll see how we move on.”
Mason Greenwood isn’t anticipated to be reintegrated into the Manchester United squad, despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe hinting at a possible return.
However, the club may activate the 12-month extension option in his contract to prevent him from leaving as a free agent in 2025 if they can only arrange a loan deal this summer instead of a permanent transfer.
Previous reports have indicated thatManchester United is seeking up to £50 million ($64 million) for the 22-year-old forward.
Borussia Dortmund announced on Friday that Marco Reus will depart the club at the end of the season, concluding his remarkable 12-year tenure.
Both the player and the club have agreed not to extend his contract. Reus, a product of the Dortmund academy, returned to the club from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2012.
Since then, he has made 424 appearances, scoring 168 goals and providing 128 assists.
“I’m incredibly grateful for and proud of this special time at my club Borussia Dortmund” Reus said in a statement.
“I have spent more than half of my life at this club and enjoyed every day, even though there have of course been difficult moments too.”
Reus has been a pivotal figure at Dortmund, notably securing DFB-Pokal victories in 2016-17 and 2020-21 and reaching the Champions League final under Jürgen Klopp in 2013.
Despite currently sitting fifth in the Bundesliga table, Dortmund has advanced to the last four of the Champions League. They secured a 1-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semifinal at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday.
“I already know now that I will find it difficult to say goodbye at the end of the season,” Reus said. “And yet I’m happy that there is now clarity and that we can focus fully on the very important final games that we still have to play.
“We have a big objective in our sights that we all want to achieve together.To do so, we will needevery single one of our unbelievable fans, to whom I would like to express my sincere thanks for their unbelievable support over the years.”
Dortmund face Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappe was inadvertently left behind by the Paris Saint-Germain team bus after their Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund in Germany, this is according to reports.
The first leg of the semifinal saw PSG struggle against Dortmund, with Niclas Fullkrug’s goal securing a crucial win for the German side.
Despite PSG’s efforts in the second half, they couldn’t breach Dortmund’s defense, leaving Mbappe and his teammates frustrated on the pitch.
Post-match, Mbappe found himself stranded at Signal Iduna Park as the rest of the team departed for the airport.
According to Le Parisien, Mbappe was delayed due to a random drug test, but eventually rejoined his teammates for the return journey to Paris.
Although Mbappe had several chances against Dortmund, he was thwarted by the post, adding to his disappointment.
However, his manager remains optimistic about their chances in the decisive leg to be played in Paris next week.
“In the last two rounds, they had the home game as their second game, whereas it was the other way round for us,” he said. “Now it’s a different and new scenario, we’ll have the crowd on our side in the second leg. I would have liked to create the chances we have created, but you have to be effective to score. We’ll see what version we show in Paris.”
As tensions rise and pressure mounts, PSG faces a crucial test next Tuesday against a resurgent Dortmund team, who eliminated Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. With a full week to prepare his squad, Enrique can focus solely on the upcoming clash as there are no domestic commitments over the weekend.
Jude Bellingham emphasises that his move to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund last summer lost its allure when Real Madrid expressed interest in signing him.
Despite having a standout first season at the Bernabéu, where he scored 20 goals and provided five assists, the 20-year-old midfielder experienced a comparatively subdued performance in last week’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against City.
When asked in a news conference ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Manchester, with the tie poised at 3-3, if he had considered joining City, Bellingham said: “I had good chats with clubs, including Dortmund.
“My family were great in helping me chew up that information because it’s difficult while you are still in the season to take in the information and process it and still have to play.
“I had conversations with other teams but when Madrid came in, it was a no-brainer, really because of the size of the club, the project, the plan going forward, and the chance to play with such amazing players. I just jumped at it. That’s why I made my decision.”
German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund have penned a heartfelt message to outgoing talent coach Otto Addo, who is leaving the club to become the head of the Black Stars.
In a social media message, Dortmund confirmed the imminent arrival of Otto Addo as Ghana’s coach, wishing him success in his new job.
Dortmund expressed belief that Otto Addo, who has worked on some of their finest talents, will bring his expertise to bear and succeed with Ghana.
“Borussia Dortmund talent coach Otto Addo will part ways in the summer as he embarks on his new role as coach for the Ghanaian national team.
“We wish him nothing but the best as he embraces this exciting new chapter in his career! Thank you for everything, Otto,” the statement reads.
Borussia Dortmund and talent coach Otto Addo will part ways in the summer as he embarks on his new role as coach for the Ghanaian national team.
We wish him nothing but the best as he embraces this exciting new chapter in his career!
Otto Addo’s return as the coach of the Black Stars was officially announced on Friday, March 15, 2024, through a press release issued by the Ghana Football Association.
According to the statement, Otto Addo has made a significant impression on the selection committee, securing a three-year contract to lead the Black Stars.
The announcement underscores Addo’s successful candidature and highlights the confidence placed in him to guide the national team forward.
GFA President Kurt Okraku is quoted in the statement to have said, “Otto was exceptional in the interview process and was rated highly by the search committee, hence the decision.”
“There were some brilliant individuals among the coaches who applied for the job, so the committee took the pain to interview a chunk of them to pick their thoughts on their intentions to transform the team within a short period of time due to our peculiar situation.
“The Committee was overly satisfied with Otto’s performance for which reason he was recommended to the Executive Council for approval,” President Simeon-Okraku added.
Ace sports presenter Bright Kankam Boadu dismisses rumours suggesting that the Ghana Football Association is preparing to pay $2 million to Borussia Dortmund for the release of Otto Addo to Ghana.
Boadu vehemently refutes these claims, asserting that such a financial arrangement lacks credibility.
During a panel discussion on his Pure FM sports show, Boadu adamantly rejected the allegations, going as far as threatening to organise a protest if they were proven to be true.
“There are rumours that Ghana will have to pay $2 million to Borussia Dortmund for Otto Addo. I’m not sure it’s $2 million. I don’t want to believe it. It is not true. Only a mad person will pay such an amount.
“Are we going to pay Dortmund $2 million and also pay Otto Addo for doing his work as Black Stars coach? Assuming we pay that $2 million and also pay Otto Addo $50,000, we would be spending $600,000 on him per year.
“In two years, it will be $1.2 million. If you add it to the $2 million, we would be spending $3.2 million on him for two years. $3.2 million can hire a coach of Mourinho’s calibre,” he said.
Following reports of Otto Addo’s interview for the Black Stars position, speculations have arisen regarding the Ghana Football Association’s potential payment to Dortmund for the release of their youth coach.
Otto Addo is reportedly the frontrunner to replace Chris Hughton, who was relieved of his duties following Ghana’s disappointing performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
During the tournament held in Ivory Coast, Hughton’s Black Stars managed two draws and suffered one defeat in the three Group B matches played.
German media has labelled Jadon Sancho, currently on loan from Manchester United to Borussia Dortmund, as ‘the worst’ following a lacklustre performance in Dortmund’s loss to Hoffenheim.
Despite initially showing promise with a couple of assists in his first two appearances back in the Bundesliga, Sancho has failed to maintain his momentum.
The winger has not contributed any goals since then and struggled to make an impact in Dortmund’s recent 3-2 defeat to Hoffenheim.
After yet another uninspiring performance for the Black and Yellow, where he spent 75 minutes on the pitch, German media Der Westen wrote: “BVB was so happy when Jadon Sancho was brought back during the last winter transfer period.
The prodigal son is finally back. He really sent the fans into a state of euphoria. A few weeks later, there was no sign of it anymore.
“Against TSG Hoffenheim, the supporters hoped that the 23-year-old would finally score his first goal. But they were disappointed once again.
The BVB star showed another poor performance against Hoffenheim and was probably the worst player on the pitch.”
The England international decided to start afresh in Germany after being frozen out at United for his public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag in August 2023.
The Red Devils may look to offload the player in the summer, although the German club is unlikely to sign him as they cannot afford to pay his high transfer fee.
The 23-year-old needs to be much more consistent if he wants to stand any chance of being picked by Gareth Southgate for the England squad ahead of the upcoming Euro 2024.
Giovanni Reyna is determined to departBorussia Dortmund in the January transfer window and has been actively presented to prominent European clubs, as sources informed ESPN.
The U.S. international has seen limited playing time this season, clocking just 320 minutes in 12 appearances across all competitions.
With the assistance of his agent Jorge Mendes and father Claudio, Reyna is actively seeking a move, whether on loan or a permanent deal, with Dortmund reportedly seeking around €15 million ($16.3m) for his transfer.
Reyna, under contract until June 2025, has been offered to various clubs, including Marseille, Monaco, and Lyon in France; Real Sociedad, Sevilla, and Villarreal in Spain; and Benfica in Portugal.
Premier League clubs Wolves and Nottingham Forest, suggested by Mendes, are also potential destinations.
Despite some clubs rejecting the opportunity due to their current squad status, Spanish clubs like Sevilla and Real Sociedad are reportedly interested, believing Reyna’s playing style suits La Liga.
With two weeks left in the transfer window, Reyna and his team are taking their time to make the best decision for his future.
Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic criticized VAR decisions against his team following their 1-1 draw away at league leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday, expressing frustration with the recurring nature of such incidents.
Dortmund claimed an early lead with Julian Ryerson’s goal after five minutes and had a potential penalty appeal just over 15 minutes before the end.
In this instance, Karim Adeyemi went down in the box after contact with Leverkusen defenders Edmond Tapsoba and Exequiel Palacios.
Despite the apparent contact, the on-field referee dismissed the appeal, and it seemed that VAR did not review the incident. Leverkusen capitalized on this turn of events, scoring the equalizer six minutes later through Victor Boniface.
Terzic’s remarks highlight his discontent with the consistency of VAR decisions adversely affecting his team.
Terzic said after the match he was “especially pissed off by the penalty situation with Karim,” saying “it really upsets me, because it’s not fair.”
“It happens to us a lot – and especially to Karim.”
Terzic said Tapsoba “clearly connects with Karim’s shin… I don’t agree and it’s difficult to understand.”
erzic visited the referee’s cabin after the match to discuss the incident, but said he was “not at all in agreement with the way it was explained to me.”
“We were clearly disadvantaged.”
The coach drew parallels between the recent VAR decision and a similar incident in the 2022/23 season. In that instance, during a 1-1 draw at Bochum, Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi was also brought down in the box, but no penalty was awarded.
These recurring situations have left the coach expressing frustration, highlighting instances where crucial decisions, or the lack thereof, have impacted Dortmund’s performance.
The coach’s mention of the team eventually losing the title last season to Bayern Munich on goal difference underscores the potential implications of such decisions on the overall outcome of the competition.
“Look back to the Bochum game where it was also Karim Adeyemi – so when something comes up again like that, we’re very unsatisfied… we’re frustrated today.”
Dortmund end the weekend in fifth place, ten points behind leaders Leverkusen and one spot outside the Champions League placings.
Borussia Dortmund has shown interest in signing 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, as reported by Calciomercato.
Several European clubs are closely monitoring the young talent, who has already featured in nine of PSG’s ten Ligue 1 matches this season.
Both manager Luis Enrique and sporting director Luis Campos are eager to prioritise contract negotiations with Zaire-Emery in the upcoming weeks, as his current deal is set to enter its final 18 months in January.
Zaire-Emery made his professional debut for PSG in August 2022, earning the distinction of becoming the club’s youngest-ever player. His role has expanded this season as he shines in Luis Enrique’s revamped setup in the French capital.
Sandro Tonali, while facing a looming 10-month ban due to alleged illegal betting activity, received a warm welcome from Newcastle United fans.
Earlier this month, Newcastle confirmed that the 23-year-old midfielder was under investigation by the Italian Prosecutor’s Office and the Italian Football Federation for reportedly placing bets on his former team, AC Milan.
He has since admitted to these wagers, which could lead to a 10-month suspension.
In the meantime, ahead of any potential disciplinary action, Tonali was warmly embraced by the Magpies’ supporters at St James’ Park when he came off the bench during his team’s 1-0 loss to Dortmund on Wednesday.
Tonali, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan in a £55 million ($66.6 million) deal in July, has made a positive impact on the North East club so far.
However, his impending ban is a significant setback for Eddie Howe’s team, which aspires to advance in the Champions League and climb the Premier League table.
Should Tonali face a suspension, Newcastle is likely to seek another midfielder during the January transfer window.
Interestingly, Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli has already been banned for seven months in connection with the ongoing betting scandal.
Tonali and Newcastle will soon learn the midfielder’s fate, but they have a forthcoming game against Wolves on Saturday.
Their nextChampions League match is scheduled for November 7, when they face Dortmund in Germany.
Borussia Dortmund is reportedly considering offering Jadon Sancho an opportunity to depart Manchester United in January, as per a source cited by ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
Despite Dortmund’s public denial of interest in re-signing their former player following his fallout with United manager Erik ten Hag, an insider has indicated that the German side would be open to a January transfer if the financial terms align.
A short-term loan arrangement, extending until the end of the season, seems most likely.
However, Dortmund would require United to contribute a portion of Sancho’s £300,000-per-week salary.
Jadon Sancho, aged 23, is still held in high regard at Dortmund, having spent four years with the Bundesliga club from 2017 to 2021. He maintains a connection with coach Edin Terzic.
United is prepared to entertain offers for Sancho in the upcoming January transfer window, demonstrating the club’s support for Ten Hag’s commitment to squad discipline.
Borussia Dortmund is open to the idea of selling Youssoufa Moukoko should a suitable offer arise for the young talent, as reported by Bild.
Moukoko, at 18 years old, has fallen to third place in the pecking order among strikers, with Niclas Füllkrug and Sebastien Haller ahead of him. So far this season, he has only managed 47 minutes of playing time.
This situation is far from ideal for both Moukoko, who desires more playing opportunities, and Borussia Dortmund, who had high expectations for his development when they secured his services on a long-term contract until 2026 back in January.
Before that contract extension, Moukoko had been the subject of interest from top-tier clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
If Moukoko’s playing time doesn’t see improvement in the coming months, it’s likely that links with one or more of these prestigious clubs will resurface.
Reportedly, Borussia Dortmund’s players are content withJude Bellingham’s departure to Real Madrid due to the midfielder’s apparent desire to be the focal point of attention.
As per information from Bild, the Dortmund players perceive that Bellingham felt overshadowed by Erling Haaland.
They highlight instances where Bellingham independently acknowledged the fans after matches, rather than with his teammates.
Throughout last season, he was tasked with leading the team on multiple occasions; however, his peers held the view that he lacked strong leadership attributes and displayed a moody demeanor, leading to internal tensions within the squad.
During the 2021-22 Europa League campaign, following Borussia Dortmund’s elimination by Rangers, the report specifies that Jude Bellingham directed insults at Nico Schulz.
According to lip readers, he reportedly said, “You can’t play a fing pass, you’re fing s**t! Every damn time!”
Instances of Bellingham’s reported outbursts towards his teammates were not isolated, as several occasions during the previous season saw him lose his temper.
However, positive changes have been noted since the appointment of the new club captain, Emre Can, who is believed to have injected revitalising energy into the team’s locker room.
Bellingham’s successor, former Manchester United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, has also gained favour among his fellow players.
Furthermore, more senior members like Sebastian Haller have taken on weightier responsibilities within the team council, particularly for the English-speaking players.
Having made a move to Madrid for a fee initially set at €103 million (£89 million or $110 million), Bellingham appears to have found his footing in his new environment.
The transfer fee could potentially increase by an additional €30 million (£26 million or $32 million) if certain performance targets are achieved.
He made a notable impact by scoring in Madrid’s La Liga opener against Athletic Club, and he aims to replicate his impressive contributions in the upcoming match against Almeria.
Real Madrid is pinning their hopes on the arrival of 20-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham to reclaim the LaLiga title from Barcelona and mount a serious challenge for their 15th European Cup.
The Spanish giants made a significant investment of 103 million euros plus 30 million in add-ons to secure Bellingham’s signature from Borussia Dortmund, making him the second-most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Bellingham has quickly made an impact in the dressing room, impressing his coach and teammates with his performances during pre-season matches.
The departures of key attacking players, including Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and Spain international Marco Asensio, have left Real Madrid lacking firepower, with only journeyman forward Joselu signed from relegated Espanyol.
While rumors persist about a possible move for France striker Kylian Mbappe, who has expressed his intention not to extend his contract with Paris St Germain, for now, Real Madrid is without a top-level striker to replace Benzema.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti is relying on the versatility of Bellingham, prompting him to change the system he used during his previous successful spells at Real Madrid, when they won the Champions League in 2014 and 2022.
Ancelotti has opted for a 4-4-2 formation in pre-season friendlies, deploying Bellingham as an attacking midfielder and fast-paced Brazilians Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo as centre forwards.
Bellingham’s performances have earned widespread praise in the Spanish media, and his connection with Vinicius has excited Ancelotti.
“Bellingham is a complete midfielder and different from the others we have,” the Italian told reporters during Real’s pre-season trip to the U.S.
“He is a fantastic player. The team has to get used to his quality, which is extraordinary. His arrival in the box is very important for the team.
“He is very important for us because he has a lot of pace and intensity in his game. He moves very well without the ball, he goes into free space and adds another quality to this fantastic squad.”
Real Madrid start their bid for a record-extending 36th Spanish title on Saturday at Athletic Bilbao.
Borussia Dortmund has completed the signing of Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich, a Bundesliga competitor.
The 29-year-old, who had a loan spell at Manchester United in the latter half of the previous season, has officially signed a four-year contract with Dortmund, marking the end of his two-year tenure with Bayern Munich.
Former RB Leipzig star Sabitzer told Dortmund’s website: “I can’t wait to finally join the team and wear the BVB jersey.
“The discussions with Borussia Dortmund’s managers were excellent and showed me how ambitious the club wants to be in the coming years.
“I would like to do my part to ensure that BVB achieves its goals and that it has every reason to celebrate something special with its fans again as soon as possible.”
Sabitzer joins a club who lost the league title to Bayern on goal difference last season after being held to a 2-2 home draw by Mainz on the final day of the campaign.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who along with Sabitzer will join up with the rest of the squad in the United States on Tuesday, said: “Marcel is an experienced player who has been playing at the top international level for years.
“We are convinced that his personality will also become an important pillar of the team and that he will help us to become even more effective in hard-fought games.”
The team manager of Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars, Ameenu Shadow, has stated that the team would have performed better had Otto Addo remained as the head coach.
Otto Addo, who also serves as an assistant coach for Borussia Dortmund, stepped down from his position following Ghana’s elimination at the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Shadow stated that Addo had made errors during the tournament held in November and December 2022 but believed that he would have learned from those mistakes and made the necessary corrections to enhance the team’s competitiveness.
“We would have been better if Otto Addo stayed as Black Stars coach. I have always said it that Otto Addo made mistakes at the World Cup because he hadn’t been there before.
“Otto Addo is someone who learns on the job and Ghana would have been better if he had continued with his job as Black Stars head coach”, he told 3Sports.
Following Otto Addo’s departure, Chris Hughton has taken the reins as the head coach of the Black Stars.
Previously serving as a technical advisor during the World Cup, Hughton has guided the team to one victory and two draws since assuming the role in March 2023.
The team’s performance has been commendable under Hughton‘s leadership.
Real Madrid has secured the signing of Jude Bellingham, born on June 29, 2003, in Stourbridge, as their newest player.
Widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in global football, the midfielder joins Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.
Bellingham arrives in Madrid following a remarkable season in which he was voted the best player in the Bundesliga for 2022/23. At just 19 years old, he has already established himself as a regular starter for the England national team.
Having spent three seasons in Germany, Bellingham now becomes a member of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
His most recent campaign with Borussia Dortmund was particularly impressive, as he achieved his highest goal-scoring tally, netting 14 goals across all competitions.
Notably, he made an immediate impact on his debut for Borussia Dortmund in September 2020, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to score at the age of 17 years and 77 days. He also featured in the German Cup final, helping his team secure victory.
Bellingham’s talents have also been recognized on the international stage. After making his senior debut for England in November 2020, he was selected to represent his country in the Euro 2020 tournament, where England finished as runners-up. He further showcased his skills in the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar and even found the back of the net.
Prior to his move to Germany, Bellingham honed his skills in the youth system of Birmingham City. He made history at the club by becoming their youngest-ever debutant at the age of 16 years and 38 days, as well as their youngest-ever goal-scorer at 16 years and 63 days in August 2019.
Birmingham City announced that they would retire the number 22 shirt in his honor upon his departure from the club in July 2020.
Borussia Dortmund experienced heartbreak on the final day of the season as they narrowly missed out on clinching their first Bundesliga title in 11 years, losing the race by goal difference. Despite a valiant fightback to secure a 2-2 draw against Mainz, it wasn’t enough to claim the championship.
Edin Terzic’s team had their hopes dashed when Bayern Munich secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Koln, with Jamal Musiala scoring a late winner for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Dortmund found themselves in a constant battle to catch up after conceding two first-half goals from Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Karim Onisiwo, with Sebastien Haller also failing to convert a weak penalty.
Raphael Guerreiro provided a glimmer of hope with a goal in the second half, but Musiala’s late strike for Bayern at the RheinEnergie Stadion made Niklas Sule’s last-minute equalizer for BVB inconsequential in the title race.
After Bayern went ahead early in Koln, Signal Iduna Park was silenced in the 15th minute as Hanche-Olsen headed in Edimilson Fernandes’ corner.
Dortmund squandered a great opportunity to respond within four minutes, Finn Dahmen saving Haller’s tame penalty after Dominik Kohr fouled Guerreiro in the box.
The hosts were duly punished five minutes later, the unmarked Onisiwo afforded too much space to nod Lee Jae-sung’s cross beyond Gregor Kobel.
Borussia Dortmund fan-turned-head coach Edin Terzic in tears as the Südtribüne chants his name after losing the title.
The chant afterwards: “If you win and stand top, or if you lose and stand at the bottom, we’ll still sing: Borussia, BVB!”
Julian Brandt and Donyell Malen went close at the other end but Mainz almost added a third after half-time, Lee calling Kobel into action and Onisiwo rattling the post.
Opportunities went begging for Haller and Malen, but Dortmund finally broke through in the 69th minute as Guerreiro exchanged passes with substitute Gio Reyna before slotting past Dahmen.
Dortmund required a further two goals, but Marco Reus missed a great chance while Haller and Reyna headed straight at Dahmen.
It was not until the 96th minute that Sule levelled but following the dramatic developments in Koln, it was too late for the hosts to find a third goal to take the title away from Bayern.
As the German powerhouses attempt to fight off Borussia Dortmund’s bid for their Bundesliga crown, Nagelsmann was unexpectedly fired by Bayern Munich last month. Thomas Tuchel took his place.
Nagelsmann gained a lot of supporters during his excellent tenures with Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig before guiding Bayern to the Bundesliga championship last season. As a result, Nagelsmann was instantly mentioned as a possible long-term replacement for Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge.
Nagelsmann reportedly held talks with Chelsea over taking the job at the end of the campaign, but widespread reports on Friday suggested he had withdrawn from the running.
Asked about those reports by Sky Sports in Germany, Nagelsmann said: “To cancel something, you have to commit to something.”
Chelsea sit 11th in the Premier League table after failing to win any of their past five games in the competition, their most recent league victory coming against Leicester City under Potter on March 11.
Since appointing Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season, Chelsea have lost four successive games across all competitions, a run that saw them eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Nagelsmann could still be set for a move to the Premier League, however, with the 35-year-old being linked with Tottenham as they search for a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte.
He has also been suggested as a potential candidate to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, though the Italian recently said he has no intention of leaving Los Blancos at the end of the season despite links with Brazil.
Jamie Carragher has slammed Liverpool’s “timid” withdrawal from the race to sign Jude Bellingham, claiming the Reds have betrayed their fans’ trust by failing to pursue him.
With Bellingham expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and Liverpool’s midfield in desperate need of a rebuild, Anfield has long been suggested as a potential destination for the England man.
However, reports this week said Liverpool were no longer targeting Bellingham, with Real Madrid and Manchester City reportedly the frontrunners for the £130million-rated midfielder.
While Jurgen Klopp was unwilling to discuss Bellingham directly at a press conference on Friday, he accepted Liverpool may have to “step aside and do different stuff” in the next transfer window.
The decision to focus on alternative targets has attracted criticism from former Reds defender Carragher, who says the club’s hierarchy must win back the confidence of disgruntled supporters.
“Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp built a level of trust with regard to transfers which was the envy of Europe,” Carragher wrote in The Telegraph on Friday.
“That trust has gone with news they will not be pursuing Jude Bellingham this summer.
“It must be won back in the next transfer window because Klopp, his recruitment team and owners Fenway Sports Group have been granted a free pass for the dire performances of the last eight months, especially away from home.”
With Liverpool highly unlikely to qualify for next season’s edition of the Champions League, Carragher feels their failure to compete for Bellingham’s signature demonstrates “weakness”.
“Everything pointed to waiting for Bellingham. The supporters were sold the dream that the next Steven Gerrard was Anfield-bound,” Carragher added.
“After a year working on a deal, it feels like a timid surrender to step aside and allow Manchester City and Real Madrid to fight it out.
“There are times when a club of Liverpool’s stature has to flex some muscle and remind their rivals they can and will be there to compete off and on the pitch.
“To walk away because there is now too much work needed across the whole squad smacks of weakness, negligence and poor planning.”
Since Jurgen Klopp took over the club’s management in 2015, Liverpool has advanced to three UEFA Champions League finals, lost two, and won the 2019 edition. Real Madrid, the 14-time champion, has been Klopp’s worst nightmare in this competition, having twice denied the German in the final in 2018 and 2022.
Liverpool has also been eliminated from this year’s competition by Los Blancos.
Last season, the club was managed by a former Borussia Dortmund manager, who guided them to the final of every competition they took part in, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup while losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
However, days before the night in Paris, Klopp was caught up in a bar mood with former Reds captain Steven Gerrard who was still Aston Villa manager at that time, as reported by Sun UK.
Klopp met Gerrard at bar
Gerrard and Klopp met at a bar in Merseyside while the manager was walking his dog and decided to stay and spend some time with the former Rangers boss. “He was walking the dog, I was sitting outside with one of my friends having a couple of pints.
I shouted over to wish him good luck, because he had a Champions League final days later. I thought he’d be in the zone,” he told The Anfield Wrap. “He said to me: ‘No, no, no. Go to the bar and get me a pint.’ So we got him a pint.
He ended up having two or three, he had a couple of smokes, his dog waited patiently, and we had a good craic for probably over an hour about football, about life in Liverpool, his plans for the future.”
Klopp could be friendly and could also get angry.He blasted a pitch invader who nearly injured left- back Andy Robertson during Liverpool’s 7-0 rout of Manchester United, as reported earlier.
The fan evaded security and collided with the Scottish defender, who sat down a few seconds with what looked like he had been injured but could carry on.
Bayern Munich will always be the favourite to defeat Borussia Dortmund, according to Leon Goretzka, because no team can compete with Die Roten at the Allianz Arena and come out on top.
The two teams square off in their first game following the international break in a game that could be crucial to this season’s Bundesliga title race.
After taking over for Julian Nagelsmann last week, Thomas Tuchel, a former captain of the Black and Yellow, Dortmund now has a one-point advantage over their rivals.
According to Goretzka, who was speaking ahead of the crucial game, the visitors’ advantage in the league standing means nothing when they travel to the Allianz Arena.
“We are ready,” he told SportBILD. “We want the 11th championship in a row. To quote Kylian Mbappe, we are always favourites.
“When we play at home, there isn’t a team we don’t go into the game against as favourites. I think [the pressure] is great.
A few more of the lads have returned from the international break 🛬👋
“I really enjoy these games. As a player, you don’t want to be part of the team that can break this series [and miss out on another title win].”
Nagelsmann’s departure, despite guiding Bayern to the title last term and theChampions League quarter-finals this year, is a gamble for the Bavarian giants.
But in Tuchel, they have a former Champions League-winning coach from his time at Chelsea, and Goretzka hopes he can help retain their Bundesliga crown.
“We all know and appreciate his successes,” he added. “[We] have great respect for his achievements and experience.”
It would be “amazing,” according toLiverpool captain Jordan Henderson, if Jude Bellingham joined him at Anfield, but the player insisted that Bellingham must pick the team that is best for him.
While playing for Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham has emerged as one of the game’s most exciting prospects.
He also had a standout World Cup with Henderson’s England last year.
Although recent reports suggested the Reds may struggle to finance a deal should the latter two start a bidding war, Bellingham is expected to demand a fee in excess of £100 million (€114 million), the 19-year-old midfielder has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Real Madrid among others.
Henderson has been as impressed as anyone by Bellingham, and though he hopes to be able to link up with him at club level as well as with England, he said the youngster must “think about himself”.
“I just want him to be the best player he can be – of course, if it ended up being Liverpool that would be amazing,” he said. “But it’s got to be right for him, and it’s going to be every club you can think of that will want him.
“He has to think about himself and make sure he makes the right decision for his career. But there’s going to be one lucky club that will end up getting him, whether that is now or in a year or two it will be a lucky club.”
6 – Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is making his sixth start in the knockout stages of the Champions League, tying Trent Alexander-Arnold for the most starts by an English teenager in the knockout stages of the #UCL. Regular. pic.twitter.com/b7KZcO4ywO
Bellingham has 10 goals and six assists in 34 games for Dortmund this season, and Henderson detailed what it is about the former Birmingham City player that makes him stand out.
“His potential is through the roof, really,” Henderson added. “He can be as good as he wants to be – but he’s got the right mentality, which is the most important thing.
“He is a really special player and I can’t believe his age and his mentality, how he applies himself to training and the games, everything. I’ve never seen it before, so I’m pretty confident that he’ll be a pretty good player for many years to come.
“Honestly, I can’t believe his age, how mature he plays, how mature he is off the pitch, in the gym, training, everything, recovery day after the game. He is just dedicated to football.
“He’s a special player, but I’ve said it before we just need to be careful not to apply too much pressure on him but let him play football. When you let him play football you can see what he does for Dortmund, you can see what he does here for England.
“Every time he puts on an England shirt he grows and is getting better and better all the time. Of course there are things he can improve on and get better at – he’s only 19 – but the platform and the basis he has got he can go as high as he wants to.”
Following an inquiry into a 1992 domestic incident involving his wife, Gregg Berhalter is still being considered for a new contract as the head coach of the United States.
Rosalind Berhalter, who was then his girlfriend, was shoved and kicked by Berhalter in a nightclub when they were both freshman at the University of North Carolina. Berhalter confirmed in January that he was the focus of an investigation into the incident.
It was later discovered that Danielle, Giovanni Reyna’s mother, had complained to U.S. Soccer about the event because she had been upset by Berhalter’s handling of her son at the 2014 World Cup.
Reyna saw little playing time throughout the competition, and Berhalter indicated the Borussia Dortmund player nearly left his team because of bad behavior in Qatar.
Berhalter’s contract with U.S. Soccer expired at the end of December, though he said he was hopeful of returning to the post as a probe into the domestic altercation was announced.
While that investigation has concluded Berhalter did kick his wife, the legal firm that carried it out has advised U.S. Soccer there is no legal impediment to re-employing him.
A statement from U.S. Soccer read: “Upon learning of a serious allegation of past misconduct against then-U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Soccer immediately engaged a team at Alston & Bird LLP to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.
“U.S. Soccer takes seriously both allegations of violence and allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards our officials and staff.
“U.S. Soccer’s process for determining who will serve as sporting director is ongoing, and interviews are underway. The sporting director will lead the process of determining who will serve as head coach of the men’s national team.
“Given the investigators’ conclusion that there is no legal impediment to employing him, Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to serve as head coach.
“The report also identifies a need to revisit U.S. Soccer’s policies concerning appropriate parental conduct. We will be updating those policies as we continue to work to ensure safe environments for all participants in our game.”
The future of Jude Bellingham’s football career is still uncertain. The youngster from Borussia Dortmund has been linked with a transfer away from the German team, with Real Madrid and Liverpool the front-runners to sign him.
Bellingham should stay with the team for another season, according to a club legend, as Dortmund are also eager to hold onto their star player. Stefan Effenberg thinks the young star would be better off remaining with the Bundesliga team, as reported by BVB Buzz.
“I would advise Bellingham to stay in Dortmund; he is still young and can still sign three of four top contracts in the future,” he said.
Contrary to Haaland, he thinks Bellingham has a closer relationship with the club and enjoys their trust and support more.
Effenberg cited Jadon Sancho as an example for his recommendation to the star to remain in Germany. “I hope he decides to stay for the sake of his own growth.
There is also no assurance in other places. The prime example of this is Sancho.
Sancho was one of the many gifted young players for Dortmund who was expected to have a promising future.
According to Transfermarkt, he scored 50 goals in 137 games for the German team but just 10 in 61 games for the English team.
Effenberg is concerned that Bellingham might suffer the same fate as the Red Devils player, who fell short of expectations after moving.
Bellingham is unsure of the club’s future. According to a previous report from Sports Brief, Borussia Dortmund is eager to learn if Bellingham will be returning for another year.
According to news reports, the Bundesliga team wants to keep the player, but he is unsure of his position.
Bellingham has been linked with moves to clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid, though his current club still wants him.
Jude Bellingham labelled the refereeing in Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League defeat at Chelsea a “joke”, though he warned he would not talk himself into another fine.
Dortmund took a 1-0 lead to Stamford Bridge for the second leg on Tuesday after Karim Adeyemi’s goal at Signal Iduna Park gave them the advantage in the round of 16 tie.
But Raheem Sterling equalised on aggregate in the 43rd minute, before Marius Wolf was adjudged to have handled Ben Chilwell’s cross in the Dortmund box from close range shortly after the break.
Kai Havertz hit the post with his initial penalty, but a retake was ordered after a Dortmund player allegedly encroached, with Havertz making no mistake with the second spot-kick by sending Alexander Meyer the wrong way as Chelsea held on to dump Dortmund out.
Bellingham, who was fined €40,000 (£35,665) by the German Football Association (DFB) in 2021 for criticising referee Felix Zwayer, was unhappy with both the decision to award a penalty and the ruling of a retake, blaming Havertz’s run-up for his team-mates edging into the area.
“From where I was it looked like he was pretty close and I’m not sure what more he can do with his hands,” Bellingham told BT Sport. “It’s a yard or two away.
Man Utd clash will be full of emotions, form means nothing – Klopp
“I don’t want to get in trouble, I’ve paid enough to them lot.
“That in itself was disappointing, and then the fact they’ve had a retake I think is a joke. For every penalty, especially when you have such a slow run-up, there’s going to be people encroaching into the box by a yard or so.
“But that’s the game I suppose, he’s made a decision and we have to live with it.”
Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic was keen to focus on his team’s shortcomings rather than blame the referee, though he also felt it was a tight call that went against his side.
“I’m responsible for the performance of our team and my performance,” Terzic said. “I don’t want to talk about the referee.
“It’s now the third time your [media] colleagues are asking me the question. I think it was a tight call and a harsh decision but that’s how it goes.”
Despite the defeat, Terzic was proud of his players and pointed to Chelsea’s huge spending in the transfer market as evidence of his team competing at the top level.
“Fair play to Chelsea and congratulations,” Terzic added. “It was two very tight games and in the end, inches decide whether you go to the next round or not.
“We have enough quality in the team and that’s the good thing. These two games, this is what we want. We don’t want to compete with Chelsea in the transfer market, we want to compete with Chelsea on the matchday and I think we did it twice.”
The knockout round of the 2022–23 Champions League tournament has begun, and the top teams in Europe are competing for a place in the quarterfinals.
Real Madrid advanced significantly to the round of eight with a 5-2 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, while Napoli, the undisputed Serie A champion, now leads by a score of 2-0 after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt.
To defeat Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea must overturn a 1-0 deficit, and Tottenham must do the same after losing to AC Milan.
In other matches, Bayern Munich will try to hold onto its 1-0 lead against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg, and Benfica should eliminate Club Brugge with a two-goal cushion.
We tell you everything you need to know about the 2023 final as the teams strive to get one step closer to the prestigious continental trophy.
When is the 2023 Champions League final?
The 2023 Champions League final will take place on Saturday, June 10.
This date is later than last season’s showpiece, held on May 28, due to the change in the domestic football calendar thanks to the World Cup held last November and December in Qatar.
For supporters at the stadium, the game will kick off at 10 p.m. local time. For fans watching in the UK, the match will start at 8 p.m.
Where is the 2023 Champions League final?
Turkey will host the 2023 Champions League final, with the game held at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
The venue was opened in 2002, initially built for the country’s attempt to host the 2008 Olympics, which was ultimately awarded to Beijing, China.
Home to the Turkish national team, it will be the second time the ground has held the Champions League final, having been the location for the epic 2005 encounter between AC Milan and Liverpool.
Istanbul had been scheduled to host the 2020 showpiece, before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the match being played at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.
Then in 2021, the marquee fixture was once again moved to Portugal, this time to the Estadio do Dragao in Porto.
According to UEFA, the stadium has a capacity of over 75,000 people and is named after Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Graham Potter is under pressure as Chelsea’s manager after a stretch of just two victories in his previous 14 Premier League games. However, why hasn’t he been fired?
James Ward-Prowse’s kick on Saturday was all it took to prevent Chelsea from winning for a fifth straight game, adding to the pressure on Potter as a very difficult stretch continues. After a frenetic January shopping spree, the former Brighton manager took over for Thomas Tuchel in September of last year. However, since taking over, Chelsea has not improved under his leadership.
Naturally, his struggle has resulted in many calling for his dismissal, but a new report from The Telegraph has outlined exactly why Chelsea are yet to sack Potter.
The report claims that Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are not yet convinced he is the problem and instead have a list of reasons why they shouldn’t sack him. Injuries behind the scenes are one reason, as is his poker face in the public eye; Potter is described as being “intense” around the Cobham training ground, and the owners have no fears over his mentality, but are instead happy they have a coach who will not throw players under the bus in front of the media.
Point three claims the owners recognise that Potter took a risk in joining the club from Brighton mid-season, something they believe not many top coaches and managers are always willing to do. They also understand he left a very safe environment at Brighton and put his reputation on the line in doing so, and they believe he needs a considerable amount of time to work with new players and develop a relationship with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart in order to create sustainable success, similar to Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain at Manchester City.
A severe loss of form sees Chelsea languishing in 10th in the Premier League, behind the likes of Liverpool, Fulham and Potter’s former club Brighton. They also find themselves 11 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle, and are at serious risk of not qualifying for the Champions League next season.
The Blues travel across London to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday in a bid to kickstart their season once again, but will also have one eye on theirChampions League last-16 tie on March 7, where they must turn around a first-leg defeat against Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City needs a striker, and claims that Erling Haaland only scores “easy” goals are “a lie,” according to his teammate Ederson.
Since joining City from Borussia Dortmund last year, Haaland has scored 32 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions, which is more than any other player from one of the top five leagues in Europe.
In the Premier League, he has scored 26 goals, but the 22-year-old has recently come under fire as City struggles to overtake Arsenal and Manchester United in the race for the championship.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said Haaland “might have picked the wrong club,” while Arsenal great Thierry Henry speculated that Tottenham’s Harry Kane might have been a better fit for City.
However, Ederson believes Haaland is well-suited to City’s style, though he acknowledges Pep Guardiola’s men have had to adapt to his characteristics.
“When he arrived, we said he was going to score a lot—and that’s been happening.” “He is a brilliant goalscorer; he always looks to score and help the team,” Ederson told UEFA.com.
“He is the striker we needed because, in comparison to Gabriel [Jesus], they are different players.” Gabi likes to come in from out wide; he is stronger and more versatile. Haaland plays more centrally, looking to get into the box, he is a target in the area.
“That has been the major difference. When you get into the final third you have someone who will always be in the area.
“Many people say most of the goals he scores are easy—but that is a lie.” It’s his positioning—that’s his best ability. He doesn’t score easy goals, he positions himself very well.
City return to Champions League action when they visit RB Leipzig for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday, and with Haaland netting 28 times in 23 appearances in the competition throughout his career, the club hope his finishing ability will help deliver their first European crown.
Ederson is in no doubt as to the importance of continental success to City, saying: “That’s our main objective, the main objective of the club.
“We’ve been trying [to win it] and will carry on trying. We haven’t won it yet, we reached the final [in 2021], and a few semi-finals, and we didn’t come out of it with a good result.
“But I think this year, we’re more than capable of getting to the final and challenging for the title.
“Now this title is what the club needs, it’s what we athletes need and it’s what Guardiola needs here at the club, too. This year, we’re going to try. We’re going after it.”
Graham Potter has acknowledged the need for Chelsea to snap out of their frustrating run of form quickly, saying: “long-term doesn’t exist in this job”.
Potter has come under pressure amid a difficult period for the big-spending Blues, who recorded three successive Premier League draws for the first time since 2012 after Saturday’s 1-1 stalemate with West Ham.
Chelsea have won just one of their eight games across all competitions since the turn of the year (D4 L3), and the Champions League now represents their only chance of avoiding a trophyless season.
With a trip to Borussia Dortmund for the first leg of an enticing last-16 tie on the horizon, Potter is aware of the need for things to change at Stamford Bridge.
“You can’t talk about the long-term because that doesn’t exist in this job,” he told reporters.
“You have to acknowledge there’s a long-term but there’s a short-term and medium-term that is challenging for us in terms of results.
“The experienced players know what we’ve been through. You’re talking about some top professionals who know football.
“While people on the outside may have an opinion on things, these guys have been around and know the challenges we’ve faced.
“They know the situation the club has been in and what’s happened. So then it’s about helping them get through it, the inevitable frustration because they want to win. We all do and the supporters do. That’s where it’s been challenging.”
Chelsea’s two previous Champions League titles were delivered during campaigns which saw them struggle in the Premier League, and while Potter is excited by the start of the knockout stages, he is taking things game by game.
“In a knockout competition, anything can happen, that’s the thing,” he said. “It’s two games. I don’t think it’s valuable for us to look past Dortmund.
“We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well. We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.
“[This squad] has won the Champions League. They’ve experienced it. They’ll want to fight for the game, that’s for sure, and that’s exciting for us.”
Despite Chelsea’s domestic struggles, Potter is unbeaten in his five Champions League games at the helm, winning the last four.
Victory in Dortmund on Wednesday would therefore make Potter the first English coach to win five successive matches in the competition.
Peter Hermann, an assistant coach with Borussia Dortmund, has retired from his role and ended a long career due to health issues.
With June, Dortmund hired the well-respected 70-year-old to work in Edin Terzic’s backroom team.
Hermann has coached German football for more than 30 years and has taken the sidelines for more than 1,000 matches in the Bundesliga, 2.Bundesliga, and DFB-Pokal.
He formerly held two positions as an assistant at Bayern Munich, where he and Jupp Heynckes both contributed to the team’s illustrious treble in the 2012–13 season.
Dortmund announced in a statement on their official website on Wednesday that Hermann has left his role with immediate effect.
“Peter has asked us for his release for health reasons. It goes without saying that we have complied with his wish,” Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said.
“We were incredibly happy last summer that Peter – although his personal life plans didn’t include it at the time – decided to spend another year in professional football for BVB.
“In him we are not only losing an experienced, technically excellent coach, but also a great person.”
Co-coach Peter Hermann (70) will leave Borussia Dortmund with immediate effect due to health reasons, ending his long and successful career.
Hermann also enjoyed spells in the dugout with Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke, Hamburg, Nurnberg and Fortuna Dusseldorf.
“My time at BVB was short and yet very intense,” Hermann said. “I’ve come to appreciate this club, the team and the entire environment over the past few months.
“I’ve enjoyed working for a club that loves and lives football so much. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to work longer for Dortmund, because of course health always comes first.”
Dortmund, who are sixth in the Bundesliga after 15 matches, confirmed they are searching for Hermann’s successor and a decision will be made in the coming weeks.
Jude Bellingham can leave Borussia Dortmund if Europe’s big names come calling as the German club cannot “afford to fight financially”, says their CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Bellingham’s strong start to the season has seen him register 12 goal involvements in all competitions, earning him a place in England’s World Cup and garnering interest from a number of top clubs.
Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City are all rumoured to be interested in the midfielder, who signed for Dortmund from Birmingham City as a 17-year-old in 2020 for an initial fee of £25million.
If Bellingham does leave, Dortmund reportedly want a fee of €100m, though that number could end up reaching €150m should a bidding war play out for his services.
One of my biggest dreams growing up was to play at a world cup, I’m so grateful to have been given the chance to do so. Will give everything to try and make it a tournament that the country can be proud of. Let’s go.🏴❤️ pic.twitter.com/fMtNRSnvMx
While Bellingham is yet to publicly state any desire to leave Dortmund, Watzke knows will be difficult to keep hold of him if that changes and the top teams come calling.
“We will hold talks now, as soon as [the World Cup in] Qatar is over,” Watzke told Bild. “Then we’ll have a fundamental talk about what he would like.
“He just needs to tell us if he’d like to stay or if he’d like to go. In both cases we’ll talk about it very pleasantly and reasonably together.
“In general we can imagine that he’d stay with us, but we can’t behave as if this topic wasn’t on the table.
“If he says ‘I’d like to do something else,’ then the really big [clubs] in Europe will be there and we can’t afford to fight financially.”
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich will be targeting top spot when they take on Hertha Berlin in the capital.
Rivals Borussia Dortmund are aiming to continue their upturn in form against second-bottom side Bochum.
Elsewhere, leaders Union Berlin will look to retain their No1 ranking at struggling Bayer Leverkusen, while it is seventh versus sixth as Hoffenheim face RB Leipzig.
Third-placed Freiburg then host FC Cologne on Sunday in the hope of capitalising on any slip-ups from the top two.
Game of the week: Hertha Berlin vs Bayern Munich (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Recent history favours Bayern Munich in this fixture — they have won each of their last five meetings with Hertha Berlin.
Die Roten will hope to take a commanding lead before the break, having scored a Bundesliga-record 24 first-half goals in their 12 games this season.
Hertha, meanwhile, have netted just four strikes before half-time — the lowest tally in the league this season.
The hosts sit in 14th place and have struggled in attack this term. They are the only team yet to score more than twice in a single game, while just the bottom two clubs — Schalke and Bochum — have scored fewer goals (both 11) than their 14.
Additionally, Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann is unbeaten in his 13 matches as a manager against the Old Lady (nine wins, four draws) — more than against any other side.
Borussia Dortmund vs Bochum (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Jude Bellingham scored his third league goal of the season at Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend
Fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund will expect to extend their Bundesliga winning run to three games as they host a Bochum side who have mustered just seven points from their opening 12 matches.
But the visitors have only picked up more top-flight away points against Borussia Monchengladbach (26) than they have against BVB (25 — converted to three points for a win where applicable) in their history.
Nevertheless, Dortmund should be confident of scoring in this fixture and extending an ongoing club record.
They have found the net in each of their last 40 Bundesliga games at home, while Bochum have not kept a clean sheet on the road in the competition during any of their last 18 outings.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Berlin (Sunday, 2.30pm)
Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin played out a 2-2 draw when the teams last met
Leverkusen are third-bottom and Union sit top of the pile — but the history of this fixture tells a different story.
The visitors have just one competitive professional win against Leverkusen in nine attempts. However, their sole victory came after losing each of their first five and they are unbeaten since, drawing three times.
Die Werkself are enduring their second-worst start to a Bundesliga campaign, with just nine points from their 12 games so far, while Union have accrued 26.
The league leaders also boast the best defensive record in the division, conceding just nine times, while Leverkusen have shipped 25 goals — the third-worst tally in Germany’s top tier.
Hoffenheim vs RB Leipzig (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Christopher Nkunku is the Bundesliga’s joint-top scorer with nine goals this term
Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig are seventh and sixth respectively — and will see this fixture as a perfect opportunity to get ahead of their rivals as they bid to finish in a European spot.
But the hosts have won just one of the pair’s last nine meetings (two draws, six defeats) and only have a worse points-per-game record against Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.
Leipzig are unbeaten in their last 10 outings in all competitions (eight wins, two draws) and will be boosted by Wednesday’s 4-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk which secured their Champions League last-16 spot.
Freiburg vs FC Cologne (Sunday, 4.30pm)
Only two points separate Freiburg from the Bundesliga summit.
The Breisgau Brazilians’ 24 points is their best-ever return after 12 games, having never previously managed more than 22 at this stage of a campaign.
Since September 2000, Freiburg have lost just one of their 16 home encounters with FC Cologne across all competitions, winning 10 and drawing five.
Christian Streich’s outfit have kept a league-high seven clean sheets this term, while Cologne have managed just one — the joint-worst record in the division.
The weekend’s other games
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Stuttgart (Friday, 7.30pm)
Mainz vs Wolfsburg (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Augsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Ansgar Knauff’s comeback before the World Cup break was predicted, and it has happened. The midfielder is back in team training after overcoming a thigh injury.
The match against his club Borussia Dortmund on Saturday is still too early for him, though.
“Ansgar was on the training ground for the first time today,” said Oliver Glasner said on Friday.
“For me, 30 minutes of team training is too short and too little preparation,”
“I’m not going to take him with me tomorrow,”
“For Tuesday I’m happy to get an alternative with him again,”
On 20 January 2022, Knauff joined Eintracht Frankfurt on an eighteen-month loan deal. Knauff scored his first goal for Eintracht on 5 March 2022 in a 4–1 victory against Hertha BSC.
Borussia Dortmund’s Ivorian striker Sebastien Haller has raised hopes he will be able to return to the professional game after undergoing chemotherapy for a testicular tumour.
Haller received warm applause from the audience when he walked on stage to present the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, which was won by Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
“Everything is fine. I am here because everything is OK and going as well as it can,” Haller told compatriot and event co-host Didier Drogba.
“It is important to be present at this kind of ceremony to show that we are fighting and that we are strong, because we represent a lot of people out there.”
Haller, whose shaved head reflects weeks of treatment, placed 13th of the 30 players nominated for the Ballon d’Or, which was won by France striker Karim Benzema.
Ivory Coast international Haller finished top scorer in the Eredivisie last season with 21 goals, scoring 34 times in 43 appearances in all competitions for Ajax in 2021-22.
Dortmund in no rush
After a successful campaign with the Dutch giants, the former Eintracht Frankfurt and West Ham player signed a four-year deal with Dortmund for a fee that could increase to 34.5m euros.
Despite his latest public appearance, Dortmund’s general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke has said last season’s Bundesliga runners-up will not rush Haller back into action.
“We are hopeful that he can play again in the second half of the season. But only he will decide that,” Watzke told Bild earlier this month.
“We don’t want to and shouldn’t put him under pressure. The tumour was massive and he has all the time in the world to return whenever he wants.”
Haller represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to Ivory Coast, and has also previously played for Auxerre and Utrecht.
He has scored four goals in 15 appearances for the West African nation and played all four matches as the Elephants exited this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in the last 16.
Borussia Dortmundsecured a last-gasp draw with Bayern Munich on Matchday 9 — and things do not get any easier this weekend with a trip to leaders Union Berlin.
Bayern, meanwhile, face a tricky test of their own as they host second-placed Freiburg.
Eintracht Frankfurt face struggling Bayer Leverkusen, while the Bundesliga’s bottom two sides meet when winless Stuttgart play Bochum.
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig will be looking to maintain their recent upturn in form when they take on Hertha Berlin.
Game of the week: Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund (Sunday, 4.30pm)
Table-toppers Union are enjoying their best-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign with 20 points from nine games — but they will have to defy more of their own history to get the better of Dortmund.
The Berlin outfit have a worse top-flight loss percentage against the visitors than any other opponent (67%) and have suffered defeat in each of their last three meetings with them.
Additionally, they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight competitive clashes with BVB and have conceded more Bundesliga goals against them (16) than any other side except Bayern (also 16).
However, the league leaders have the best defence in Germany’s top flight this year, conceding just six times and boasting a division-low expected goals against tally of 8.1.
Union are unbeaten in their last 10 Bundesliga home games (seven wins, three draws) and will hope to continue that run against Edin Terzic’s men.
Bayern go into this fixture below Freiburg for just the third time in their history — but they have the chance to leapfrog their opponents with a win.
Julian Nagelsmann’s men are enduring their worst start to a season in 12 years. But history is on the reigning champions’ side in this fixture, with Die Roten never having lost a home Bundesliga match against Freiburg (19 wins, three draws).
However, the Breisgau Brazilians are one of just two teams who are still unbeaten away from home this term, so will hope to maintain that record in Bavaria.
Freiburg have also scored in each of their last eight clashes with Bayern — doing so again will certainly boost their chances of a positive result.
Bayern Munich were comprehensive winners in their last match against Freiburg
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayer Leverkusen (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Leverkusen’s 4-0 win over Schalke last Saturday saw them climb into 15th place and out of the drop zone.
But Eintracht Frankfurt are not the side they would have wished to come against next, as they look to turn that momentum into a positive run.
The hosts have won more Bundesliga home games against Leverkusen than against any other side (21) — and Xabi Alonso’s side only have a worse away loss percentage against Bayern (74%) than they do versus this weekend’s opponents (57%).
In fact, Leverkusen have lost their last four trips to Deutsche Bank Park.
However, Die Adler have conceded three goals in defeats to both Bochum and Tottenham in the past week and will be hoping for a positive response.
Stuttgart vs Bochum (Saturday, 2.30pm)
The league’s bottom two clubs — Stuttgart and Bochum — face off in a critical encounter.
The hosts sit one place higher with five points to their rivals’ four — but are the only team in the league yet to taste victory.
Bochum have the worst away record in the division (zero points) but come up against the league’s worst home side in Stuttgart (two points).
Die Schwaben are unbeaten in their last 23 home games against Bochum in all competitions (16 wins, seven draws). However, they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 26 Bundesliga matches at home — a club record.
RB Leipzig vs Hertha Berlin (Saturday, 5.30pm)
Timo Werner is starting to regain his goalscoring touch after returning to RB Leipzig from Chelsea in the summer
RB Leipzig have started tentatively picking up form after a poor start to the season, earning four points from their last two league outings.
And this clash with Hertha Berlin represents a good chance to build some momentum, with Leipzig winning 10 of their 12 Bundesliga matches against the club from the capital (one draw, one defeat) — scoring 45 goals in the process. Both those tallies are higher than against any other side.
Hertha are unbeaten in their last five games but have only won once in 2022-23, drawing their last four in a row.
Leipzig will look to Timo Werner to break that streak, with the striker having been involved in 12 Bundesliga goals against Hertha in his career (eight goals, four assists) — only managing more against Mainz.
The weekend’s other games
Schalke vs Hoffenheim (Friday, 7.30pm)
Werder Bremen vs Mainz (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Wolfsburg vs Borussia Monchengladbach (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Jude Bellingham is “an exceptional talent”, says Borussia Dortmund team-mate Niklas Sule, who suggested the midfielder projects a sense he is wise beyond his years.
The England international has continued to flourish at the Bundesliga outfit this season, with an increased leadership role under Edin Terzic’s watch.
Bellingham was handed the captain’s armband for the first time earlier this month for their top-flight clash with Cologne, and retained it for last week’s Champions League rout against Sevilla.
The 19-year-old’s maturity has not gone unnoticed by the rest of Dortmund’s squad, and speaking ahead of Tuesday’s return clash with the LaLiga team, Sule had fulsome praise for the playmaker.
“I think that Jude is an exceptional talent,” he stated. “I have rarely seen a player at age 19 that made you feel like he might as well have already three children at home and is a family father.
“He has that implicitness in his game where he knows, ‘I will lead the team and fight for the team’.
“That is very, very impressive to see. I am having deep exchanges with him and try to help him a little.”
Bellingham’s rich form for Dortmund seems almost certain to assure him of a place on the plane to the Qatar 2022 World Cup with Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.
The teenager may even be a lock to start for England in their tournament opener against Iran on November 21, amid Kalvin Phillips’ injury troubles, with the former favoured during the September international break.
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand declared “we haven’t seen” a player like Jude Bellingham at his age after the Borussia Dortmund teenager helped guide his team to a 4-1 Champions League win at Sevilla.
Bellingham scored one and assisted one as Dortmundeased to victory in Spain on Wednesday, with other goals coming from Raphael Guerreiro, Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt, while Youssef En-Nesyri pulled one back for the hosts.
Bellingham, 19, who captained the Bundesliga side, became just the second teenager to score in the first three games of a Champions League campaign.
The only other player to achieve that feat is his former BVB team-mate Erling Haaland, who did so with Salzburg in the 2019-20 season.
Bellingham’s tally of three Champions League goals this season is already a joint-high among English teenagers for a single campaign, along with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, back in 2004-05.
“What he’s doing in his position at his age, we haven’t seen,” Ferdinand said, working as a pundit for BT Sport.
“The best of our generation, [Frank] Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard, [Paul] Scholes, [Patrick] Vieira, Roy Keane, they weren’t doing this.
“He’s still got to go on and prove it over a long period of time, but they weren’t doing what he is doing right now [at the same age].
“Influencing games at this level, captaining teams at this level, and mentally this kid’s a beast.”
Fellow pundit and former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole added: “Along with Erling Haaland, he’s the best young player in the world, that’s for sure.
“I watched him play for England over the two [Nations League] games [against Italy and Germany] and he was our best player.
“His dad I believe was a semi-pro footballer so he’s obviously been guided right… When we grew up with Frank [Lampard] and his dad was a footballer obviously, a top footballer, and Frank had this maturity about him… Bellingham’s got that as well, coupled with his undoubted God-given talent and his drive, he’s unstoppable.”
Bellingham has long been linked with a move back to England, having joined Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020, with Liverpool, Manchester City, United and Chelsea all reportedly keeping an eye on developments, along with LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
“One thing that’s for sure – whoever gets him – is [his] temperament,” Ferdinand said.
“When you’re making big transfers and big moves like that in the spotlight, temperament is a key element you need to get right. This kid has already proved that it isn’t a question mark.”
Jude Bellingham donned the Borussia Dortmund captain’s armband for the first time on Saturday but couldn’t prevent his team losing to Cologne.
Head coach Edin Terzic had strong words for his players ahead of a big week.
Ahead of kick-off in Cologne, Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic sat down with Jude Bellingham for a quiet chat in the corner of the away dressing room.
In the absence of injured club captain Marco Reus and sick vice-captain Mats Hummels, the armband passed to the English teenager, officially third in the BVB captaincy pecking order.
“Is he the youngest captain in the history of Borussia Dortmund?” asked Terzic himself in a pre-match interview. “We don’t know. But he’s definitely old enough.”
Bellingham: ‘A dream come true’
The 19-year-old’s talents in dribbling, passing, composure, and defensive discipline have been clear for some time and his ability to turn defensive situations into offensive ones have often helped Dortmund out of tricky situations.
On Saturday afternoon, a typical drive forward opened up space behind the CologneCologne defense, before an inch-perfect pass into Julian Brandt allowed the German international open the scoring.
Bellingham’s double fist-pump and the yell of delight as he ran back towards to the centre circle after celebrating with his teammates showed how much it meant. A couple of hours later, however, his mood was very different.
After Cologne had produced an impressive second-half comeback to win 3-2, Bellingham led his teammates over to the traveling supporters, arms raised, palms facing outwards, an expression of acceptance of responsibility.
“When I first signed for this club, I never thought it would be possible,” he then told the Bundesliga’s official channel pitch-side. “But then I met the players and they gave me the belief that one day I could be captain.”
But as he trudged down the tunnel, his disappointment and anger at the result and performance became clear as he ignored waiting for journalists and hurled his coat onto the floor en route back to the dressing room, where he would speak to Terzic again.
Annoyed: BVB coach Edin Terzic cut a frustrated figure in Cologne
Terzic: ‘Brutal, annoying, bitter’
What exactly the head coach told his players will remain between those four walls, but the 39-year-old certainly cut a consternated figure as he spoke to reporters.
“For 15-20 minutes after half-time, in an important and decisive phase of the game, we weren’t prepared to invest all we had to defend our goal and win the ball back,” he said.
“When there were an extra three or four steps to take to get into the challenge, we weren’t prepared to do it. When you look at how we went into tackles at the start of the second half, it’s no wonder we ended up losing.
“And that annoys us. We’re annoyed that we once again have to ask these questions of ourselves. We’re annoyed as a coaching team that we can’t show 20 examples of good possession play tomorrow, but once again have to discuss the same topics.
“It’s brutal, it’s annoying, it’s bitter,” he concluded – for Bellingham as well, whose debut as captain ended in defeat, but whose reputation continues to grow.
“[Being captain] is something that other people have always mentioned to me, and I’ve always brushed it off,” he said. “But, I’m really grateful to have been given the chance today. “Still, I’m ultimately disappointed that we’ve lost.”
Sevilla and Bayern are to come
Dortmund officials are hopeful that vice-captain Hummels, who missed the trip to Cologne with a heavy cold, will be available again for the trip to Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday and for the visit next Saturday of Bayern Munich, who drew level on points with BVB thanks to their thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen.
Hummels’ return should not only see him resume his partnership with Nico Schlotterbeck but should also offer the experience and pedigree to implement Terzic’s demands.
As third-choice captain, Bellingham will also have a role to play.
Giovanni Reyna is expected to return to action within 10 days despite suffering a muscle strain on international duty, handing the United States a welcome boost ahead of the World Cup.
Reyna was substituted during the first half of the USA’s goalless draw with Saudi Arabia earlier this week, after which it was revealed he had suffered from “muscle tightness”.
His exit from that match – his country’s final friendly ahead of November’s trip to Qatar – set alarm bells ringing, particularly given Reyna missed much of last season with similar muscle injuries.
But Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic moved to allay fears of another long-term absence on Thursday, stating: “Gio has a strain and will be out for seven to 10 days. We hope he is available to play following the Sevilla game on Wednesday.”
Terzic was also able to offer a positive update on Marco Reus’ fitness after the BVB captain was injured in a 1-0 win over local rivals Schalke earlier this month.
“In Marco Reus’ case, the injury is fortunately not as bad as first feared,” Terzic added. “We hope he will be able to slowly ease his way back into team training after the weekend.”
Dortmund have won five and lost two of their first seven Bundesliga games this campaign to trail surprise leaders Union Berlin by two points.
UPDATE: Gio Reyna was experiencing muscle tightness and came out of the match as a precaution. https://t.co/GET8j1zGc1
Since moving to England for £51 million (€60 million) from Borussia Dortmund, Haaland has established himself well, scoring three goals in as many Premier League games for the league leaders.
In the race to sign the Norway international, City beat out some of the biggest clubs in the world, including defending LaLiga and Champions League champion Real Madrid.
Madrid talisman Benzema played an instrumental role during their successful 2021-22 season, top-scoring in both competitions along the way, while he recently surpassed Raul (323) as the club’s second-leading marksman of all-time behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (450).
The 34-year-old appears certain to be in the running for the top prize at this year’s Ballon d’Or awards, and his recent exploits have provided inspiration for a player 12 years his junior.
“I don’t know what will happen, but it must always be about learning, about developing,” Haaland told FourFourTwo. “You can never stop looking for new ways to become better.
“Look at Karim Benzema at Real Madrid. He’s 34 now and suddenly, he’s developed into an even better player over the last couple of years that’s insanely good. I want to always do that.”
Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller is set to undergo chemotherapy for a testicular tumour and is expected to be out for several months.
The Ivory Coast forward, 28, was was diagnosed earlier this month after complaining that he felt unwell.
Earlier this week the club reported he had successfully undergone surgery.
“Sebastienwill now receive the best possible treatment, the chances of recovery are very good,” said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
Former West Ham striker Haller signed a four-year deal with the Bundesliga side after moving from Ajax for 31m euros this month.
The club said: “Sebastien Haller (28) will be absent from Borussia Dortmund for several months. The histological findings revealed a malignant testicular tumour. Haller therefore has to undergo chemotherapy treatment.”
The 47-year-old is expected to sign a three-year deal – his current contract with the club will expire in the summer.
Dortmund and Addo are in advanced negotiations and an official announcement is expected to soon.
The former Dortmund midfielder joined the club in April 2019 as a ‘talent coach’, having previously held a similar role at Borussia Mönchengladbach since 2017.
In December 2020, he was promoted to serve as first team assistant coach to Edin Terzić who had been promoted to interim head coach, following the sacking of head coach Lucien Favre.
He won his first trophy as a coach after Dortmund defeated RB Leipzig in the finals of the 202021 DFB-Pokal.
Otto Addo replaced Milovan Rajevac as Ghana coach after the Serbian failed to progress to last 16 of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, finishing bottom of their group.
He led qualified the Black Stars to their fourth World Cup appearance following a 1-1 draw against Nigeria in the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to progress on the away goals rule.
Addo became first Ghanaian to have represented Ghana at the World Cup and also qualified the team to the Mundial as a coach.
Borussia Dortmund have sacked Marco Rose after one season as head coach.
After joining from Borussia Monchengladbach, Rose led Dortmund to second place in the Bundesliga, eight points behind champions Bayern Munich.
They were eliminated from both the Champions League and Europa League, and were knocked out of the German Cup by second-tier St Pauli.
Dortmund said they would discuss “the composition of the future coaching team in the coming days”.
Rose was in charge for 47 games, winning 27 and losing 16.
“This day is not an easy one for any of us, because the mutual respect among each other was, is and remains great,” said Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.
“After a season that was unsatisfactory for various reasons, we had to realise that we didn’t get the most out of our opportunities in many areas.”
Dortmund were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage – finishing behind Ajax and Sporting Lisbon – and were eliminated from the Europa League by Rangers.
“Despite a difficult season with many imponderables, I was convinced of our path,” Rose said.
“During our conversation I got the impression that the 100% conviction of all those responsible is no longer there.”
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