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Müller leaves open the possibility of an official role at Bayern—and jokes about parallels with Rummenigge

Jason Maverick
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Müller leaves open the possibility of an official role at Bayern—and jokes about parallels with Rummenigge

Thomas Müller is putting aside thoughts of a possible return to FC Bayern as an official or coach. However, his latest statements leave all options open.

Such a dream start with six wins, seven goals, and four assists undoubtedly helps to talk easily about all topics. “I didn’t come here to become Vancouver’s superstar,” Thomas Müller said on Bavarian Radio: “I feel a responsibility to give something back to the club. We want the stadium to be full and to draw attention to the sport in the city.“

Admittedly, he is not yet able to communicate in depth with the Whitecaps in the same way he could in Germany. But: ”Don’t worry, Radio Müller is broadcasting here too.” Where the 36-year-old will be broadcasting in the long term, however, is still unclear.

Bayern’s supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently told DPA that it was “the wish of the fans and the club” for former players to take on leadership roles at Bayern Munich. Müller could broaden his horizons in Canada and prepare for a job afterwards.

“That’s a long way off,” Müller said. “I’m aware of that. I know my skill set. But I still have no idea whether I could be a good coach and whether I want to be a good coach. And whether I could be a good sports official and whether I want to be a good sports official.”

Initially, he will work as a TV expert for MagentaSport at the 2026 World Cup, alongside his active career, which currently sees him facing FC Dallas in the MLS playoffs. Rummenigge also worked as a TV expert after his active career, before returning to FC Bayern as vice president.

“Actually, the path is already mapped out,” Müller said with a laugh. His connections to Munich remain close, emphasized the 503-time Bundesliga professional, who had to hand over the record for the most Bundesliga victories to Manuel Neuer over the weekend. “The contact is very, very good,” he said. He maintains a “golf chat group” with many of his companions from his time at Bayern and will be back in Germany in December.

Dozens injured: Tel Aviv city derby canceled

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Dozens injured: Tel Aviv city derby canceled

The city derby between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv had to be canceled at short notice over the weekend due to riots. According to reports, there were several injuries.

The match between the two local rivals was supposed to be played on Sunday at Bloomfield Stadium, which is used by both clubs. However, after serious riots broke out before kick-off, the police instructed the two clubs to cancel the game due to safety concerns in order to prevent a feared further escalation. Rioters had set off several pyrotechnic devices in the stadium and thrown them onto the pitch. Players who were already warming up on the pitch were asked by the referees to return to the dressing rooms. Initially, the kick-off was postponed, but after the situation failed to calm down, it was decided to cancel the match.
According to Israeli media reports, at least 29 people were injured in the riots. According to the Times of Israel, this included three law enforcement officers, and a 13-year-old child is said to have suffered serious injuries. The police initially arrested 40 suspects, 13 of whom are still in custody. A police spokesperson was quoted as saying that “this was not a soccer game, but a disturbance of public order and serious violence.”

Exclusion of Maccabi fans draws criticism

Just three days ago, UEFA decided that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans would not be allowed to travel to Aston Villa for the Europa League match on November 6.
The ban was imposed by local authorities due to concerns about security outside the stadium. Both the British and Israeli governments criticized the fan ban. Maccabi Tel Aviv is the reigning champion in Israel and is the only team in the first division that is still undefeated. With one game in hand, they are now four points behind league leaders Hapoel Beer Sheva.
Maccabi has earned one point in the Europa League so far and will host FC Midtjylland on the third matchday this Thursday (9 p.m.). On the last matchday of the league phase, Maccabi Tel Aviv will face VfB Stuttgart on December 11.

Liverpool’s “real problem” ahead of Frankfurt – and a bitter Salah debut

Andrew Jackson
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Liverpool’s “real problem” ahead of Frankfurt – and a bitter Salah debut

Liverpool FC lost to Manchester United after squandering chances in several games – but another problem is causing even greater concern. Even Arne Slot missed a question at the press conference.

When Eintracht Frankfurt drew Liverpool FC in the Champions League draw at the end of August, they certainly expected anything but this. If Dino Toppmöller’s team defeats the English champions on Wednesday, it will be their fifth consecutive loss – the first time since 1953. Eintracht is still far from being the favorite, but after studying their opponent’s past performances, they will have noticed that something is possible, perhaps even a lot.

It’s quite obvious that the Reds’ season has taken its first major turn. Lucky wins have turned into unlucky losses, but the diagnosis remains the same: the team, which was renewed for millions in the summer but has not been strengthened so far, has lost its balance and thus its self-image from the outstanding previous year. Yes, it even loses at home to Manchester United.

On Sunday, when their archrivals triumphed at Anfield for the first time in nine years and won two league games in a row for the first time under Ruben Amorim, Liverpool once again squandered chances for several games: Cody Gakpo hit the woodwork three times before his 1-1 equalizer; the Reds’ xGoals value ended up at 2.75 (ManUnited: 1.34); Mohamed Salah, who was even substituted at the end, has gone seven league games without scoring for the first time in his career, not counting penalties.

Kerkez’s weakness – and the frightening problems with set pieces

And yet, what the Guardian called the “real problem” is causing even greater concern: the permanent defensive vulnerability. “Of course, there’s the part that nobody asked about, but I can tell you about it,” said coach Arne Slot, bringing the topic into focus himself without being asked at his press conference after the 1-2 defeat.

The early deficit was controversial because referee Michael Oliver did not stop play even though Alexis Mac Allister had gone down after a headbutt and later had to receive several stitches. On the other hand, Bryan Mbeumo’s goal could still have been prevented.
Throughout the game, the defense, in which new left-back Milos Kerkez continues to be a clear weak point, did not exude confidence, with even captain Virgil van Dijk recently succumbing to the contagion. The 1-2 came after a frighteningly familiar pattern: Harry Maguire scored from a corner. Of Liverpool’s eleven league goals conceded, five have now come from set pieces. Last year, after eight matchdays, it was zero out of three. The current losing streak began when Crystal Palace’s Slots team duped them deep into stoppage time after a throw-in.

Wirtz again without a starring role – Van Dijk calls for cohesion

Back then, too, the champions had made up for a deficit with an all-out attack, only to end up empty-handed. Against ManUnited, Slot made offensive changes after an hour, bringing on Florian Wirtz alongside Hugo Ekitiké, who once again failed to play a major role (33 touches, three shots on goal, 0.1 xAssists). “We had six or seven attacking players on the pitch. That’s perhaps why the structure in defense from set pieces against Palace and now wasn’t as perfect as usual,” the coach reflected. “Maybe it’s no coincidence.”

It’s certainly no coincidence that Liverpool’s opponents are constantly pushing them to take such personnel risks. “This is an interesting phase right now. We have to stick together,“ van Dijk demands in view of the results crisis, from which ”results” can soon be confidently deleted if things continue like this. Liverpool are already four points behind leaders Arsenal. “If you compare all the highlights from the three games we lost in the Premier League, you would say that it’s hardly possible to lose. So if we continue to play as we have been and improve a few things, there is every reason to believe that we will win football games again,” says the Dutchman, sticking to his analysis that only minor details are missing for better results. However, he should not ignore one problem: when Liverpool were still winning at the start of the season, their opponents could often say the same thing.

Dyche set to become Nottingham’s next manager

Sotd Editor
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Dyche set to become Nottingham’s next manager

Nottingham Forest is about to appoint its third head coach this season. Sean Dyche would be a double admission of failure for the club.

Nottingham Forest’s search for a new manager is almost complete. According to numerous English media reports on Monday, Sean Dyche is set to succeed Ange Postecoglou at the struggling Premier League club. The Australian was forced to step down immediately after Saturday afternoon’s 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea, having won none of his eight competitive games in charge.

Dyche has been out of work since leaving Everton in January. The 54-year-old had led the Toffees to safety the previous season despite two points being deducted. Prior to that, he had successfully kept Burnley in the Premier League for years before being forced to leave in April 2022.

Former Italy coach Roberto Mancini, who had been in charge of Saudi Arabia until October, was also reportedly a promising candidate. But Forest officials, led by football director Edu and technical director George Syrianos, wanted Dyche, which amounts to a double admission.

Firstly, they are once again emphatically declaring the Postecoglou experiment a failure. Unlike his predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo, who led Forest to the European Cup with his disciplined football, the former coach of reigning Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur stood for risky attacking football. Dyche has nothing to do with that either. His teams have always had their strengths in working against the ball.

The new guy is in for a tough start

And so, secondly, it seems clear that the bosses around owner Evangelos Marinakis have understood what the hour has struck. Nottingham, which also failed in the League Cup and botched its Europa League start, is already stuck in a relegation battle early on with only five points from eight matchdays. First and foremost, it’s about survival in the league, something Dyche has often mastered. On Thursday (9 p.m.), they face FC Porto in the Europa League, and on Sunday (3 p.m.), Nottingham travel to surprise third-placed AFC Bournemouth, who haven’t lost since their unfortunate 2-4 defeat to champions FC Liverpool in their league opener. And then the resurgent Manchester United come to City Ground.

After leaving Bayern: New role for Finals MVP Napier

T0m@dmin1
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After leaving Bayern: New role for Finals MVP Napier

Shabazz Napier was named BBL Finals MVP in the summer, but the guard was unable to agree on a contract extension with FC Bayern Munich. The playmaker now has a new role.

As reported by Hoops Hype, Napier is ending his playing career after leaving FC Bayern and will now devote himself to coaching. The 34-year-old will learn as a coaching apprentice with the Washington Wizards under Brian Keefe.

The experienced point guard had already hinted last year that he would consider such a move, and now Napier is making the immediate transition. Napier played in 33 games for Bayern in the EuroLeague, averaging 10.3 points and 3.2 assists.

Napier shone in the BBL playoffs

However, the former NBA player became even more valuable in the BBL playoffs, where Munich had to do without the injured Carsen Edwards and Napier took on a more important role. The 34-year-old previously played for Red Star Belgrade and Olimpia Milan in the EuroLeague.

Napier also played six years in the NBA for six different teams – the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Washington Wizards. The guard averaged 7.1 points, but Napier was unable to build on the great successes he celebrated in college for UConn (two titles) alongside Niels Giffey.

Red Bull suspected of sabotage: What really happened before the start in Austin

Lesley Summerville
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Red Bull suspected of sabotage: What really happened before the start in Austin

Max Verstappen wins in Austin, but there is trouble for Red Bull: An incident before the start results in a hefty fine and speculation about sabotage.

Is Red Bull trying everything it can to get back into the World Championship fight? After the US Grand Prix in Austin, which Max Verstappen won in superior fashion, the team from Milton Keynes had to appear before the race commissioners—and was fined €50,000.

What happened? Shortly before the start of the race, a Red Bull employee entered the starting grid again, even though the formation lap was already underway. In doing so, the team violated Articles 12.2.1.h and 12.2.1.i of the FIA International Sporting Code.

However, there was an explosive reason why the team member returned to the track: according to several sources confirmed to Motorsport-Total.com, the mechanic apparently wanted to remove a piece of tape from the pit wall in order to sabotage McLaren driver Lando Norris.
What is the significance of the tape?

The adhesive strip, also known as a “grid marker,” had been applied by McLaren. It serves as a guide for drivers to find their exact position in the starting grid. Because visibility from the cockpit is severely limited and the markings on the asphalt are barely visible, the strip makes it easier to park precisely.

The markings are intended to prevent drivers from accidentally crossing the starting grid line and risking a penalty. Ironically, Lando Norris was given a five-second penalty at the start of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix for not taking up his starting position correctly.

Although the incident in Austin was not captured by TV cameras, one of the track surveillance cameras apparently recorded the situation. The race stewards had no choice but to sanction Red Bull: the team was fined €50,000, half of which was suspended.

The stewards’ official reasoning for the decision

The official reasoning for the decision states that “during the hearing, the team representative explained that the team member had told him that he was unaware of the marshals’ attempts to stop him.”

“However, the stewards noted that every person belonging to a team or other party involved must be aware that entering the track or obstructing safety measures in preparation for the track after the starting grid has been cleared is strictly prohibited.”

“Regardless of whether or not the instructions of the officials in charge were noticed by the person concerned, obstructing or delaying the closing of the gates before the start of the race must be considered unsafe behavior that warrants a significant penalty for the team.”

Red Bull’s “attempted sabotage” not punishable

However, the actual “attempted sabotage” had no consequences for Red Bull: the regulations do not prohibit teams from applying such markings. Similarly, there is no provision prohibiting other teams from removing them.

For this reason, this part of the incident does not appear in the official documents of the race management. The actual rule violation consisted solely of “failure to comply with the instructions of the officials in charge,” in this case the marshals who wanted to close the gate to the starting grid.

It is no secret that Red Bull has frequently attempted to manipulate McLaren’s markings in the past. According to information from the paddock, McLaren has responded to this and is now using a particularly strong adhesive to prevent such incidents in the future.

Pedro Acosta finishes fifth at Phillip Island: KTM struggles again with tire wear

Sotd Editor
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Pedro Acosta finishes fifth at Phillip Island: KTM struggles again with tire wear

Once again, rear tire wear proves to be KTM’s weakness – Pedro Acosta misses out on the podium despite tire management – Four riders, one common problem

Pedro Acosta took third place in the sprint in Australia. The KTM rider also fought at the front of the pack in the Grand Prix, but was unable to secure a podium finish over the long distance. The Spaniard held second place until halfway through the race, but was overtaken in the final stages and eventually finished fifth.

“I wouldn’t call this race frustrating, but it’s tough when you manage your tires throughout the race and still end up in the same position as if you hadn’t managed them at all,” said Acosta, identifying the underlying problem.

Tire degradation was significant for all four KTM riders and was the decisive factor. “That’s something you have to question: why are all four KTMs with four different riders and four different riding styles losing so much grip – even when we manage it?”

“If you say, ‘Hey Pedro, ride 27 laps at full throttle,’ then I understand where I’ll end up or how bad the result could be. But if I ride the whole race at 70 percent of my potential and still fall into this hole, then it’s difficult to understand.“

Nevertheless, Acosta is relatively satisfied with fifth place, because, according to him, Phillip Island is his personally weakest track. Still, he says: ”I was pretty convinced it was going to be a good day. But I managed.”

“I rode behind Raul for a long time to control the pressure on the front wheel. When you ride behind, you also use less rear tire because you ride more smoothly—because of the heat build-up and all that.”

“But I ended up in exactly the same position as in the past three weeks. KTM has to take a step now. I’m really giving it my all. I’ve now found my consistency in the top 5. I’m trying not to make any mistakes.”

At the finish line, Acosta was eight seconds behind and was able to keep Honda rider Luca Marini at bay in the final laps. The other KTM riders, Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini, and Pol Espargaro, finished in eighth to tenth place in that order.

KTM got the problem under control in Europe

Tire management was also a big issue for them. At the start of the season, tire management over the race distance was a problem for KTM. But over the course of the European season, KTM seemed to have got the problem under control.

“Yes,” says Espargaro, “it seems that we have got the situation under control in Europe. We have more data on the tracks there, and the bike’s behavior is, let’s say, more natural, more controllable.”

“But outside Europe, where we don’t have enough data, things slip out of our control and happen in ways we can’t predict. Then we don’t understand why – and we’re a little stuck.“

”We at KTM really destroyed the rear tire. From about the middle of the race, four or five laps later, seven or eight laps before the end, the tire was finished,“ notes the test rider. ”I understand Pedro very well. It’s frustrating.”

“But we need to understand how much each rider is giving – that last ten percent limit – and how everyone is riding to understand why the tire wear is coming so early and what decisions we need to make for the future.”

Despite this problem, all four KTM riders finished in the top 10. Binder and Bastianini also noted that their rear tires were completely worn out too early, even though they managed the wear from the start.

Aki Ajo: “Back to reality”

KTM team manager Aki Ajo says: “In general, we should be satisfied that all four riders finished in the top 10 – that’s positive. But to be honest, we’re not happy with the race.”

“We need to understand why our performance dropped off in the second half. The tire life was a little worse than expected. The weekend got off to a difficult start on Friday, but things improved significantly with the sprint on Saturday.“

”On Sunday, we were brought back down to earth with a bump. Having one rider in fifth place and all of them in the top 10 is positive, but we need to learn more from the conditions we encountered in the race.”

In the manufacturer standings, KTM has lost further ground to Aprilia in second place. With three race weekends remaining before the end of the season, the Italian brand has a 47-point lead in the World Championship.

“It could have ended badly”: How a bale of straw saved Neuville

Lesley Summerville
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“It could have ended badly”: How a bale of straw saved Neuville

Thierry Neuville escaped uninjured after a violent crash into a bridge: Now he explains why a bale of straw may have saved his life

Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe escaped uninjured after a violent accident at the Central European Rally. The reigning world champion was grateful for the safety measures taken by the World Rally Championship (WRC), which he believes played a decisive role in ensuring that both men escaped without injury.

“I’m fine so far, even though I’m in a bit of pain at the moment. Martijn and I had a pretty heavy impact, but we were thoroughly examined, both by the rescue team and at the hospital. Everyone did an excellent job and we are both fine,” said Neuville, who was in seventh place before the accident.

The incident occurred on Sunday morning on the 15th special stage when the Belgian’s Hyundai i20 N Rally1 crashed into a bridge secured by a straw bale. Due to the accident, the organizers decided to cancel the stage for safety reasons.

Straw bale cushions impact

Neuville and Wydaeghe were examined by doctors immediately at the scene of the accident. Neuville was taken to hospital by ambulance and his co-driver by helicopter for further checks. Both were able to return to the service park uninjured in the afternoon.

“Everything was normal, but I made a mistake. There was a small gap between the bridge and the concrete that I wanted to use. I thought there would be room there, but that wasn’t the case. I turned the wheel and we hit the bridge in the middle with the car. That was my mistake. In rallying, small mistakes can have big consequences. It was a violent impact, but fortunately the car and the safety equipment prevented anything worse from happening,” Neuville said, describing the accident.

After the accident, the organizers took additional safety measures so that the track could be used again before the final power stage. Neuville’s teammate Ott Tänak briefly got into trouble at the same spot, but was able to avoid it.

Ongoing work on safety

Looking back, Neuville was relieved that a straw bale had been placed at the end of the bridge and praised the ongoing efforts to improve safety in rallying.

“This is part of the work we have been doing together with the FIA for years. Julien Ingrassia, Sebastien Ogier’s former co-driver, has also contributed a lot in this area in recent years. All co-drivers regularly provide feedback after rallies. Today, that may have saved lives,” Neuville emphasized.

Who slept worst last night: Francesco Bagnaia

Phil Laffertey
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Who slept worst last night: Francesco Bagnaia

The situation in Francesco Bagnaia’s pit is becoming increasingly puzzling—what is going on at Ducati? We have never seen a situation like this in motorsport before.

I can well imagine how many of you sat in front of the TV shaking your heads as you watched Francesco Bagnaia’s weekend in Australia. What’s going on with him this year is, I think, the strangest situation I’ve ever seen in motorsport.

How can someone dominate completely in Motegi and then be completely lost again in Mandalika and Phillip Island? It’s simply inexplicable and leaves you perplexed. Bagnaia is just as perplexed. I believe what he says.

Journalist and author Mat Oxley spoke to Gigi Dall’Igna in Indonesia. Dall’Igna told him that they installed the 2024 ride height system during Monday’s test in Misano. That is said to have been the decisive technical change.

We have known since spring that Ducati changed the ride height system for the GP25 in order to find even more performance. It sounds plausible that the return to the old system meant that Bagnaia regained his old feeling on the stop-and-go track at Motegi.

And it also sounds plausible that his feeling in Mandalika disappeared again with the harder rear tire carcass. Incidentally, Fermin Aldeguer gets on wonderfully with this special tire, as his second place in Spielberg showed.

But Phillip Island showed that something fundamental is wrong in Bagnaia’s pit. On Friday, he already put one bike aside in both practice sessions because it was shaking extremely and was undriveable for Bagnaia.

He was okay with the other bike. Bagnaia explained that both bikes are basically technically identical. How can there be such a discrepancy? It’s inexplicable, and I believe him when he says he’s at a loss and wants the engineers to explain why this is the case. And how can you be reasonably competitive in qualifying, only to be more than two seconds slower in the sprint? It’s inexplicable. His bike was also extremely shaky in the warm-up.

When asked about it after the Grand Prix, Bagnaia simply replied: “It’s better not to talk about it. I’m sorry.” Basically, the riders just give their feedback and share their feelings. The engineers then have to work on the setup based on that.

The top riders are all very sensitive. At this point, I would like to share a fascinating story that Jorge Martin told us in Misano. If you remember, he coasted to a stop during the sighting lap because the bike’s engine shut down in eco mode.

This meant he had to switch to his second bike. “It’s the same configuration, but I don’t know. I’m extremely sensitive, even when it comes to a millimeter on the handlebars,” Martin described. “They build the position of the handlebar grips the same on both bikes.”

“They’re the same handlebars, they have a reference. And yet I always feel that on one bike the position of the left grip is different.” I think that vividly illustrates how sensitive the riders are. Bagnaia’s pit crew are absolute professionals. His crew chief Cristian Gabbarini turned Casey Stoner’s unrideable Ducati into a winning machine, and he also turned Jorge Lorenzo into a Ducati winner. And then, of course, there are the world championship titles with Bagnaia.

But something is fundamentally wrong. We can’t judge that from the outside. To say it’s all down to the rider would be the easy answer, and I think the wrong one. Because after the debacle in the sprint, things went at least a little better in the race.

Crash in the race because he didn’t want to finish last

The top 10 were within reach when Bagnaia crashed while in twelfth place. “The bike was much more stable, but it felt heavier and was therefore more difficult to ride,” he reports on his race Sunday. “Nevertheless, it was a little better.”

“I was able to push harder, I was able to ride at a pace that was faster than the riders in front of me, so I caught up. I noticed that I had less movement on the bike when I stayed compact on the bike.”

“That made it much more difficult to ride, but still a little better. When you’re at the limit, maybe even a little over it, you can easily crash. I accepted it because I told myself: I’m not going to finish last again.”

“So I pushed. I accepted that a crash was possible—and I crashed. Luckily, the race was almost over, there were six or five laps left, I don’t remember exactly, but I caught up. The top 10 would have been possible.”

I mean, that clearly shows that Bagnaia really gives his all and fights as a rider. The coming weekend in Malaysia will be interesting, because the winter test took place in Sepang in February. Then we might be able to make a comparison with back then. Indonesia was special because of the tire carcass, and Phillip Island has a special layout. Sepang is a more “normal” race track. That could be the yardstick for how Bagnaia is doing—as good as in Motegi or as bad as last time.

Lys in the round of 16 in Tokyo

Jason Maverick
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Lys in the round of 16 in Tokyo

In Japan, Hamburg native Eva Lys is competing as a top 50 player for the first time.

German tennis player Eva Lys has reached the round of 16 at the WTA tournament in Tokyo.

On Monday, the Hamburg native confidently defeated Katie Boulter from Great Britain 6-2, 6-1. In the next round, she will face either ninth seed Victoria Mboko or Bianca Andreescu (both Canada).

Lys recently reached the quarterfinals at the highly competitive event in Beijing, climbing into the top 50 in the world rankings for the first time. She is seeded 44th in Japan. No other German players are competing in Tokyo.

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