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Bayern’s Bundesliga crown up for grabs | The Express Tribune
BERLIN:
Pretenders to the crown Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and cup holders Stuttgart are priming themselves for a run at Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title after a frustrating summer transfer window for the Bavarian giants.
Bayern travel to Stuttgart on Saturday for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup — the season opener which pits the defending league champions against the reigning German Cup victors.
Winners of 12 of the past 13 Bundesliga titles, Bayern occupy their usual role as favourites for the crown.
This summer, however, the 34-time league champions have not had everything go their own way.
Efforts to lure Florian Wirtz away from Leverkusen fell flat, with the German footballer of the year opting rather for a move to the Premier League and Liverpool.
Although Bayern secured attacker Luis Diaz from the English champions, they lost Thomas Mueller, Leroy Sane and Eric Dier on free transfers.
Kingsley Coman is set for a move to Saudi Arabia, Mathys Tel made his Spurs loan permanent and efforts to sign Germany striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart have been rebuffed.
Speaking with the Bundesliga website on Thursday, Bayern captain Joshua Kimmich said the shifting sands across the league this summer made it hard to see who would be their main rivals.
“We’ll see who knocks at the top. For us, it will be important to go our own way. We can’t influence what the others will do,” Kimmich said.
Kimmich nominated former side RB Leipzig to bounce back after a poor 2024/25 campaign, where they missed out on Europe for the first time in the top flight.
The Saxon club have brought in several young talents including winger Johan Bakayoko and midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, in former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp’s first summer transfer window as Red Bull global head of football.
“Leipzig have a good team. Because Leipzig aren’t in European competition, they’ll be able to concentrate on the Bundesliga,” Kimmich added.
Leverkusen, Bayern’s principal rival across the past two seasons, have undergone a clear-out this summer.
Most of the main contributors to their stunning unbeaten 2023/24 league and cup double have moved on.
Wirtz, along with wing-back Jeremie Frimpong have signed with Liverpool. Midfield conductor Granit Xhaka has also moved to the Premier League, while Germany defender Jonathan Tah has joined title rivals Bayern.
The biggest loss of all, however, is coach Xabi Alonso, with the Spaniard departing to join Real Madrid.
His replacement, former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, will be looking to revive his own reputation while cobbling together a squad with several new arrivals.
Impressive last season in finishing third, Eintracht Frankfurt are also rebuilding, having lost centre-forward Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool in July, just six months after winger Omar Marmoush moved to Manchester City.
Quietly building under Bundesliga-winning coach Niko Kovac, Borussia Dortmund could again trouble old foes Bayern this term.
Kovac took over the reins in January with Dortmund flailing but helped the club rise from 11th to fourth, picking up 22 of a possible 24 points to end the season.
The addition of Jobe Bellingham will provide steel in midfield, while the only major loss is winger Jamie Gittens who moved to Chelsea, having struggled for game time under Kovac.
Cup winners Stuttgart, who finished second ahead of Bayern in 2023/24, look set to continue troubling the big guns.
Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor told AFP and other media on Thursday: “We have a very special team… we’ve got quality players in every position — even some that people haven’t heard of.”
Karazor said the key man is coach Sebastian Hoeness, who has taken Stuttgart from relegation battlers to cup winners and European football in just over two years at the helm.
“An amazing, amazing coach. You can see his handwriting on everything the team does. From the moment he came in, the mindset of the team changed,” the midfielder said.
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Dolphins GM Chris Grier says fans threatened his family in string of vile emails after team’s lackluster year
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The Miami Dolphins finished last season with an 8-9 record and failed to qualify for the NFL playoffs. The disappointing year sparked ire from some of the Dolphins’ faithful.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier spoke to the media on Wednesday, the day after trimming the team’s roster to 53 by the league’s deadline. Grier spoke about the general structure of the roster entering the 2025 campaign and also touched on the status of specific players as Week 1 draws closer.
But the media session took a turn when Grier revealed fan angst had resulted in emails targeting his children.
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General manager Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins looks on prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“If I’m out, people have always been respectful and nice, and they just say ‘Hey, keep going. Appreciate you.’ The guys to my face have been nice. I know there’s people that are upset… (but) that’s any job,” Grier said.
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Grier acknowledged the angst that last season’s ending sparked.
“And if I was comfortable and saying I felt what things are, then I’m an a–h— …because I’m not being realistic about where we are as a team and where things are going …after last season. I’m frustrated like [them] that we didn’t win enough games last year. I understand that, I don’t take things personally. When I’m out, people have generally been very positive and stuff to me.”
Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier walks not the field prior to the game between the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sept. 30, 2024. (Jasen Vinlove/Imagn Images)
“I’ve gotten some colorful emails from a couple of people…..[one] hoping my kids die of cancer,” Grier said. “That’s a fun one. That’s why I don’t take things very personal or real because other people have other issues and stuff in life.”
Aug 3, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, US; A general view of a Miami Dolphins helmet on the field during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. (Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Grier was elevated to the Dolphins’ general manager post in 2016. He joined the franchise as a scout in 2000.
As it relates to pressing roster matters, Grier confirmed that cornerback Cam Smith will start the regular season on the non-football injury list. Smith appeared in six games during the 2024 season.
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Grier gave a positive update on running back De’Von Achane’s availability for the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Achane has recently been contending with a calf injury.
“All indications for us is that Achane will be ready Week 1 to go,” Grier told reporters on Wednesday.
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FORT LAUDERDALE:
Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.
After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.
Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga-MX.
Inter won it in 2023, Messi’s first season in MLS.
They will face reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in Sunday’s final.
Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
In a high-energy first half, Croatia’s Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Miami’s Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time.
Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area and Maximiliano Falcon’s attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.
Inter players appealed saying the ball hit Pasalic’s arm but VAR confirmed the goal.
Orlando, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half.
Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.
Inter coach Javier Mascherano was visibly frustrated as he watched from the stands, having received a red card during the quarter-final win over Tigres UANL.
Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty shout after Sergio Busquets’ foul on Ivan Angulo.
And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami’s way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.
David Brekalo’s challenge included a tug on Allende’s jersey and earned him a second yellow card.
He departed as Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal 11 minutes later.
Orlando had won two prior matches against Miami this season by a combined 7-1 margin, including a 4-1 rout earlier this month.
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