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Between qualifying matches: Serbia’s national coach Stojkovic resigns

Lesley Summerville
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Between qualifying matches: Serbia’s national coach Stojkovic resigns

Dragan Stojkovic resigned as Serbia’s national coach immediately after the 0-1 defeat to Albania – via a press conference. The home defeat also has consequences for England.

The Serbian national team is without a coach two days before its next World Cup qualifier. Dragan Stojkovic announced his resignation on Saturday night after a 1-0 home defeat to Albania, ending his four-and-a-half-year tenure. The association confirmed the change of coach on Sunday and announced that Zoran Mirkovic, coach of the U21 team, would take over on an interim basis.

“I spoke with the president and the secretary general and offered my resignation,” Stojkovic explained at a press conference in Leskovac. He said he took “full responsibility” for the “unexpected” defeat. He will not travel to Andorra for Tuesday’s away game.

Although Stojkovic had revealed in June that he had already offered his resignation after Serbia’s elimination from the 2024 European Championship, this time his tenure is really coming to an end. The 60-year-old, who took over in March 2021, was never uncontroversial, even though he led Serbia to the 2022 World Cup, to League A of the Nations League, and to staying in that league. Veljko Paunovic is already being touted as a possible successor. The 48-year-old had been promoted to La Liga with Real Oviedo but was released during the week. The association wants to intensify the search for a successor after the Andorra game.

England can book their World Cup ticket as early as Tuesday

The 2026 World Cup moved further away for Serbia on Saturday evening. In Group K, the White Eagles are only in third place, four points behind second-placed Albania, who have already played one more game. In addition to bottom-placed Andorra, Serbia will also face leaders England (A, November 13) and second-to-last Latvia (H, November 16).

While the still-unbeaten Three Lions, coached by Thomas Tuchel, have long since pulled away and can book their World Cup ticket with a win in Latvia on Tuesday thanks to Serbia’s defeat against Albania, Dusan Vlahovic, Lazar Samardzic & Co. are fighting to keep their remaining hopes of reaching the play-offs alive.

Carr scores the winning basket: Würzburg wins turbulent duel with Alba

Phil Laffertey
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Carr scores the winning basket: Würzburg wins turbulent duel with Alba

The Fitness First Würzburg Baskets won a turbulent game against Alba Berlin. A late run by Berlin seemed to turn the game around, but Marcus Carr sealed the deal shortly before the end. Würzburg won 96-92.

With six minutes to go, Davion Mintz had made it 88-81, but after that, not much went right for the hosts. Instead, Malte Delow and Norris Agbakoko turned the game around before the strong Jack Kayil (11 points, 10 assists) showed nerves at the free throw line and missed both attempts. On the other side, top scorer Marcus Carr (20 points, 9 assists) was there to put Würzburg on the road to victory from the three-point line with 24 seconds left. Delow’s three-pointer on the other side only hit the rim, and Mintz (19) sealed the deal from the line.

As in the previous season, this duel was fiercely contested. Berlin got off to a better start thanks to several three-pointers by Jonas Mattisseck (12), while Würzburg found success a little later with simple pick-and-rolls, which Alba defended very weakly. Time and again, the hosts’ centers scored easy points.

However, Würzburg did not play consistently enough, and foul problems for guards Brae Ivey, Mintz, and Johnathan Stove caused problems for the Mainfranken team. Mintz was on fire at times, but picked up his third foul with a technical foul when he shouted a few choice words at his opponent Mattisseck. Alba led 55-51 at the break, even though Würzburg made two-thirds of its shots.

Late Alba run countered by Carr

After the break, the hosts got their turnovers under control – and continued to make almost everything. They also defended more disciplined (without fouls), and that turned the game around. After Boogie Ellis (12, 3/10) was cleared by Thompson, David Muenkat (16) made a spectacular block, giving the Baskets their biggest lead of the game at that point (75-68) with two minutes left in the quarter. However, a few good plays by Martin Hermannsson (11) kept Alba within striking distance.

Nevertheless, Würzburg was now the better team. The tall, cold Ivey converted his first three-pointer, but immediately picked up his fifth foul. It was a minor setback, but shortly afterwards Muenkat brought the arena to fever pitch with an even better dunk over Delow. Nevertheless, the Baskets failed to seal the deal early on, and Berlin took the lead again with a layup by Ellis – it was an 11:2 run for the visitors, but also their last points.

Würzburg thus remains undefeated in the BBL and Champions League, while Berlin suffered its third defeat in its fourth game.

Future of Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships: Dorna makes clear commitment

Lesley Summerville
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Future of Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships: Dorna makes clear commitment

Dorna Sports Director Carlos Ezpeleta has clearly denied rumors that Moto2 and Moto3 could be devalued in the near future.

It is clear that the MotoGP class is the undisputed premier class in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. But what does the future hold for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes?

As there have been repeated rumors in recent weeks and months that these two classes could be relegated to the background or even devalued, MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports now feels it is important to respond to these rumors.

“I think everyone knows how important Moto2 and Moto3 are to the World Championship as a whole. And since there have been a lot of rumors lately, it’s probably appropriate to reemphasize their importance,” said Dorna Sports CEO Carlos Ezpeleta when he recently appeared as a guest in the commentary booth for Dorna Sports’ TV broadcast during the MotoGP weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi.

The rumors that had been circulating revolved around the possibility that Moto2 and Moto3 might no longer be part of the program at all MotoGP weekends in the future. Other rumors suggested that the small and medium World Championship classes might hold their races on Saturdays instead of Sundays in the future.

Still other rumors questioned whether world championship titles won on Moto3 or Moto2 bikes should even count anymore, or whether the classification of riders’ careers should be limited to world championship titles in the premier MotoGP class.

Ezpeleta clearly rejects all these rumors, saying, “That is completely unfounded.” “We emphasize both behind closed doors and to the fans how important the Moto2 and Moto3 classes are and what added value they represent for the World Championship as a whole.” Namely? “That the stars of the future are discovered so quickly and brought closer to the fans.”

“MotoGP races last 45 minutes on Sundays. The TV stations, partners and, above all, the fans at home and at the track want the complete program from Moto3 to Moto2 to MotoGP, in other words, a weekend full of entertainment. That’s quite clear,” says the Dorna sports director.

“Moto2 and Moto3 are not just junior classes, but world championship classes that are part of the global Grand Prix circus,” emphasizes Ezpeleta, explaining: “The other classes, such as the Talent Cups, are indeed junior classes and have no significant commercial purpose other than to serve as a platform for riders.” Accordingly, there would be “a significant difference between Moto2 and Moto3 and the rest of the ‘Road to MotoGP’.”

And so, with a view to the near future, Ezpeleta makes it clear: “Moto2 and Moto3 are and will remain an essential part of the World Championship. We look forward to many more years with three Grand Prix classes, to many more years with three classes offering great racing, high standards, and the best possible motorsport.”

“We have no intention of pushing Moto2 and Moto3 into the background, let alone not awarding anyone the World Championship title [from these classes], or no longer having Moto2 and Moto3 race on the same days or weekends as MotoGP,” he clearly stated.

What will no longer exist in 2026, however, is the MotoE World Championship. The electric racing series will be scrapped after the 2025 season finale in Portimao after a total of seven years (the first four of which were not as a world championship but as a world cup).

In 2026, a new racing series will be added to the MotoGP support program. The Bagger World Cup, featuring spectacular bikes from Harley-Davidson, is set to thrill fans on six race weekends.

Alpine chaos: Flavio Briatore is boss, but what is Steve Nielsen actually doing?

Jason Maverick
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Alpine chaos: Flavio Briatore is boss, but what is Steve Nielsen actually doing?

Flavia Briatore as leader, Steve Nielsen as managing director—but still no team principal at Alpine? What the division of responsibilities looks like at the Enstone team

No other Formula 1 team has a structure as opaque as Alpine’s: since Oliver Oakes’ departure in May this year, the racing team has been operating with virtually no leadership, with veteran Flavio Briatore taking the reins but not acting as official team principal.

Since the beginning of September, Steve Nielsen has also been involved in the management team: The 61-year-old has since held the role of managing director, which means that, at least outwardly, the organizational chaos is now complete. Within the company, however, there is clarity. “Flavio is the leader,” Nielsen clarifies who is still in charge at Alpine: “I run Enstone and everything that goes with it, and that’s how we move forward. Internally, we are clear about how these responsibilities are divided, and that’s how we handle it.” In short: Nielsen is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Formula 1 team in Enstone, but the actual boss of the racing team, who makes all the important decisions, remains Briatore. Nevertheless, Nielsen will also represent the team externally in the future.

Nielsen knows the team from previous years

The team in Enstone is not unfamiliar to the Briton, as Nielsen has previously worked as sporting director for the racing team, then known as Benetton. “It feels a bit like returning to your old school,” he grins.

“Some areas are immediately familiar, but seem a little smaller than you remember them. At the same time, there are also new things. It’s really nice to be back here. I received a very warm welcome. I’m meeting old acquaintances, but also lots of new faces, which is also good.”

Although Nielsen has not been absent from Formula 1 in the meantime, he has not worked for a specific team in recent years, but rather in the management of Formula 1 itself, both for the FIA and for rights holder Liberty Media.

Nielsen admits: “There is a lot to learn”

A large part of his work now consists of “getting back up to speed and understanding everything that has changed in a racing team over the last eight years,” emphasizes Nielsen, who has also worked for Lotus and Tyrrell. “There are a lot of innovations.”

This includes, above all, the budget cap, which was decided by the FIA in 2021. “This is particularly interesting for me because I was involved in the initial discussions on the other side,” grins the 61-year-old Brit. “Being on the ‘receiving’ side now is a completely new experience. So there’s a lot to learn, even for me.“

The first impression after a few weeks is positive: ”Enstone is a great place with a lot of talent,“ says Nielsen. But ”at the moment, what we’re showing on the track doesn’t reflect the capabilities of the people or the quality of the facilities. Our job is to change that.”

Flavi Briatore has “left behind a certain amount of work to be done”

However, this poses a considerable challenge, because Briatore has “left behind a certain amount of work to be done,” according to expert Ralf Schumacher on Sky. Although the team was initially on a promising course under the Italian’s leadership, “the whole thing is now slipping away from him a bit.”

“Also the squabbling with the drivers,” Schumacher recalls the open driver discussion. “Somehow I believe that [Briatore] now has a management style that is perhaps no longer entirely up to date. That’s why I hope that [Nielsen] really is the new strong man who can take over from here.”

Formula 1 team bosses warn: “This winter break is almost non-existent”

Jeffrey Gooding
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Formula 1 team bosses warn: “This winter break is almost non-existent”

There’s hardly any time to catch your breath between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona: Why the 2025/26 winter break will be a nail-biting affair for Formula 1 teams

Preparing for the 2026 Formula 1 season will be a huge effort for the teams because the winter break is extremely short – “almost non-existent,” says Alpine team boss Steve Nielsen. That’s because there are only 50 days between the last race on December 7, 2025, in Abu Dhabi and the first day of testing on January 26, 2026, in Barcelona.

But a lot happens in this short time: On the Tuesday after the season finale, the traditional Young Driver Test takes place in Abu Dhabi. A few days later, the top three in the drivers’ and constructors’ standings receive their trophies at the official FIA gala.

Shortly afterwards, everyone involved takes a break for the Christmas celebrations – including factory closures, as stipulated in the regulations. And shortly after New Year’s, the first functional tests of the new cars are scheduled.

“From the outside, it may seem like you’re finishing one season and seamlessly starting the next, but the overlap is enormous. It’s all incredibly compressed,” says Nielsen.

Memories of 2013/14 come flooding back

The Formula 1 schedule was similarly tight before the start of the turbo-hybrid era: the 2013 season ended on November 24, and the first test began on January 28, 2014. At that time, the teams had two more weeks to prepare for the new technical chapter—yet the start of testing proved difficult for many teams.

A comparison with the previous winter break also highlights what Formula 1 is facing: in 2024, the season ended on December 8, and the first test drives for 2025 began on February 26 – leaving one month more time than before the 2026 season.

Reliability is key

And all this is happening under completely new technical regulations. “That makes it a big challenge for all of us,” says Aston Martin team boss Andy Cowell. “We’re dealing with new technology, sustainable fuels, and changed aerodynamics—basically a completely new car. And the date of the first race can’t be postponed.”

Behind the scenes, the teams are therefore working “as hard as possible” to be ready in time. But not at any price, as Cowell emphasizes: “You only get points if you finish the race. That’s exactly the balance we have to strike.” So it’s not just speed that counts, but reliability too.

This will be a particularly important factor for the racing teams that will be competing with a different engine manufacturer in 2026. Aston Martin is one such team after switching from Mercedes to Honda. Alpine, for example, is switching from its own Renault engines to Mercedes customer engines, while Audi is bringing its first Formula 1 engine to the table.

More “thrill” than usual in 2026?

That’s why Cowell expects a cautious start to winter testing: “Will we be clocking up 800 kilometers a day like we did ten months ago in Bahrain? No.”

“It will be about bringing everything together and making sure that everything works, that the car gets on the track—and comes back under its own power. That’s the thrill of the development phase—just like in 2014 in Jerez, when we all drove for the first time.”

In 2014, Red Bull didn’t even manage 100 kilometers

The results at the time were sobering: of the eight teams participating, only four managed more than ten laps on the first day of testing in Jerez. Ferrari was the only team to cover more than 100 kilometers – around a third of a Grand Prix distance.

At the end of the first week of testing, Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren-Mercedes had each covered more than 1,000 kilometers. Red Bull Renault, on the other hand, failed to even reach the 100-kilometer mark, completing only 21 laps in total.

Why 2014 should not be repeated

According to Williams team boss James Vowles, 2026 will not be as bad. He says: “The field will be much closer together. I can alleviate that concern a little.“

He also said that Formula 1 is willing to take measures in case of an emergency: ”We are already having open discussions about what happens if one engine manufacturer is ahead or behind—how we can ensure that everyone is competing on a comparable level,” explained Vowles.

Repsol prepares to return to the MotoGP World Championship

Sports Of The Day
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Repsol prepares to return to the MotoGP World Championship

Spanish oil company Repsol will replace Liqui Moly as the exclusive lubricant supplier in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes from the 2026 season onwards.

At the end of May last year, Motorsport.com exclusively reported that Spanish oil company Repsol would not be renewing its contract with Honda’s MotoGP team.

This partnership began in 1995 with Mick Doohan and Alex Criville as figureheads and produced a total of 15 world championship titles, 183 victories, and 455 podium finishes in 30 years. Repsol confirmed the news of its withdrawal more than three months later in a brief statement.

It was a very discreet way to end the most successful and longest-running sponsorship in the history of the championship. The commitment had already lost visibility after Marc Marquez moved to Gresini.

However, everything now indicates that Repsol will only be taking a one-year hiatus, as the brand will return to the World Championship in 2026. However, this will not be with Honda, as the manufacturer quickly found a new partner in Castrol for fuels, nor will it be in MotoGP. Repsol will be the sole lubricant supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes. In contrast to the premier class, where each team is free to choose its own fuel and lubricant partners, there are single suppliers in the smaller classes.

In recent years, Liqui Moly has been the official lubricant supplier. The German company’s contract had originally been extended until the end of 2027, but Liqui Moly and Dorna will now end their collaboration two years earlier than planned.

Liqui Moly is nevertheless set to remain associated with MotoGP. For example, the brand is the title sponsor of the race at the Sachsenring and also at Phillip Island this coming weekend. Petronas remains the exclusive fuel supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes.

MotoGP is currently in a decisive phase in many respects. Sponsorship in particular plays a central role in commercial development. It remains to be seen what strategy Liberty Media will pursue in the future. Liberty Media has been observing the processes, asking questions, and analyzing processes and structures. A group of executives, including several representatives from the auditing firm Ernst & Young, was on site at the races in Barcelona and Misano.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, was also present in Misano. Derek Chang, president and CEO of the US media group, traveled to Motegi, where he made his first appearance in the MotoGP paddock. It is clear that MotoGP is a top priority for Liberty Media.

Not ready to return yet

T0m@dmin1
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Not ready to return yet

Sabine Lisicki has postponed her tennis comeback at short notice. The former Wimbledon finalist does not feel ready yet after the birth of her daughter – but she is not thinking about retiring.

Sabine Lisicki has canceled her planned comeback on the tennis tour at short notice. The former Wimbledon finalist says she does not feel ready to compete yet. The 36-year-old wanted to compete for the first time since the birth of her daughter at the clay court tournament in Mallorca, a Challenger event from October 5 to 12. However, she withdrew her participation shortly before the tournament began.

“I didn’t realize how much energy breastfeeding consumes.”

Lisicki explained her decision by citing the physical strain of the past few months. “I breastfed for a whole year, which is something else. I didn’t realize how much energy breastfeeding consumes,” she told RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland.

Lisicki is leaving open when she will actually return to the tour. “I’m the one who puts the most pressure on myself anyway,” she said. “I’m ambitious and I push myself, and then we’ll see when the right time is for my comeback.”

“I don’t want external circumstances to determine when I end my career.”

The Berlin native, once ranked number twelve in the world, is still planning to return to the tennis court a year after the birth of her child.

“I didn’t think for a second about ending my career because of my pregnancy. I want to end my career the way I want to and at a time that feels right for me,“ said Lisicki.
”I don’t want external circumstances to determine when I end my career. I just want to feel that it’s the right time. I think you can sense when that is,” added Lisicki.

“Physically weakened”: Guirassy returns early

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“Physically weakened”: Guirassy returns early

Serhou Guirassy has left the national team of his home country Guinea ahead of schedule. In Dortmund, there is currently no cause for concern about the striker.

As the Guinean Football Association announced on Friday evening, Guirassy left the African country’s national team for medical reasons and after consultation with the officials in order to return to Borussia Dortmund earlier than originally planned.

The 29-year-old sat on the bench for 90 minutes during the 2-1 win in Mozambique and did not play. According to the Guinean federation’s statement, the striker was already “physically weakened” but traveled to prepare for the game out of love for his home country and wanted to support his teammates above all else.

Guinea, which ends its World Cup qualifying campaign with a match against Botswana on Tuesday, no longer has a chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The exact nature of Guirassy’s physical problems is not known. Most recently, the 29-year-old was unable to play in BVB’s 2-0 win in Mainz in September due to thigh problems. A shoulder injury has also hampered the former Stuttgart player recently.

Top match at Bayern

According to kicker, Borussia expects Guirassy (four goals in five Bundesliga games, one each in the cup and Champions League) to return to training on Tuesday. The Westphalians will then begin preparations for Saturday evening’s Bundesliga top match at FC Bayern.

Facts and figures: FC Bayern’s record start at a glance

admin3r
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Facts and figures: FC Bayern’s record start at a glance

FC Bayern Munich has survived the first six matchdays without dropping a point, and the Munich team is setting the standard in all statistics. Here are the records FCB has already set—and those that could still follow.

6-0 against Leipzig, 3-2 in Augsburg, 5-0 against HSV, 4-1 at TSG Hoffenheim, 4-0 against Bremen, and 3-0 in Frankfurt: Munich could hardly have dreamed of a better start to the league season. This is also confirmed by a glance at the Bundesliga history books, in which Vincent Kompany’s team has already made its mark several times early in the season.

What is the Bundesliga record for wins at the start of the season?

There has never been a better record than these six wins and 25:3 goals after the first six matchdays – the 25 goals scored alone are unique at such an early stage of the season. If FCB maintains its goal average of 4.2 per game over the entire 34 match days, it would have an incredible 142 goals at the end of the season. The previous record was 101 goals in the 1971/72 season – also set by the Munich team.

Bayern still need four more wins to set the start record, as they won all of their first ten games in the 2015/16 season. That record-breaking run ended with a goalless draw in Frankfurt.

Will Kane set a new record?

It is difficult to single out individual factors from the successful construct, but in the case of Harry Kane, it must undoubtedly be allowed. The Englishman is the first player ever to score 11 goals after six matchdays, making him not only the league’s current top scorer, but also threatening the Bundesliga’s all-time scoring record: Robert Lewandowski scored 41 times in 2020/21 – Kane’s current scoring rate would see him finish the season with an incredible 62 goals.

Whether at home or away, it doesn’t matter too much to the 32-year-old goal machine, who has scored seven times at the Allianz Arena and four times on the road. In terms of the team as a whole, three wins and a 15-0 goal difference after three home games is another Bundesliga first.

What records could FC Bayern break in the near future?

If Munich continue their run in their own stadium, they could equal VfL Bochum’s home record from the 2003/04 season on matchday 12: Kompany’s team have not conceded a goal at home in five games across two seasons, while Bochum kept nine clean sheets in a row at their own stadium over 20 years ago. The last away goal in Munich to date was scored by BVB defender Waldemar Anton in a 2-2 draw on matchday 29 of last season.

Much earlier, namely on the upcoming matchday, FCB could already set two other sole records: If the reigning champions were to lead at half-time in the top match against Dortmund (October 18, 6:30 p.m.), this would also be the case in the seventh league game since the start of the season – and thus just as often as in the 1999/00 season, when SC Freiburg started with seven consecutive half-time leads.

And speaking of Dortmund: in the direct duel with BVB, Munich has the opportunity to further extend its personal best of ten competitive wins since the start of the season. Ten years ago, the Black and Yellows even managed eleven consecutive wins in their first eleven competitive games. Bayern are also chasing BVB’s newly set Bundesliga record of ten consecutive halftime leads across two seasons, which came to an end with the 1-1 draw against Leipzig.

Bayern Munich collected 91 points in 2012/13

In terms of the season as a whole, there are basically no limits to the prospects after this strong start, so even the previously unbeatable 91-point mark from the 2012/13 season (29 wins, 4 draws, one defeat) can be considered achievable at this point in time.

Nevertheless, it is important not to overestimate the team’s performance so far and the accompanying start records. As the players and officials keep saying, the season is still long.

Bayern’s surprise national team debutant

Sports Of The Day
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Bayern’s surprise national team debutant

Felipe Chavez has yet to make a competitive appearance for FC Bayern’s professional team, but he has already played for Peru’s senior national team.

For the twelfth time this season, Bayern’s surprise national team debutant

Felipe Chavez has yet to make a competitive appearance for FC Bayern’s professional team, but he has already played for Peru’s senior national team.

For the twelfth time this season, the UEFA Youth League is being held in parallel with the Champions League, and unlike Salzburg, Porto, and Piraeus, FC Bayern has not yet won the international youth tournament.

Felipe Chavez did a lot to help Bayern get past the round of 16 last season, but his goal in the knockout tie with Inter was not enough as they lost on penalties. The 18-year-old midfielder has already taken center stage on matchday one of this Youth League season, scoring twice as a left winger in the 3-2 opening defeat to Chelsea, once directly from a corner. Incidentally, the German-Peruvian missed two relatively close chances with long-range shots from his own half. Chavez does not lack confidence, as can be seen from his play and statistics. The rather offensive number eight finished the previous season with 18 goals and 13 assists in 35 appearances, spread across the Bavarian Regional League, the Youth League, and the U19 Bundesliga.

His professional debut followed in the summer, when Chavez was allowed to start alongside Tom Bischof in the double six in Bayern’s season dress rehearsal in Zurich. He played courageously and confidently, and once even sent a long-range shot from around 20 meters just over the goal after skillfully turning around his Zurich opponent Matteo Mantini. Chavez initiated Jonah Kusi-Asare’s 2-0 goal with his opening pass to Lennart Karl, who provided the assist. Chavez, whose father is Peruvian, came on as a substitute in the friendly match in Chile (1-2) on Saturday night (CET). He had already made the front page of the Peruvian daily newspaper “Libero” because he was one of four newcomers with Peruvian roots in the squad alongside Nuremberg’s Fabio Gruber.

“At first glance, Pippo’s nomination to the senior national team comes as a surprise, as he has only played for us in competitive matches in the regional league and the Youth League so far,” Jochen Sauer admits to kicker. However, the director of campus and youth development at FC Bayern also says: “He was largely convincing in both competitions.”

Left-footed Chavez’s shooting technique is particularly impressive. He often dribbles past one or two opponents in the penalty area before firing off a powerful shot, as he did recently when he scored the goal that made it 2-1 against Chelsea. “He needs to keep at it and continue to work hard,” says Sauer, “especially on his physical fitness, then he will certainly be one of the next candidates to make it in a professional league.”

After returning from Peru, Chavez is expected to rejoin the second team, but internally he is considered the next youngster to gain playing experience at a significantly higher level. As it is likely to be difficult for him to break into the professional team at first, a loan move could make sense for him, similar to Jonathan Asp Jensen (Zurich) or Maurice Krattenmacher (Hertha).

This season, the UEFA Youth League is being held in parallel with the Champions League, and unlike Salzburg, Porto, or Piraeus, FC Bayern has not yet won the international youth tournament.

Felipe Chavez did a lot to help Bayern get past the round of 16 last season, but his goal in the knockout tie with Inter was not enough due to the subsequent penalty shootout defeat. The 18-year-old midfielder has already taken center stage on matchday one of this Youth League season, scoring twice as a left winger in the 3-2 opening defeat to Chelsea, once directly from a corner. Incidentally, the German-Peruvian narrowly missed twice with long-range shots from his own half. Chavez does not lack confidence, as can be seen from his play and statistics. The rather offensive number eight finished the previous season with 18 goals and 13 assists in 35 appearances, spread across the Bavarian Regional League, the Youth League, and the U19 Bundesliga.

His professional debut followed in the summer, when Chavez was allowed to start alongside Tom Bischof in the double six in Bayern’s season dress rehearsal in Zurich. He played courageously and confidently, and once even sent a long-range shot from around 20 meters just over the goal after skillfully turning around his Zurich opponent Matteo Mantini. Chavez initiated Jonah Kusi-Asare’s 2-0 goal with his opening pass to Lennart Karl, who provided the assist. Chavez, whose father is Peruvian, came on as a substitute in the friendly match in Chile (1-2) on Saturday night (CET). He had already made the front page of the Peruvian daily newspaper “Libero” because he was one of four newcomers with Peruvian roots in the squad alongside Nuremberg’s Fabio Gruber.

“At first glance, Pippo’s nomination to the senior national team comes as a surprise, as he has only played for us in competitive matches in the regional league and the Youth League so far,” Jochen Sauer admits to kicker. However, the director of campus and youth development at FC Bayern also says: “He was largely convincing in both competitions.”

Left-footed Chavez’s shooting technique is particularly impressive. He often dribbles past one or two opponents in the penalty area before firing off a powerful shot, as he did recently when he scored the goal that made it 2-1 against Chelsea. “He needs to keep at it and continue to work hard,” says Sauer, “especially on his physical fitness, then he will certainly be one of the next candidates to make it in a professional league.”

After returning from Peru, Chavez is expected to rejoin the second team for now, but internally he is considered the next youngster to gain playing experience at a significantly higher level. Since that is likely to be difficult with the pros for the time being, a loan could make sense for him, similar to Jonathan Asp Jensen (Zurich) or Maurice Krattenmacher (Hertha).

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