Bavarian Football Works

Bayern Munich hosted Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the much-heralded Champions League tie and the game did not quite live up to expectations.

The 1-1 draw sent PSG on to the next round and left the Bavarians questioning how things fell apart so quickly — and why they could not solve Luis Enrique’s puzzle. It was disappointing and deflating to say the least, but let’s get into it. Here are some quick hitters on the match:

The only real debate for the starting XI was at outside-back, where Vincent Kompany opted to ride the duo that helped get the team to this point — Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanišić. There was a great push by fans for Alphonso Davies to start, but having Davies able to come off the bench was not a bad option to have. Otherwise, this was exactly what was expected.

As it turns out, Kompany had the right idea as Davies would come on have a good showing (including an assist), but neither Laimer, nor Stanišić were all that good on the day.

Bayern Munich got off to a nightmare start. Just three minutes into the game, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia slipped behind the Bayern Munich backline and crossed to a wide open Ousmane Dembélé for a quick 1-0 lead. Fabián Ruiz sent the perfect ball in to Kvaratskhelia to spearhead the play.

There is no way that Dembélé should have been that wide open.

Kvaratskhelia was really too much for Bayern Munich to handle. A lot of people want to talk about Michael Olise being the best wing in the world, but Kvaratskhelia has a very strong claim to that title. Both guys are excellent, but Kvaratskhelia is winning — and playing big — at the highest level. PSG’s not-so-secret weapon was a mismatch for anyone Bayern Munich threw at him. At left-wing, he is an absolute menace.

Bayern Munich’s decision-making in the final third was not great in the first half.

In the 22nd minute, Luis Díaz sent Warren Zaire-Emery sprawling with some dazzling footwork before he ripped off a shot that went high and wide.

PSG was so aggressive with its press and that took a toll on Bayern Munich.

In the 28th minute, Olise made a sensational move to cut-in, but fired his attempt right over the crossbar. On a different day, Bayern Munich might have been up 2-1 by this point.

In the 29th minute, Nuno Mendes, who was sitting on a yellow card, had a handball, which the referee did not call. This was clear (and not altogether different than the Davies’ handball last week). However, at halftime a different view of the play was shown and you could see that Laimer actually had a handball that preceded the play of Mendes. This writer was beside himself until seeing the replay.

Second later, there should have been an actual handball on PSG by João Neves, this one in the box. If Davies’ play was a handball, so was this.

Jamal Musiala really struggled early in the first half and Olise did not look as sharp as normal.

Similarly, Aleksandar Pavlović scuffled through the first half and struggled to make an impact.

Bayern Munich was just not sharp. In the 43rd minute, Olise weighted a pass a little too hard for Laimer, who would get to it, but hit his cross too far for anyone to get. The first half was marred by Bayern Munich being just a bit off.

In the 44th minute, Musiala had two great chances, but could not finish. The first was saved by Matvey Safanov, and the second was just wide off the mark.

Bayern Munich was feeling the pressure and spiked up its urgency, but PSG had no incentive to match that while holding a 1-0 lead in the game and a 6-4 lead on aggregate.

Josip Stanišić did not have a great first half either.

Just before the half ended, Jonathan Tah sent a header just wide and should have done better with his attempt.

Kompany did not make any subs at halftime. The only real possibility was Davies for Stanišić as the manager was not going to move anyone else.

In the 55th minute, Pavlović had a good look, but completely airmailed his attempt.

PSG had Bayern Munich scrambling and flustered. Manuel Neuer had to make big stops on Désiré Doué and Kvaratskhelia in consecutive minutes.

Bayern Munich’s penchant for poor decisions continued in the second half. Mistakes were running rampant, too. This was not the Bayern Munich fans had seen most of the season. It was one that did not appear to be ready for the moment.

In the 62nd minute, Stanišić softly hit a shot at Safanov that did not even challenge the goalkeeper.

The most distressing thing was that Bayern Munich had no ideas on how to beat the PSG backline that it shredded just a week ago.

Neuer had to make a 65th minute save on Doué.

Luis Enrique outcoached Kompany by the way.

Bayern Munich’s penchant looked hapless offensively. Barring a counterattack resulting in a quick breakout, the Bavarians looked confused on how to breakdown PSG’s defense.

In the 69th minute Safanov stopped a quick, awkward attempt from Díaz.

Whatever Bayern Munich tried to throw at PSG, there was no answer. The Bavarians looked dumbfounded for most of the game and somewhat shellshocked.

Bayern Munich would finally get on the scoreboard in the 4th minute of added time with a goal from Harry Kane, but it was far too little, too late.

Overall, Bayern Munich has to be extremely disappointed in itself. From a fan standpoint, sure, the Bavarians laid an egg at the worst time, but it does not take away from the greatness of this season. However, it does reinforce that some changes need to be made. A new center-back, right-back, midfielder, and attacker will be needed to get the team where it needs to be for next season — and the center-back and attacker needed to be world class-type players. Kompany needs to evolve as well. The coach opened himself up to rotations this season, just not enough. Too many players were worn down from crazy workloads accumulated throughout the season. Kompany also must understand that altering his core philosophy is not a weakness. Enrique talked a big game all week about not changing, but when needed, his team hunkered and protected the goal. This season is far from a waste, but Bayern Munich does need to learn from where it went wrong against PSG. Opportunities like this are not easy to come by.

Real Madrid could be plotting to make a move for former Bayern Munich academy star and current Juventus attacker Kenan Yildiz:

Real Madrid are interested in Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Los Blancos have reportedly identified the 21-year-old as a dream signing, and he could be on their shortlist for the summer as they look to strengthen their squad following disappointing performances in LaLiga and the Champions League this season. Yildiz has previously been linked with Chelsea, but recently signed a four-year contract in February that secures his future with the Bianconeri until the summer of 2030.

Things might be escalating between former Bayern Munich transfer target Nick Woltemade and Newcastle United:

Nick Woltemade is expected to push to leave Newcastle United this summer, with the club looking to add a new striker to the squad, sources have told Football Insider. Eddie Howe has made it clear that he wants a new frontman added to his group ahead of next season, and the Magpies’ PIF ownership are willing to make that happen.

Woltemade is already down the pecking order at St James’ Park, and sources have indicated that a move to add another option in his position may provide the final straw for his time in the North East.

Football Insider revealed earlier this week that Newcastle want to avoid a “huge loss” on Woltemade, but that is likely to mean they massively limit the number of clubs that could buy him as a result. They are reluctant to sanction a departure for the star unless they are able to recoup the majority of their £69m outlay, but that has already put off Bayern Munich, who had been long-term admirers.

This is what you call buyer’s remorse — on both sides of this. Woltemade is getting hit with the reality that he really never wanted to go to Newcastle United, while the Magpies are experiencing the regret of having made a panic buy.

For the right price, Bayern Munich might go against recent reports and take a look at Woltemade, but NUFC is unlikely to drop its price that much on Woltemade even if it sees the situation as a lost cause.

Galatasaray could be planning to take a close look at Mainz 05 attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri:

🚨🆕 Nadiem Amiri is one of the names on Galatasaray’s shortlist for the No. 10 position.

There are different opinions within the club - ranging from “perfect fit” to head coach Okan Buruk preferring a different profile.

As revealed, Amiri is planning a move in the summer and wants to take the next step in his career. 16G/4A this season so far. 🇩🇪

Hamburger SV center-back Luka Vušković is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and might be getting a new contract from his parent club:

TOTTENHAM are ready to offer a bumper new contract to whizkid Luka Vuskovic in a bid to fend of interest from Europe’s elite. Croatia star Vuskovic, 19, has admirers from some of the biggest clubs in the world thanks to his stunning season on loan at Hamburg.

The centre-back, set to start against England at the World Cup, has scored five goals in 26 Bundesliga appearances this season. But Spurs are keen for Vuskovic to stay for the long term and are prepared to significantly boost his wages to keep him.

SunSport understands Spurs director of football Johan Lange travelled over to Hamburg recently to speak with Vuskovic about his future in North London. The defender is believed to be on relatively low wages having joined in the summer of 2025 on a five-year contract.

One of Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven are expected to leave Spurs this summer, while fellow centre-back Radu Dragusin could be sold. That would free up a pathway for Vuskovic.

It would be incredible if Vušković wiggled free of Tottenham and was available for Bayern Munich, but that seems very unlikely unless the Croatian youngster attempts to force a move. If that does not happen, Van de Ven is a really intriguing option. With great physical tools, he could be just the kind of defender who Vincent Kompany can mold from good to great. Just a thought…

Aston Villa could make a move for Juventus striker Jonathan David:

Aston Villa are reigniting their interest in Juventus striker Jonathan David from last summer, according to Tuttosport. The Canada international has scored eight goals in 44 appearances for the Bianconeri but could move on just one year after his free transfer from Lille. Juventus are looking to refresh their forward lines, as Dusan Vlahovic could leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Joao Palhinha is currently considered likely to make the permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur despite growing criticisms of his performances. The 30-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations in what has been a miserable season for Spurs, but remains keen to stick around if they stay up. Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Palhinha’s permanent move could depend on the fee involved, but negotiations are taking place in the background.

Spurs will make a final decision on the Portugal international’s future after the season ends, but are already putting plans in place for the transfer window.

“I thought Palhinha would be an excellent signing for Tottenham,” Brown told Football Insider. “After what he showed at Fulham, earning that move to Bayern Munich, I expected him to come back in and show that again at Tottenham. I must admit, that has not gone to plan for him or for Tottenham. Every time I listen to pundits speaking about him, they tear him apart.

“Jamie Carragher, for example, said he hasn’t got the quality to play in the Premier League, and I thought that was harsh based on the things I’ve seen. But from Tottenham’s point of view, they can’t listen to what pundits are saying, they’re going to make a decision about him at the end of the season. If they stay in the Premier League, I’m sure he will want to make the move, and the manager will assess his squad to see what they can do.

“From what I’ve heard, they’ve already been in negotiations behind the scenes, maybe to bring the price down or find a deal that suits them a bit better. So with Tottenham at the moment you just have to wait and see, but they have to make decisions based on their own views, not those of people outside the club.”

Leeds United are among the clubs said to be enquiring about the availability of Bayern Munich defender Hiroki Ito. The 26-year-old has been on the books of Bayern since 2024, when a reported €30m (£26m) was paid to prise him from Stuttgart.

According to SportsBoom, Leeds are among those eyeing Ito with the summer transfer window just around the corner. Bayern are not believed to have placed Ito on the transfer list, although it has been suggested they will be open to offers.

West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion have also been linked with the Japan international, who plays with Leeds midfielder Ao Tanaka on the international stage. The report has claimed an offer in the region of €25m (£21.6m) is likely to be accepted.

Bayern Munich midfielder João Palhinha’s loan move to Tottenham Hotspur started full of promise, but it has become a nightmare. A coaching change later, Palhinha finds himself in the middle of a serious relegation fight that is going right down to the wire.

And Bayern — where the Portuguese international did not and likely would not have a place in the side were he to return — likely had hopes for Spurs to exercise the buy option in the loan deal.

Perhaps surprisingly, that possibility has not yet been extinguished. Per Sky DE journalist Florian Plettenberg, as captured by @iMiaSanMia:

Tottenham are generally happy with João Palhinha and would like to keep him. However, they’re currently unwilling to pay the €25m (plus bonuses) option to buy - and want to renegotiate a lower fee with Bayern. A final decision is expected at the end of the season [@Plettigoal]

Would the Bavarians be satisfied with a lower amount — and do they have much leverage in the matter?

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Leading up to Bayern Munich’s match against Mainz 05 this weekend, Bayern’s sporting director, Christoph Freund, was asked about João Palhinha and his situation at Tottenham. Despite being one of the most valuable clubs in England’s Premier League, Spurs find themselves in the relegation zone going into the last stretch of matches.

Freund could not comment on the future of Palinha at this time, stating, “The situation at Tottenham is difficult. João is a fighter, he had a great start at Tottenham. The focus is entirely on avoiding relegation; Tottenham know what they have in him. But the situation there is very tense at the moment, so it’s difficult to say anything about the future right now.” (as recorded by @iMiaSanMia)

Whether or not Palhinha had heard these words from Freund before his match with Tottenham on Saturday, his performance showed that he was focused on helping Spurs avoid relegation. Away to Wolverhampton, he came off the bench and scored the match’s only goal. This took Tottenham out of the relegation zone momentarily, but a late West Ham goal gave them a win and keep them two points ahead of their crosstown rival with four matches to play.

🚨💣 EXCL | Sebastian Kehl is now the leading candidate for a role as Tottenham’s new director.

Spurs’ board want him to rebuild the team alongside Johan Lange. Kehl’s career as a top player, his management skills and his extensive international network are highly valued within the club and during the conversations.

However, a quick decision does not appear imminent. Sources close to Kehl indicate that the former BVB sporting director has not yet decided whether he wants to return to the game immediately or take some time off first.

✅ It is TRUE: Brighton are in the lead for Said El Mala. But it could be that other interested clubs still have a chance in this race, like Newcastle and Chelsea. That’s because the Brighton offer was about €35m plus €4m in add-ons, and Cologne want €50m. If they don’t get this money, perhaps they’ll be open to talking with Chelsea again. This could happen. At the moment, the way is clear – El Mala looks very likely to be playing Premier League football next season. Now we have to see whether he ends up at Brighton, which is the current plan, or if FC Köln say it won’t work because of the money on the table.

“Sarr’s value is growing and there’s a real possibility of him moving on this summer whether they go down or not. Real Madrid, PSG, and Bayern Munich are all big fans of the player, and offers of around £50m would probably be enough,” another added.

Tottenham are facing an increasingly real threat of relegation this season and that’s inevitably started to lead to serious behind-the-scenes conversations about players who could be snapped up by bigger clubs this summer.

While there are clearly a lot of players in this squad that have under-performed, there is also some appreciation for a few of their younger talents who could still go on to improve a lot in the right conditions, so that creates the potential for one or two major summer transfer sagas in the months ahead.

One name being mentioned a lot is Pape Matar Sarr, with several of my sources in the industry telling me that Spurs are aware of growing interest in the 23-year-old from some of Europe’s elite clubs.

“Spurs insist Sarr is not for sale, but privately they know that big clubs are going to come calling, and some may already have done so,” one source said.

❌ It is NOT TRUE: Brighton are considering a move for Manuel Neuer if he leaves Bayern this summer. The German will decide whether he stays for another year in Munich or quits at the end of the season. I spoke with him after the match against Real. He wants to make a decision in the relatively near future. The game itself was really tough for him. The first two goals from Real were, I’m afraid to say, two mistakes from Manuel Neuer. But the match before he was brilliant, and he was good in the second half of the second leg in Munich. I think he’s still having fun, and I heard that if he’s still enjoying himself, he’ll want to do another year at Bayern. We have to see! He’s set to become a father again; his wife’s pregnant with his second child. Perhaps that’s why he doesn’t want to play the World Cup. Perhaps he wants to be a family guy. But I think, as we saw yesterday in the match against Real Madrid, Neuer’s having so much fun that he could very well play one more year.

Wesley Sneijder has launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid’s players following their explosive Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich. The former Bernabeu midfielder criticised the squad’s decision to target the referee instead of holding Eduardo Camavinga accountable for his “stupid” dismissal during the quarter-final second leg.

Questioning the team’s choice to confront the referee after the final whistle, Sneijder said on Ziggo Sport: “This should not happen at this level. It is stupidity. We were all expecting extra time; you could feel it from both teams. It is incomprehensible that he does this while already having a yellow card in his pocket. There is something I don’t understand at all: that they are angry with the referee when what they should be doing is going into the dressing room and speaking with Camavinga, not the official.”

🚨🔵 EXCL | Noah #Atubolu is on Brighton’s shortlist for next season - not their top option, but still quite high on the list. Brighton are preparing for a potential departure of Bart Verbruggen.

With Harry Kane playing at Bayern Munich, former Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has very well-rounded familiarity with the England skipper’s evolution. There are few managers that know more about the Bundesliga, what it takes to succeed in the league, and how difficult it is to best Bayern than Klopp, who also came up against Kane via Tottenham Hotspur on several occasions during his tenure on Merseyside.

In total, Klopp has faced Kane 17 times as a manager and the German manager will certainly remember Kane’s brace at Wembley back in 2017 when the national stadium was Tottenham’s home during their new stadium’s build phase. The striker has scored nine times against Liverpool in the Premier League, and Klopp was able to witness almost all of them.

In a recent appearance on the Peter Crouch Podcast while Klopp was back in Liverpool for the Legends match vs the Dortmund legends, Klopp had high praises for Kane, who has been on another level since he’s joined Bayern from Tottenham. Before Crouch could even complete his question about what Kane’s achieved in the Bundesliga and at Bayern, Klopp explained how much he admired the England skipper.

“So he’s top, top, top level. He understands the game probably better than anybody right at this moment in time. He sees things early. His finishing was always fantastic, but now he knows exactly like — it’s like when he gets the ball, it’ like, in a good way, slow motion. Oh look (ball flight noise), and then the ball is going, it’s ridiculous. And he enjoys life, but in Munich, especially, it’s a good city for that. I think it’s a good match. It’s a really good match. And when he signed for them, and for the amount of money, I think it was like, whoa…I don’t think you’ll get a lot of that back to be honest, but he performs. He’s performing top, top level — world class player, I have to say,” Klopp enthused (via @iMiaSanMia).

Klopp and Kane are one of those dream ‘what if’ scenarios as far as top players playing under top managers, but it is hard to argue that everything hasn’t panned out exactly how it should for the striker under Vincent Kompany at Bayern. He’s on 49 goals and five assists from a total of 41 appearances across all competitions and well on his way to collecting more winner’s medals this season and he’ll certainly be in the running for a Ballon d’Or.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

Former Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel has reportedly been linked to Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund — enough for his representatives to respond to the rumors.

The 20-year-old is now a Tottenham Hotspur player, but Spurs’ shambles of a season — and his own struggles for playing time and even for making the Champions League squad — have pointed to a summer exit. It just may not be back to the Bundesliga.

“I don’t know if Dortmund really want Mathys, but honestly, a return to Bayern is the only way Mathys would go back to Germany,” Tel’s agent, Gadiri Camara said in comments captured by Tz journalist Philipp Kessler (via @iMiaSanMia). “He can’t play for any other club in the Bundesliga. He loves FC Bayern.”

That is admirable loyalty from a bright young player who sparkled in moments in Germany, and more importantly, has made great efforts to connect with the fanbase at both Bayern and Tottenham. Spurs’ current predicament is hardly one of his own making, but nevertheless, Tel still faces an uncertain future. Could he wind up back at Bayern — someday? It may require taking a wise intermediate step and making the most of it.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

Bayern Munich will push to sign signing 19-year-old Tottenham defensive talent Luka Vuskovic if Kim Min-jae departs for a suitable offer in the summer.

Bayern Munich are ready to make a push for Luka Vuskovic with the view of replacing current first-team star Kim Min-jae. The South Korean defender is currently not seen as more than a rotational option, and Vincent Kompany seemingly wants someone to challenge his first-choice centre-backs, which has seen the club linked with the 19-year-old Tottenham prodigy.

Kim Min-jae has a few suitors, with Chelsea and Tottenham keeping close tabs on his situation ahead of the summer. Bayern Munich would consider reasonable offers for the South Korean. Once he is sold, they will push to sign Tottenham wonderkid Luka Vuskovic, who has continued to impress with his performances for Hamburger in the Bundesliga.

The Bavarian giants are not alone in the race for the 19-year-old Tottenham prodigy, with rivals Borussia Dortmund also in the mix for the Croat. However, Bayern Munich have an appeal of their own when it comes to luring in top players, and an approach would certainly entice Vuskovic towards a move.

✅ It is TRUE: Palhinha could depart Tottenham in the summer. There is a discussion ongoing at Bayern Munich because they wanted to sell the player to Spurs (as he’s currently on loan). They’d hoped the Premier League club would end up triggering the release clause (about €30m [£25.8m]). It could be that Tottenham won’t look to sign him at the moment, whilst the future of the club remains very open. From Bayern’s perspective, they’re talking about selling him to another Premier League club if he does come back to Munich. He’s played well in England, and other clubs are watching him and seeing that he’s not the problem at Tottenham. So, Bayern are optimistic that Palhinha won’t return to Germany in the summer and he’ll still be playing in the Premier League next season. But nobody knows if it will still be at Tottenham!

❌ It is NOT TRUE: Bayern Munich are interested in Elliot Anderson. He’s too expensive! It’s said that he’ll cost €80m [£68.9m], which is just too much money for Bayern Munich, and they don’t need a player in this position. It’s true that Leon Goretzka will leave the club this summer, but they’re not looking for a successor. They have Tom Bischoff, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and now they’re bringing back Noël Aséko. He’s a talent at the club who was on loan at Hannover. The 20-year-old had a release clause, and Hannover knew that Bayern wanted him back, so they triggered the release clause for €1m. But FC Bayern also have a clause that they can buy him back for €2.5m – so they bought him back!

There’s also another talent to think about in Santos Daiber, and he can play in this position. So, there are many options. Don’t forget that Bayern Munich want to sign Givairo Read. There are talks with Rotterdam. Perhaps they can sign him to play at right-back, which will allow Konrad Laimer to return to the midfield. Many options for Bayern, so they don’t need a new midfielder per se.

AC Milan are interested in AZ Alkmaar and Republic of Ireland international forward Troy Parrott, according to The Independent. The 24-year-old is one of the names being considered by the Rossoneri amid their search for a striker, and the Eredivisie club would reportedly be open to parting ways with him if they receive an offer worth in the region of £25 million. Parrott, who scored a dramatic hat trick in the 3-2 FIFA World Cup qualifier win against Hungary in November to secure a place in this month’s playoffs, has directly contributed to 17 goals in 22 league matches this season.