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“The team comes first”: Wolves do without Amoura in Cologne

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“The team comes first”: Wolves do without Amoura in Cologne

VfL Wolfsburg kicked off the 20th matchday of the Bundesliga in Cologne without top scorer Mohammed Amoura – for disciplinary reasons, as head coach Daniel Bauer explained.

After a weak performance last weekend, Daniel Bauer demanded a different attitude from his team on Friday evening.
The 1-3 defeat in Mainz was critically analyzed, and after a “good week of training,” as Bauer emphasized, Wolfsburg was now expected to show “a reaction” in the away game in Cologne. However, the Wolfsburg coach decided not to include Mohammed Amoura in this mission – and the Wolves ended up losing 0-1.

Wolfsburg’s top scorer this season with seven goals – and also the team’s top scorer with three assists – was missing from the squad. The club announced just over an hour before kick-off that this was for “disciplinary reasons.”

The club did not initially reveal any further details, with Bauer simply telling Sky about Amoura’s omission: “The team, the ‘we’, comes before everything else. Mohammed did not adhere to that 100% this week. We have to be consistent, which is why he is not playing today.”

The Wolves coach did not reveal any further background information. “These are internal matters, which we discussed internally with Mohammed,” Bauer continued. “However, the disciplinary action only applies to the 20th match day. On Monday, he will be back in training at full throttle, offering his services and fighting for his place.”

17 goals in 52 games for Wolfsburg

Amoura was already Wolfsburg’s top scorer (10 goals, 12 assists) last season after his transfer from Union Saint-Gilloise to the Bundesliga in the summer of 2024. In the current season, the 25-year-old has been in the starting lineup in 13 of his 17 Bundesliga appearances, most recently scoring Wolfsburg’s only goal in Mainz.

At the end of December and beginning of January, the Algerian missed two VfL games due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations. Amoura’s national team was eliminated in the quarterfinals against Nigeria (0-2). The striker did not score any goals himself, but the 43-time international did set up one goal.

“When you see the decision, it’s clear”: Next goalkeeper change at PSG?

Sotd Editor
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“When you see the decision, it’s clear”: Next goalkeeper change at PSG?

Postponed is not the same as canceled—due to Matvei Safonov’s injury, the goalkeeper debate in Paris has only flared up about a month later than expected. Lucas Chevalier, who was the clear number one at the start of the season, no longer seems to be the first choice.

When Paris St. Germain announced its lineup for the final game of the Champions League group stage at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday evening, some fans may have been surprised. It was not regular goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier who was in goal, but his replacement Matvei Safonov. “I have no problem rotating my goalkeepers,” explained coach Luis Enrique after the 1-1 draw.

However, he didn’t do that at the start of the season. New signing Chevalier was between the posts for the first 20 competitive games—even though he was reportedly not without his critics internally, especially in the fall. Ultimately, an injury to the 24-year-old led to a change in goal. Safonov seized his opportunity—remember the four saves he made in the penalty shootout in the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo. But the Russian paid dearly for his brilliant performance in December: he broke his hand, which settled the goalkeeper debate—at least until Wednesday evening.

Luis Enrique also relegates Donnarumma to the bench in Munich in 2024

This is because Luis Enrique changed his goalkeepers for the first time without the influence of injuries, which can certainly be understood as a statement to Chevalier. Even though he had never publicly declared the northern Frenchman as number one, the race for the position in goal had probably never been so open. “If you look at my decisions, it’s very clear to everyone,” explained the PSG coach.
He had already taken a similar measure in November 2024. In the away game at FC Bayern at the time, the Spaniard benched Gianluigi Donnarumma and instead put his trust in Safonov, who, however, made a mistake in the only goal conceded (0-1). However, the change seemed to have spurred Donnarumma on after previously mixed performances. The Italian national goalkeeper went on to play a major role in the club’s first Champions League triumph, which they will be looking to defend this season. To do so, Paris must first overcome Monaco in the play-offs.

We may get an indication of whether Chevalier will deal with the setback in a similar way to Donnarumma on Sunday in Strasbourg – at least if he is rotated back into goal, which is far from certain. “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet, I just want my players to be ready at all times,” said Luis Enrique.

Premature departure from Nuremberg: Bayer’s Stepanov on loan to FC Utrecht

Sotd Editor
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Premature departure from Nuremberg: Bayer’s Stepanov on loan to FC Utrecht

Artem Stepanov was completely sidelined at 1. FC Nürnberg. Now the loan of the talented Leverkusen striker has been terminated, and he is set to take the next step in his development at FC Utrecht.

It was clear that Artem Stepanov wanted to leave 1. FC Nürnberg during this transfer window and that the loan of the Leverkusen striker would be terminated. Now it’s official: around seven months after the striker’s transfer, the German runners-up have agreed with the Franconians to end the loan deal prematurely.

Stepanov needs regular playing time to develop further

After his interlude at the club, however, 18-year-old Stepanov will not be returning to his home club in Leverkusen, where the center forward would have had no prospect of playing time. Instead, the Ukrainian U-21 international (five appearances, one goal) will move to the Netherlands until the end of the season, where he will hunt for goals for FC Utrecht and take the next step in his development. Sky also reports on this. The regular playing time Stepanov needs should be possible for him at the eleventh-placed club in the Eredivisie.

Stepanov, who could still play for the U19s, was not happy in Nuremberg. The striker started seven times for the Franconians this season, but only managed to collect one assist and was not even included in the matchday squad under coach Miroslav Klose when the 2nd division resumed and Nuremberg lost 2-0 to Darmstadt 98 on Friday.

Despite Stepanov’s disappointing season so far, there were numerous interested parties

The fact that Stepanov would no longer have much of a future under the 2014 World Cup winner had already been more than hinted at during 1. FC Nürnberg’s short winter preparation. Klose, himself a former center forward, did not give the burly striker a single minute of playing time in the three 45-minute halves of the test match against Grasshopper Zurich (7-1).

Despite Stepanov’s disappointing season so far, there were several interested parties from Germany and abroad for the right-footed player. Ultimately, however, FC Utrecht won the bid for the striker, who moved from Shakhtar Donetsk to Leverkusen in August 2022.

Signing by summer: Copenhagen snaps up Buta from Frankfurt

Lesley Summerville
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Signing by summer: Copenhagen snaps up Buta from Frankfurt

The 0-2 defeat to Spurs was not only Frankfurt’s farewell to the Champions League, but also Aurelio Buta’s last game in an SGE jersey. The 28-year-old is moving to FC Copenhagen.

After almost exactly three years, Aurelio Buta was back in the starting lineup in the Champions League for the first time on Wednesday evening in Frankfurt’s last home game in the competition for the time being. Given the meaningless game, which was lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, it was perhaps a farewell gift from interim coach Dennis Schmitt. Less than 48 hours later, FC Copenhagen announced the signing of the full-back. “I am delighted that we have now been able to sign a high-quality player for the position of right-back,” said Sune Smith Nielsen, sporting director of the Danish double winners.

This was in response to the long-term injury to Rodrigo Huescas, who suffered a serious knee injury in November during an away game at Qarabag Agdam and will be out for the rest of the season. As the club officials expect the Mexican to return in the summer, the new signing only signed a contract until the end of the season.

Buta scored on his SGE debut

Denmark is already the fifth country in which the 28-year-old has played in his professional career. He previously played for Benfica Lisbon in his native Portugal, Royal Antwerp in Belgium, Stade Reims in France and, most recently, Eintracht.

Buta made 71 competitive appearances for SGE, scoring four goals, including on his debut in January 2023 in a 3-0 win over FC Schalke. “Aurelio has always been a reliable team player for us and has shown great professionalism in his commitment to the team. Against this background, we have agreed to his request for a new sporting challenge,” said sporting director Timmo Hardung.
His former protégé will wear the number 17 jersey in Copenhagen, which is currently fifth in the league, far behind expectations. “Both the club and the city are well known throughout Europe, and I’ve heard so many good things about them,” Buta explained.

“We have a good chance”: Embiid opposes possible trade

Jason Maverick
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“We have a good chance”: Embiid opposes possible trade

For the first time in years, the injury-plagued Philadelphia 76ers are almost at full strength. That’s one reason why Philly isn’t playing a major role in trade discussions right now. If star player Joel Embiid has his way, that’s how it will stay.

Can we finally trust the process? After years of constant absences of individual star players, the Sixers are now largely complete. Seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid, who has long struggled with knee problems, is also currently in top form. The center has scored at least 29 points in all five of the past games, four of which ended in victory.

With a record of 26-21, Philadelphia currently ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference, and a jump into the top three seems possible. However, according to Embiid himself, a trade is not necessary to achieve this: “We’ve been trying to avoid luxury taxes for years. I hope we can keep the same team now. I think we have a good chance,“ he said after the win against the Kings, looking ahead to the playoffs. ”I don’t know what the front office is planning. But I hope we get the chance to go out there and compete with the others. We have a great group in the locker room, the vibes are great.”

One player who is suspected of changing teams again before the end of the season is guard Quentin Grimes. Last summer, the franchise was unable to agree on an extension of his expired rookie contract, which is why the 25-year-old instead signed only a qualifying offer, which makes him a free agent at the end of the current season.

Early stages under high tension: Cadillac struggles with the complexity of Formula 1

Sotd Editor
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Early stages under high tension: Cadillac struggles with the complexity of Formula 1

Cadillac racks up important miles at the 2026 shakedown, but struggles with drive and electronics: its entry shows just how complex modern Formula 1 is

Formula 1 newcomer Cadillac is picking up speed at the 2026 shakedown in Barcelona, but ongoing technical problems keep setting the US team back. Cadillac driver Sergio Perez admitted as much after his team’s second test session.

Perez said: “There were more problems than surprises – problems with the drive, the car, some electronic issues. We are struggling with a few problems and, as a new team, we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

The only positive thing is that these difficulties are already occurring now – during testing, before things get serious. Team boss Graeme Lowdon agrees: “People often forget how complex these cars are. They are incredibly complicated. And a typical team consists of around a thousand people. Building something like this takes time.” So he is asking for patience.

Cadillac completes first race distance in one day

Nevertheless, Cadillac already managed 210 kilometers on Monday at the start of the shakedown and 308 kilometers on Thursday, Cadillac’s second day of driving—more than a Grand Prix distance.

Perez subsequently spoke of a “much better day” on which his team had collected “a lot of data.” “I think we’re improving with every lap. We’re now starting to really explore the car: the setup and the directions we want to take.”

According to team boss Lowdon, however, this is nothing more than a ‘shakedown’: “Thursday was only the third real test day for our team. In that respect, I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made so far. We’re really learning something new with every lap.”

Lowdon has high hopes for the final day of the Formula 1 shakedown in Barcelona: “That’s 25 percent of our total track time so far.” It’s important to make the most of this time to get up to speed. “We’ll be taking a slightly different approach during the tests in Bahrain,” said Lowdon. However, the Cadillac team boss did not reveal what that approach would be.

After almost 40 years: The World Rally Championship is poised for a historic return

T0m@dmin1
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After almost 40 years: The World Rally Championship is poised for a historic return

The FIA is getting serious: With a test run in June, the WRC’s return to the USA is drawing closer – the target for the first official event is now 2027.

The World Rally Championship (WRC) is taking a decisive step towards North America. With a candidate rally planned for June this year, the goal of returning to the United States is within reach.

The WRC has long pursued the goal of returning to the USA for the first time since the Olympus Rally in 1988. This project is considered a central component of the plan to expand the category worldwide. A roadmap for an event in 2026 was presented back in 2024. However, together with the WRC promoter, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and the US association ACCUS, it was decided to postpone the date to 2027 at the earliest.

This is to ensure that the rally finds a long-term and successful home in the calendar.
The FIA has now confirmed that a candidate rally will take place from June 11 to 17. This will serve as direct preparation for inclusion in next year’s race calendar.
Delegates will assess special stages and infrastructure in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee to gain an initial impression of the terrain and facilities. Delegates will assess special stages and infrastructure in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee to gain a first impression of the terrain and facilities. The program also includes a visit to an American Rally Association (ARA) event. The FIA team wants to make direct contact with the US rally community and hold talks with organizers and fans. Meetings with the planned promoter, Podium Event Partners, are also on the agenda. The company has extensive experience in motorsport and is active in NASCAR, among other things.

Motorsport as part of the cultural DNA

FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem sees the US as one of the most important growth opportunities for the World Championship. “The United States is a nation where motorsport is firmly embedded in the cultural DNA,” he explains. Bin Sulayem emphasizes his commitment to strengthening the FIA’s presence in the US and establishing the WRC there as a key pillar. According to the president, it is time to build on the current momentum and connect the series with a passionate fan base in an expanding market.

Marc de Jong, project manager for Rally USA at the WRC promoter, describes the confirmation of the candidate event as a milestone. “Plans for a return have been maturing for some time,” he says. After an absence of almost 40 years, this is a significant step for all those involved and partners.

Manufacturers welcome US plans

The project has also been met with great approval by manufacturers. Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota, emphasized the importance of the US market for the automotive industry at the season opener in Monte Carlo. “The US is at the center of car culture,” said Toyoda. It has been regrettable not to be represented there with the WRC until now. Although countries such as the UK, Ireland, China, and Australia have also expressed interest in hosting a WRC event, the US currently occupies a special position. It is the only nation that has already submitted an official application for a candidate event this year.

 

“Just glad it worked out”: How Buus fought for a DTM cockpit since 2023

Jeffrey Gooding
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“Just glad it worked out”: How Buus fought for a DTM cockpit since 2023

Supercup champion Bastian Buus will make his DTM debut in a Land Porsche in 2026: How he overcame several setbacks since 2023 and saw his dream shattered last year

22-year-old Porsche youngster Bastian Buus has finally made the leap into the DTM in 2026. However, it has been a difficult journey for the Dane: the 2023 Porsche Supercup champion, who will drive a new Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo for the Land team, has been working on his dream for several years and has had to overcome a number of setbacks.

“When I won the Supercup in 2023, it was a dream for me to make the leap to the DTM, as it is also a sprint series. And I would say it’s also the toughest there is,” he said. “So for me, it was the right place to be. Unfortunately, there haven’t really been any opportunities for that since then.”

In 2024, it was “not possible,” he alludes to the fact that the Porsche teams Bernhard and Toksport WRT had left the series and only Manthey remained. “And the following year with Allied, it was planned, but then it didn’t happen after all.”

Buus drama: Already presented as a DTM driver a year ago

In fact, Buus had already been presented alongside Ricardo Feller as a driver for the 2025 DTM season a year ago, before there were initial delays with the Allied team in terms of test drives. Then the team filed for bankruptcy.

While Feller still made the leap to Land and competed in 2025 with his private Audi, Buus mainly completed Pro-Am races last year in addition to a Nordschleife program. His DTM dream seemed to have been shattered.

“That was a shame, because I was really looking forward to finally getting started. Now I’m just happy that everything worked out with Porsche and Land,” said Buus.

There were already talks about entering the DTM in 2024

There had already been rumors in 2023 that Buus was being lined up by Porsche as a DTM driver for Toksport WRT, but the team then went its own way with Tim Heinemann. “Not for 2023,” the Dane denies. “I was still a junior at the time – and my program was the Supercup.”

In 2024, the newly signed Porsche driver then reportedly missed out on an opportunity with Timo Bernhard’s racing team because the team withdrew from the DTM, partly for financial reasons. “There were a few talks, but since Manthey was the only team competing, there wasn’t really an opportunity for me to join,” says Buus. “The goal in recent years was to finally get in.”

But why does the DTM hold such a strong appeal for Buus? As a child, the youngster once attended the Zandvoort guest race with his father as a spectator – and “Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen even showed him his Audi steering wheel.

Buus as a child DTM spectator: “I didn’t plan to drive myself”

“I remember that it was one of the first international racing events I attended,” he says. “But it was really just a father-son outing with a few friends to experience motorsport. I didn’t really plan to compete in the championship myself at some point.”

That changed for Buus in 2021 when he drove his first full season in the Porsche Carrera Cup and the DTM switched to GT3 regulations. “I thought the Class 1 cars were cool, but I think it was very good for the series to make this change and involve more different manufacturers,” he says. “At that time, I was still in the Carrera Cup and the junior program, of course. But yes, if I wanted to stay with Porsche, that naturally meant that participating in the DTM was suddenly a possibility.”

“If I want to be the best, I have to drive there”

Thanks to his successes in the Porsche one-make cups, entry into the series was then “within reach.” “I’m glad to be able to look back on this story and know that I was also there as a child. And now I’m actually part of it.”

And Buus has clearly come to stay. For him, the DTM is “the strongest championship” in terms of the field of drivers and the competition, as he himself says. “If I want to be the best, I have to drive there.” Where his motorsport journey will take him in the long term is unclear, “but at least for the next few years, that’s where I want to be.”

New Netflix documentary: Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and the year 1994

Jason Maverick
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New Netflix documentary: Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and the year 1994

A racing season between triumph and tragedy: Netflix revisits the 1994 Formula 1 season, focusing on Michael Schumacher.

Netflix itself describes it as follows: “1994 marks a turning point in the history of Formula 1: 25-year-old Michael Schumacher wins the first Grand Prix of the racing season in Brazil, laying the foundation for an unprecedented career.”

And further: “1994 ranks among the most dramatic and exciting racing seasons in Formula 1 history. The year was marked by dramatic events such as the fatal accident of Ayrton Senna and allegations of manipulation and unfair driving maneuvers [against Benetton and Schumacher]. At the same time, a veritable ‘Schumi-mania’ emerged.”

The focus is on Michael Schumacher as a person

As in the 2021 Netflix documentary “Schumacher,” Schumacher’s wife Corinna Schumacher appears in the new documentary, alongside other companions who recall the special events of the 1994 Formula 1 season.

At its core, “Schumacher ’94” – the working title – is about “Schumi,” whom Netflix describes as “an uncompromising fighter on the racetrack and a sensitive, empathetic person off it.” “Corinna Schumacher, who has always given him emotional support, also provides insights into the beginnings of an extraordinary love story – a story that continues to this day.”

Netflix focuses on more German-language content

The new Schumacher documentary is part of a large-scale Netflix strategy, as Katja Hofem, Vice President of Content at Netflix for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, recently explained: “2026 will be our most ambitious year yet, with more German-language series, films, and non-fiction projects and greater diversity than ever before.”

Formula 1 will not be neglected: shortly before the season opener in Australia, Netflix plans to release the eighth season of the Formula 1 series “Drive to Survive.”
The documentary series takes viewers behind the scenes of the “premier class” of motorsport, but with a lot of artistic freedom on the part of the producers: some topics are presented in a dramatically exaggerated way. But that’s what appeals to the audience: the format has been around since 2019.
The documentary series takes viewers behind the scenes of the “premier class” of motorsport, but with a lot of artistic freedom on the part of the producers: some topics are presented in a dramatically exaggerated way. But that’s what appeals to the audience: the format has been around since 2019.

“Absolute madness” surrounding Djokovic

Phil Laffertey
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“Absolute madness” surrounding Djokovic

What a thriller at the Australian Open! Novak Djokovic comes back from a set down against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals to reach the final.

The old master wants to do it again: Novak Djokovic celebrated a spectacular victory over Jannik Sinner and followed Carlos Alcaraz into the Australian Open final. The Serbian Grand Slam record winner (38) surprisingly defeated the Italian defending champion in a dramatic semifinal 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

At 1:31 a.m. local time, after more than four hours, Djokovic converted his third match point and decided the match – partly because Sinner had previously missed too many break opportunities. He is now just one step away from celebrating his long-awaited 25th major title after years of waiting and becoming the sole record holder across both genders.

Becker deeply impressed: “Absolutely insane”

His magnificent display of energy also impressed German tennis legend Boris Becker. “Absolutely insane, the way they’re playing,” said the Eurosport expert, clearly impressed. “Unbelievable what this man has achieved once again,” he said, praising the Serbian veteran.

Eurosport commentator Wolfgang Nadvornik was no less impressed. “This is a tennis miracle,” he said, describing Djokovic’s breathtaking triumph. “It’s absurd what this 38-year-old has achieved here,” he added.

Djokovic oldest finalist at the Australian Open

Djokovic is now the oldest finalist in Melbourne in the Open Era and could win his eleventh tournament Down Under. Sinner, on the other hand, missed out on his third consecutive final in Melbourne and the chance to win his fifth Grand Slam title.

The Serb had lost all of his previous five matches against Sinner—three of them in Grand Slam semifinals—winning only two sets in the process. But after a confident start by the world number two from South Tyrol, Djokovic showed that he has not yet given up his determined pursuit of more major titles. He won over the crowd in the second set and met the Italian on equal terms.

Djokovic also managed to break Sinner’s serve in the fourth set. The 38-year-old, who had been able to conserve a lot of energy during the tournament, played as strongly as he did in his younger years at times.
“He’s as fit as a fiddle,” marveled his former coach Boris Becker on Eurosport. Sinner had numerous break points in the deciding set, but Djokovic remained extremely strong-nerved.
Djokovic has a positive record against Alcaraz.

Djokovic has a positive record of 5:4 in direct matches against Alcaraz. However, the Spaniard had the upper hand in their most recent encounter, in the semifinals of the US Open. Alcaraz had previously defeated world number three Alexander Zverev in a spectacular five-set thriller in the first semifinal in Melbourne.

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