If there is a European “Klassiker” it’s Bayern versus Real Madrid.
Also remiss of me not to point out that a small team from a city in North East Scotland beat both (!) to win a European trophy in 1983.
Oh & not sure what that guy Ferguson did with his career after that :)

Good piece by Max Rushden 💛🖤 & particularly like the line at the end “the thing you like best doesn’t actually have to be the best.” Everyone likes what they are immersed in. PL watchers have - to an extent - been beguiled into thinking everything to do with that league tops others.

Julian Nagelsmann has extended his contract with the DFB to remain in the post of Bundestrainer through until after the 2026 World Cup.
Nagelsmann called it “a decision of the heart.” It has been widely reported Bayern were looking to reappoint him.

For anyone looking for a straightforward explanation re the complex who gets the 5th CL place equation. Advantage very much with Germany.
👇

West Ham couldn’t end Leverkusen’s unbeaten run (now 44).
Next the champions go to Dortmund on Sunday. Join us on ESPN+ or ESPN2. #BVBB04

Updated Germany v England situation. Germany almost there in terms of 5 CL places. England need a bit of a miracle: Villa would need to win the Conference League while the 3 German semi finalists would have to falter.

Wieder mal „Laterkusen“ #B04

In case you’re keeping tabs, this is what Aston Villa‘s penalty shootout win has done to the Germany-England scramble for a 5th CL place. So a lot riding on the 2nd half in Stratford.

Tapsoba for Kossounou must be. Nervous start from #Bayer04 & Kossounou looks the most jittery.,

Don’t think there’s a more popular Eintracht Frankfurt player with teammates & fans than Timothy Chandler who has had his contract extended until 2025. A local & a constant for such a long time, even though he rarely plays now. Every squad needs someone like Chandler. #SGE

#B04 #Bayer04 Fans, die bereits in London sind…👇

👍 ESPN FC for having me on the show last week :)

There’s something about 18 May for Leverkusen….
18 May 1988: Leverkusen are presented with the UEFA Cup
18 May 2024: Leverkusen will be presented with the Meisterschale
#Bayer04
2 of their (so far) 3 major trophies held aloft on the same day 36 years apart.

Woke early but fell back to sleep into a dream where I casually walked off a RE train at Köln Messe/Deutz station and only later remembered my luggage was on its way to Köln Hbf. & beyond.

Mainz travel to Freiburg on Sunday with 9 players within 1 yellow card of a suspension. After Freiburg, the Rheinhessen face a crunch home game against direct rivals in the lower reaches of the table, Köln.

The Thursday Kicker cover carries the headline „Feierlaune“ (Party Mood.)
“Bayern follows Dortmund into the semi finals. The league dreams of the next all-German final at Wembley.”