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Werder’s question about the number nine: Boniface is back on the bench

Andrew Jackson
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Werder’s question about the number nine: Boniface is back on the bench

When Werder Bremen hosts 1. FC Köln on Saturday, coach Horst Steffen is likely to field the same starting lineup despite the recent defeat. That means no Victor Boniface, whom Steffen spoke about reluctantly.

The center forward position at Werder Bremen is not exactly one where it is easy to shine this season. Justin Njinmah tried his hand there from the start of the game once, Victor Boniface (average rating 4.25) twice, Marco Grüll (3.75) four times, and most recently Keke Topp (4.75) twice.

Only Romano Schmid, playing as a “false” nine, has been able to impress up front so far. With him, the Green-Whites secured a 2-2 draw in Heidenheim and a 1-0 win against FC St. Pauli, with Schmid collecting ratings of 2.5 and 3.5. However, he was just as unable to score from this position as his colleagues were when they started up front.

Who he nominates as his respective striker also depends on the opponent, coach Horst Steffen clarified in a press conference on Thursday: “We have already played with Romano and Cameron in a kind of 4-3-3 against St. Pauli, which was also successful. There can be different constellations for the number 9.”

Too little enthusiasm and intensity from Boniface? Steffen responds

Currently, the 56-year-old is relying more on a genuine striker like Topp, whom he praised for his decent performance in the recent 2-0 defeat in Leipzig. Topp’s training performances also led to him being allowed to start the game. Although there are a few areas with the 21-year-old “where I think, ‘That could be better,’” said Steffen, he did not want to discuss this publicly. It is very possible that Topp will get another chance in the starting lineup on Saturday in the home game against 1. FC Köln. This would mean a place on the bench for Boniface – once again. Steffen responded to a media report claiming that Werder accuse the Nigerian of lacking enthusiasm and intensity in training: “Who would come up with such a statement?” There are “always plenty of ways to avoid watching training,” he said with a smile, presumably referring to secret sessions: “Accordingly, I don’t know where that comes from and don’t want to say any more about it.”

Mbangula on the bench? “That’s based on experience”

Boniface was last substituted in Leipzig in the 73rd minute after feeling unwell two days earlier. “I always see him being humorous and funny in the dressing room, and then a little disappointed when he doesn’t play from the start,” Steffen said of his prominent striker: “That’s normal behavior for a player who wants to be on the pitch.”

Samuel Mbangula, who joined from Juventus Turin in the summer, finds himself in a similar situation. “These are experiences he has to take with him now—after a very promising start,” said Steffen. After a poor performance against Mainz, the 21-year-old lost his place in the starting lineup and has been used as a substitute ever since. Steffen will only know who will do that on the other side an hour before kickoff. Cologne, coached by Lukas Kwasniok, is a “difficult opponent to prepare for,” said the Werder coach: “Sometimes El Mala plays from the start, sometimes he comes on as a substitute. Sometimes Bülter is there, sometimes Ache is there. It’s impossible to predict what the line-up will be.” At the same time, however, it was announced that Ragnar Ache will miss the game with a concussion.

The other side of Bayern’s first defeat

Jason Maverick
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The other side of Bayern’s first defeat

In London, Bayern leave the field as runners-up for the first time. Which could also have its advantages.

It seemed almost unusual how sober and serious the Bavarian protagonists looked on Wednesday evening in London. In the months since the 2-0 defeat to Paris in the Club World Cup, we have become so accustomed to seeing satisfied Munich players that it was interesting to observe their reaction to defeat.

In the catacombs of the Emirates Stadium, for example, Jonathan Tah stood at the DAZN microphone and talked about the details that decided the top match between Bayern and Arsenal. Or Serge Gnabry, who asked for acceptance “when you lose.” A deserved defeat, by the way, as Joshua Kimmich immediately classified it.

Kimmich: “This is an extremely important game for us.”

And Vincent Kompany? He would love to play Arsenal again right away. Because this meticulous coach had prepared so intensively for the Premier League leaders that, in his self-image as an always-winner, there must be an opportunity to rectify this faux pas. And maybe there will be an opportunity, but not until the new year at the earliest.

This absurdly good record of 16 wins from 16 games, which was still intact a few weeks ago, still looks absolutely fine after the 1-3 defeat in London: 17 wins from 19 games, with one defeat and one draw (2-2 in Berlin). Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga with a comfortable lead, and in the Champions League, unlike a year ago, they don’t have to worry about a place in the top eight.

They have earned themselves the luxury of being able to switch back into learning mode after a defeat. “This is an extremely important game for us,” said Kimmich, for example. “I’m convinced that we will take a lot away from it and learn a lot. There were many aspects that we need to improve.”

Against PSG, Munich’s man-to-man approach worked perfectly for one half, but in London, the German league leaders were shown their limits by the best English team: because Arsenal did not engage with Kompany’s pressing football and were physically (Declan Rice!) superior almost throughout;
and because the Gunners impressively managed to control moments of the game and stifle Bayern.

Bayern experience something they cannot experience against Leipzig or Dortmund

Looking at soccer games from different angles after the fact is not only healthy, but also normal. With a win in London, Munich would have continued to claim the unofficial and utterly unimportant title of currently best team in Europe. But instead, they learned something they cannot learn from Leverkusen, Leipzig, or Dortmund: there are indeed still things to improve.

“Learn,” demands sporting director Max Eberl. “Learn from the game, learn because we will face such games in the knockout stages. With such opponents, with such caliber.”

The only problem with that is that opponents of that caliber will probably not come along again until the spring, when the knockout stages of the Champions League begin. And then Kompany will be able to prepare meticulously again—and, if necessary, try again against Arsenal.

Great honor: Federal Cross of Merit for Kroos

Lesley Summerville
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Great honor: Federal Cross of Merit for Kroos

Toni Kroos has been awarded a special honor. The former national player and 2014 World Cup winner was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. The only general award for merit in the Federal Republic of Germany was presented to him by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“Today we are honoring one of the most successful German athletes of all time,” said Steinmeier, who is currently on a state visit to Spain, at the ceremony at the Estadio Bernabeu in Madrid: “The fact that you have become a living legend is, of course, due to your extraordinary sporting achievements. You have thrilled soccer fans in Germany, Spain, and around the world with your technical brilliance, your precision, and your unique understanding of the game. “

However, Toni Kroos (35) was not primarily honored for his numerous sporting successes (including winning the World Cup in 2014 and six Champions League titles), but for his social commitment. Born in Greifswald, he has been supporting seriously and chronically ill children for years through his foundation.
Steinmeier expressed his heartfelt thanks for this. “You have become a legend not only because of your outstanding athletic abilities and achievements. It was also your friendly and level-headed demeanor on and off the field that made you a role model for many young soccer talents and sports enthusiasts,” said Steinmeier, adding:
“Just as you took responsibility for your team out there on the pitch, you are now taking responsibility for other people, for good social cohesion and for friendship between Germany and Spain.”

After Philipp Lahm and Gerald Asamoah, Kroos is now the third former soccer player to be awarded the Federal Cross of Merit since the beginning of October.

“In soccer, I learned that success can only ever be achieved as a team.” Soccer is a “parallel world,” Kroos emphasized, revealing that the foundation “has helped me to a certain extent to keep my feet on the ground.” He also called on all soccer players to get involved in helping others.

Unwillingly on the sidelines: Why Rakow Częstochowa has a coaching problem

Phil Laffertey
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Unwillingly on the sidelines: Why Rakow Częstochowa has a coaching problem

When Rakow Częstochowa hosts Rapid Vienna on Thursday evening, important points in the Conference League table will be at stake. However, head coach Marek Papszun is causing a stir. The 51-year-old wants to move to Legia Warsaw and is making no secret of it.

Marek Papszun’s achievements in his coaching career to date are impressive. There is the dazzling championship title with Rakow Częstochowa in 2023, two cup victories in 2021 and 2022, the national Super Cup victories in 2022 and 2023, and the march from the third to the first Polish league. The rise of the former teacher, whom club owner Michal Swierczewski once found on the internet, went hand in hand with the development of Rakow, which was still in the third division in 2016 and has now been represented internationally for several years.

What sounds like a romantic and beautiful success story is now likely to come to an abrupt end. The paths are set to part ways, permanently – at least if the coach himself has his way. Papszun, who took a year’s break in 2023 and returned to the Rakow coaching seat exactly one year later, wants to leave. And the 51-year-old knows exactly where he wants to go. Legia Warsaw, currently only twelfth in the Ekstraklasa, would like to sign him, and Papszun himself would have no objection to moving to his hometown, as he surprisingly candidly admitted on Wednesday.

“Legia Warsaw wants to hire me as coach, and I want to become Legia’s coach. I hope we can reach an agreement, and if that happens, I won’t have to comment any further,” said Papszun—during a press conference that was actually supposed to be about the Conference League match between Rakow and Rapid Vienna.

Since then, the Polish soccer world has been in an uproar, and in Częstochowa, the former championship coach seems to have already fallen out of favor with some fans. A larger-than-life mural on a building wall was defaced during the night, with unknown individuals spraying the words “I could have been a legend” over the coach’s name. Social media is already full of montages that swap the colors of the mural from red and black to white and green—the colors of Legia. There are alternating calls for his immediate dismissal, dishonorable release for a transfer, or even demotion within the club.

The media and commentators accuse the coach, who in the past stood for clear rules of conduct and strict team management, of breaking his word, lacking credibility, or even betrayal.

Papszun and Legia had already reached an agreement once before

The matter is also emotional because Papszun and Legia have a history. Back in 2021, the wealthy capital club wanted to sign the up-and-coming coach. And even then, Papszun had made his intentions clear, albeit in a much more defensive manner. An agreement was even reached, and Rakow’s management would have been willing to let him go. However, internal upheavals at Legia led to the arrival of a new sporting director, who quickly and publicly scuppered the deal. Papszun stayed at Rakow. And later became champion. It seems unlikely that history will repeat itself – but it also seems unlikely that Papszun will actually move.

Because while the fans are furious – “embarrassing” and “unprofessional” are still the nicer comments the coach is getting under the YouTube recording of the press conference – Rakow officials are keeping a low profile. There is no official statement on the club’s website, and officials are not participating in the media storm. Speculation is growing – is this about securing the best possible negotiating position, will there be a big bang and a parting of ways before kick-off, or are they simply sitting out the problem?

It is likely that Papszun will “have to” stand on the sidelines at least once more as Rakow coach on Thursday evening. After all, he is likely to have kept the evening free anyway. Legia Warsaw is also playing in the Conference League on Thursday.

eSports in Rainbow Six: Focus on China and Saudi Arabia

admin3r
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eSports in Rainbow Six: Focus on China and Saudi Arabia

Ubisoft wants to take off in China and Saudi Arabia with Rainbow Six. Both regions could become the next major growth drivers in eSports.
Ubisoft is clearly looking ahead. For Francois-Xavier Deniele, Vice President of Global Esports, the greatest opportunities for Rainbow Six lie in two regions that already have enormous appeal today: China and Saudi Arabia. Both markets are at the center of the long-term global strategy that will carry Rainbow Six over the next ten years, Deniele told eSports.

China in particular plays a key role in these considerations. The market is huge, eSports consumption is firmly anchored in the culture and extends far beyond the traditional gaming communities. For Deniele, China is not a potential bonus, but a real game changer.

Once Rainbow Six gains a foothold there, the global balance of power could shift noticeably. For him, China is not just a country. It is an eSports continent in its own right. A mainstream audience that consumes competitive games as a matter of course would give the scene a new dynamic and massively increase the reach of Rainbow Six.

Saudi Arabia as a laboratory for innovation

The MENA region, especially Saudi Arabia, is also coming into focus. The kingdom has been investing specifically in esports for years and is positioning itself as a global hotspot for tournaments, talent, and organizational structures.

For Ubisoft, this is not a short-term trend, but an environment with real potential. The community is growing rapidly, events are attracting international attention, and regional promotion is creating stable conditions. Deniele sees Saudi Arabia as a laboratory for new ideas, formats, and talent. The global plan is clear: Rainbow Six should continue to grow—but not blindly. Every region ticks differently, every scene has its own dynamics. Rainbow Six was recently a phenomenon in Brazil, and Europe and North America are picking up again. Now China and Saudi Arabia are set to open the next big chapters. Ubisoft is focusing on long-term development rather than short-term hype and is working to build local scenes before pursuing international ambitions.

This could have far-reaching consequences for global competition: more viewers, new teams, different playing styles. Above all, however, it could provide an even broader foundation for a scene that has been growing steadily for ten years. If Ubisoft is right, the future of R6 eSports will be written in Asia and the Middle East.

Four players dropped: Mumbru names squad for Israel game

Sports Of The Day
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Four players dropped: Mumbru names squad for Israel game

The DBB team will play its first World Cup qualifying game against Israel in Ulm on Friday. National coach Alex Mumbru has now announced the squad he will be fielding for the game—and who will be captain.

For the first window in the World Cup qualifiers after winning the European Championship in the summer, Alex Mumbru called up four European champions – Andreas Obst, Oscar da Silva, Justus Hollatz, and Isaac Bonga – and several newcomers to his 17-man squad following the late nomination of Berlin’s Jack Kayil.

As is well known, twelve players are allowed to be listed on the match report per game. While Obst did not travel with the national team due to injury, the national coach still had four players to drop for the respective games.

Welp and Pape must wait for their debut – Sengfelder captain

For the first game against Israel (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) in Ulm, it was Collin Welp, Till Pape, Kay Bruhnke, and Nelson Weidemann, who was injured with an ankle injury and was the last player to be cut before the European Championship. With Norris Agbakoko, who was called up for the first time, and Mahir Agva, the big surprise in the squad, two players could make their debut.

Pape and Welp, who was invited for the first time, will therefore have to wait a little longer for their first appearance for the DBB team. Bruhnke already has two international games under his belt, while Weidemann has played in 14. Ulm local hero Christian Sengfelder, bronze medalist with Germany at the 2022 European Championships on home soil, will serve as captain.

On Thursday, the entire squad was able to train together for the first time and worked on “internalizing the game plan and familiarizing themselves with the systems,” the DBB announced on its website.

The squad at a glance:

Norris Agbakoko (Alba Berlin), Mahir Agva (Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi/TUR), Isaac Bonga (Partizan Belgrade/SRB), Oscar da Silva (FC Bayern Munich), Malte Delow (Alba Berlin), Justus Hollatz (FC Bayern Munich), Jack Kayil (Alba Berlin, nominated after the fact), David Krämer (Real Madrid/ESP), Jonas Mattisseck (Alba Berlin), Joshua Obiesie (Basketball Löwen Braunschweig), Louis Olinde (BAXI Manresa/ESP), Christian Sengfelder (ratiopharm ulm)

After McLaren disqualification: Alexander Albon questions FIA principle

Phil Laffertey
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After McLaren disqualification: Alexander Albon questions FIA principle

Williams driver Alexander Albon criticizes random checks on the underbody and calls for complete checks of all cars—despite time pressure for the FIA.

The discussion about the underbody rules continues to gather momentum after McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas. Alexander Albon has now also spoken out, voicing clear criticism of the way the FIA enforces the regulations. “My problem is not with the rule itself, but with how it is enforced,” says the Williams driver. He considers the random tests that are usually used to be “difficult” and potentially unfair.
Albon argues that, in theory, teams could “drive the car to the limit” without getting caught as long as they are not randomly selected—an imbalance that he views critically. “I would prefer to see all 20 cars checked every weekend,” he explains. “Then it would be really fair.”

He admits that the FIA simply does not have the time for this: full checks are extremely time-consuming and sometimes require the vehicles to be partially dismantled. Nevertheless, he is bothered by the principle of random selection: “It’s this random principle that’s a bit difficult. But yes: rules are rules.”

Albon: That’s how sensitive the setup work is

Albon explains why the teams push themselves so hard to the limit by pointing to the enormous sensitivity of the current cars. “These cars are incredible now,” he emphasizes. “We adjust the ride height according to the wind we expect on race day.” Even a slight headwind on the straight can change the entire aerodynamic behavior and thus the ground clearance.

Sprint weekends like Las Vegas exacerbate the problem: “You hardly have any running time, you have to play it safe—and sometimes you sit there on Sunday and think: We could have gotten a lot more out of it because we hardly had any wear on the plank.” But that’s just a side effect of the current generation of rules.

No quick solution in sight

Albon doesn’t believe that the issue will suddenly be resolved with the new regulations, even though ground effect is unlikely to be as prominent with the new ones coming in 2026. “It will be less extreme, but it will remain a topic of conversation,” he says.

The basic philosophy of running the car as low to the ground as possible will continue to exist, whether at the front or the rear. This means that there will likely be further discussion in the future about whether the spot checks are sufficient or whether teams can slip through gray areas.

Lando Norris after Las Vegas shock: Wants to take even more risks!

Sotd Editor
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Lando Norris after Las Vegas shock: Wants to take even more risks!

After the bitter disqualification in Las Vegas, Lando Norris announces that he will continue to push aggressively to the limit despite the title fight.

After the bitter double disqualification of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren emphasizes that it wants to continue taking risks in the final stages of the World Championship. In the casino metropolis, both MCL39s were disqualified due to excessive wear on the underbody.

A setback that suddenly exacerbated the championship situation: Norris continues to lead the drivers’ standings, but only with a 24-point lead over Piastri and Max Verstappen, who are lurking behind with the same number of points. Norris contradicts the impression of an overly aggressive setup

Norris: We took too little risk!

Despite the setback, Norris does not want to change his basic approach – on the contrary. The Briton explains that McLaren did not take too many risks in Las Vegas, but rather too few: “In some ways, you could almost say we didn’t take enough risks,” he emphasizes. “We were actually slower because of our problems, not faster.”

He says he is therefore “almost even more motivated” to tackle the setup boldly for the upcoming weekend in Qatar. “We will have more performance. In Formula 1, you always have to push to the limit to win.” The ride height disqualification doesn’t change that: “It’s much more complicated than simply saying, ‘They were low, so they were fast.’”

Why McLaren isn’t playing it safe despite the title fight

The title fight is close, but Norris makes it clear: playing it safe is not an option. “We want to win these last races. If we don’t get everything perfect—like in Brazil—Red Bull will be faster again and beat us,” he warns.

The approach therefore remains unchanged: “We are here to win. We will fight to the end, and that’s what I want too.” Only by pushing to the max can Norris seize this historic opportunity in the fiercely contested three-way battle against Red Bull and his own sister car.

The Qatar Grand Prix presents a particular challenge: it’s the last sprint weekend of the season – additional risk, less practice time, more strategic tightrope walking. After that, only the showdown in Abu Dhabi remains.

Norris sees Verstappen and Piastri as “equal threats” in the title race

Phil Laffertey
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Norris sees Verstappen and Piastri as “equal threats” in the title race

The title race is coming to a head after McLaren’s Las Vegas disaster – Norris and Piastri explain how they are dealing with the new points situation

After the turbulent Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Formula 1 title race has dramatically intensified. The double disqualification of McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has brought Max Verstappen dangerously close and made him a serious contender for the world championship title once again.

Ahead of this weekend’s race in Doha, Verstappen is now just 24 points behind championship leader Norris and draws level with Piastri. The Australian lost 13 points to the world champion due to the zero score, but remains closer to Norris than he would have been without the disqualification.

Norris: “Max and Oscar are equally big threats”

What seemed like Norris’ almost certain first title just a few days ago is now completely up in the air again. Despite the difficult situation, the championship leader remains calm. For him, nothing has changed in his assessment of his strongest competitors.

“I mean, we’ve seen [Verstappen] as a threat all year, even when he was a few points behind,” Norris emphasizes. “We know what he’s capable of, we know what Red Bull is capable of, so nothing changes. He’s still a threat and has been all year.”

His approach therefore remains unchanged: “I’m really trying not to treat it any differently because it doesn’t make sense. Nothing needs to be handled differently.” Red Bull has been strong lately and will continue to be so this weekend and at the finale in Abu Dhabi, according to Norris.

But it’s not just Verstappen he has his eye on, but also his teammate Piastri. In a direct comparison, the Briton says: “They’re both the same. I think they’re both just as good as each other. Oscar is capable of doing exactly the same as Max.”

“Both have advantages and disadvantages, Max in a different team and Oscar in the reigning constructors’ champions’ team. But every driver wants to fight for himself and prove that he is the best. So both are very competitive, both very strong, incredible drivers, and I’m looking forward to a good fight.”

Piastri: Title still possible despite “net disadvantage”

Piastri sees more harm than good in the disqualification, even though it meant the gap to Norris at the top of the championship remained smaller than if he had finished fourth under normal circumstances.

“I think overall it’s still a net disadvantage,” he sums up. “Ultimately, it’s never good to have a result like that. Yes, it prevents me from losing those six points to Lando, but it also brings Max much closer into the fight.”

The new situation also raised the question of whether McLaren was considering using Piastri to help Norris. But this option was quickly rejected.
“We had a very brief discussion about it and the answer is no,” Piastri makes clear ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. “I’m still level on points with Max and have a reasonable chance of winning the championship if things go my way. So that’s how we’re playing it.” However, he knows full well that his chances are slimmer than before.

“Of course, I also know that it’s more of an outside chance. I’m dependent on other things going my way. I’m very aware of that. I’ll just try to have the best weekends possible, as I always do. Then we’ll see what happens with the others.”

McLaren debacle in Las Vegas: Norris and Piastri had a premonition

Phil Laffertey
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McLaren debacle in Las Vegas: Norris and Piastri had a premonition

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri reveal why they knew early on that McLaren was in for trouble in Las Vegas and how they are dealing with it

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri confirmed ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix that they already anticipated an impending disqualification in Las Vegas when reviewing the race with the team at the track.

“There was a bit of an expectation, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue or a surprise,” Norris said. “So we were pretty prepared for what the outcome might be. But actually, I felt pretty good about it. I left the track. We did our debrief. We talked about what was good and what wasn’t good. Things we need to improve here.”

Both McLaren drivers were disqualified after the race in Las Vegas because their cars failed technical inspection due to excessive wear on the skid blocks on the underbody. They had previously finished the race in second (Norris) and fourth (Piastri) place.

The zero points benefit championship rival Max Verstappen, who is now only 24 points behind championship leader Norris after his victory and is tied on points with Piastri.

Piastri: “Knew we were in trouble”

“Of course it hurts,” Norris admits. “There’s so much effort that goes into every weekend, and all that effort felt like it was wiped out very quickly. Everyone at McLaren is disappointed, but actually it was quite easy for me to put it behind me, take a few days off and start afresh here.”

Piastri also reveals that he immediately recognized the precarious situation when McLaren was summoned by the stewards. “That’s when we knew we were in trouble.”

“When you’re called before the stewards, especially for something like this, you try to stay optimistic, but there’s only so much optimism you can have. So I knew even then that we weren’t in a good position. I found out officially at the airport.”

Stella: Sensor failure made diagnosis impossible

The team tried to argue that there were mitigating circumstances for the illegal wear of the skid blocks—without success. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explains that Piastri’s sensor failure meant that the condition of the underbody could not be monitored in real time.

In Norris’s case, the team did give the order to slow down a little, but due to the nature of the problem, caused by severe bouncing, this had little effect.

“It’s not as simple as just lifting more and then it gets better. Sometimes, when you lift more, you get more bouncing and the effect is even worse,” explains Norris. “It is what it is. I was lifting throughout the race, so doing it earlier wouldn’t have made any difference.” Piastri says he felt the bouncing, but sometimes a lot of contact with the ground doesn’t automatically mean a lot of wear. “It depends a little bit on the track.”

“It definitely wasn’t a particularly comfortable race in the car, but I didn’t realize how bad the wear was on my car. Because of the sensor failure, we didn’t know exactly how bad it looked,” said Piastri.

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