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Leaving Bayern? Kane: “No one has contacted me

Phil Laffertey
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Leaving Bayern? Kane: “No one has contacted me

Harry Kane’s contract with FC Bayern Munich runs until summer 2027, but he could leave the record champions as early as next summer by invoking an exit clause. However, there is no cause for concern, as the striker once again emphasized.

Harry Kane has been impressively proving in recent weeks that, at 32, he is still far from reaching the peak of his career. Across all competitions, the Englishman has already scored 24 goals in 18 competitive games, none of which FC Bayern Munich has lost. Kane is under contract with the record champions until the summer of 2027, but this includes an exit clause at the end of the current season.

Kane: “Very unlikely that anything will change after this season”

According to Spanish media reports, FC Barcelona, among others, is interested in activating this clause in order to replace Robert Lewandowski at the top of the attack. However, Kane made it clear to Bild: “I haven’t been in contact with anyone, no one has approached me.” Kane, who had already hinted at contract talks with FC Bayern in January at the end of October, emphasized once again: “I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven’t discussed my situation with Bayern yet.”

There is still no rush, he is “really happy” in Munich, but he is simply not thinking about the new season yet: “First of all, there is a World Cup in the summer. And it is very unlikely that anything will change after this season.” He is sure that there will be “talks in the coming months.” Then we will see “what is best for the future.” However, there is no cause for concern for Bayern fans.
Herbert Hainer also expressed confidence in this regard before the Bayern team’s departure for London, where the Champions League clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal is scheduled for Wednesday. The president perceives Kane as “incredibly happy” and is “firmly convinced that he really likes it in Munich. We will talk. He will make it dependent on what his plans for the future look like. But I am firmly convinced that FC Bayern also has very, very good chances.”

The unique Premier League table – with a double blow for Liverpool

Phil Laffertey
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The unique Premier League table – with a double blow for Liverpool

After twelve match days, the Premier League table is more balanced than ever. For Liverpool FC, it got even worse on Monday evening than it already was.

When Manchester United plays Everton, the result is rarely to the liking of Liverpool fans. On Monday evening, they certainly didn’t mind that their archrivals lost again after five games and that two teammates on the pitch got into such a heated argument with their city rivals that one of them, Idrissa Gueye, was sent off. But they couldn’t really rejoice over Everton’s 1-0 coup at Old Trafford. Not only does this mean that the Reds are behind the Toffees in the table for the first time since March 2021, but they have also slipped to twelfth place. The last time they were lower was on matchday 3 of the ill-fated 2022/23 season, when they started with two draws and a defeat under Jürgen Klopp and ended up finishing only fifth. Liverpool last finished below 12th place well before Klopp’s era, in 2010/11 when they were 13th after 22 games. Blackburn (1995/96, finished 7th) and Leicester (2026/17, 12th) are the only defending champions who, like Liverpool in 2025/26, had already lost six times at this stage.

Goal difference (-2): Big jumps are possible in the table week after week. Only five points separate second-placed Chelsea FC from Arne Slot’s team ten places below. This has never happened before in the Premier League after twelve matchdays. As strange as it may sound for a team in twelfth place, Liverpool, like many others, are still in contention for a Champions League spot, and that is probably all that matters for them this season.

There is an outlier at the top and bottom

At the top, there is an outlier in the form of leaders Arsenal, who already have a six-point lead, as well as at the bottom: Wolverhampton Wanderers have only two points to their name even after the change of coach and are already eight points behind second-to-last Burnley.

Apart from the Gunners (1) and Crystal Palace (2), all Premier League teams have lost at least three times after twelve matchdays. And the most recent match day proved that, with a few exceptions, anyone can beat anyone this season: Liverpool went down to basement club Nottingham (0-3), Newcastle, 14th and even behind the Reds, slowed Manchester City (2-1), Fulham stopped Sunderland’s high-flying run (1-0). And Everton conquered Old Trafford.

Slap against teammate: Why ManUnited didn’t get a penalty

Sports Of The Day
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Slap against teammate: Why ManUnited didn’t get a penalty

Idrissa Gueye was shown a red card for slapping his teammate Michael Keane and was lucky not to concede a penalty as well. A look at the rules.

What was going through Lukas Podolski and Michael Ballack’s minds on Monday evening? It is still unforgettable how the former slapped the latter on the pitch during the international match in Wales (2-0) on April 1, 2009. The consequences were limited: After a discussion between the two quarreling players, the DFB issued a clear warning to Podolski, while referee Terje Hauge did not react at all—a wrong decision. On Monday, Idrissa Gueye reminded the soccer world that a red card is also given for violent conduct when it is directed against a teammate. The experienced Everton midfielder punched center back Michael Keane in the face during a physical altercation in the early stages of the Premier League away game at Manchester United (1-0) and was immediately sent off.

“An assault occurs when a player, without contesting the ball, acts or attempts to act in an excessively hard or brutal manner against an opponent, teammate, team official, match official, spectator, or any other person. This applies regardless of whether contact has been made,” according to the rules of soccer. And further: “A player who, without contesting for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or other person on the head or face with his hand or arm commits an assault, unless the force used was negligible.”

Luckily for Gueye, the ball was out of play

Referee Tony Harrington had no choice, even though ManUnited coach Ruben Amorim disagreed with the decision. Gueye was lucky that his lack of self-control did not have more far-reaching consequences, as he slapped Keane in his own penalty area. However, because Bruno Fernandes had missed the goal with a shot shortly before and the game had not yet resumed, there was no penalty.

“When the ball is out of play, the game continues according to the previous decision,” according to the rules, so play continued with a goal kick. When the game is in progress, it makes no difference who the assault was directed against when play is resumed. In that case, a free kick is awarded—or a penalty kick.

Assault on a teammate: Coach Moyes thinks it’s okay

Jeffrey Gooding
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Assault on a teammate: Coach Moyes thinks it’s okay

Everton pro Idrissa Gueye was sent off early in the game against Manchester United for hitting his teammate. The coach’s statements afterwards were just as astonishing.

This altercation on Monday evening came as such a surprise to the director that it was only the replay that revealed why referee Tony Harrington suddenly showed Idrissa Gueye the red card against Manchester United. Then it became clear: the Everton midfielder had not only gotten into a physical altercation with teammate Michael Keane, but had also punched him in the face—in the 13th minute of the game, with the score at 0-0, mind you.

In terms of the rules, the most bizarre red card of this Premier League season was a clear-cut case: In cases of violent conduct, it is irrelevant whether the recipient is an opponent or another person. Although Gueye and Keane pushed each other, the former did not leave it at that and apologized that same night: first in the dressing room in front of the assembled team, then publicly on his social media channels.

“First of all, I would like to apologize to my teammate Michael Keane,” wrote the 36-year-old, who received his first red card in his 241st Premier League game. “I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologize to my teammates, the staff, the fans, and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behavior. I will make sure that something like this never happens again.“

”You need players who behave like this”

Surprisingly, there was no reprimand from the coach. “You know, I actually like it when my players argue,” explained David Moyes, perhaps because Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford despite being a man down. “What I mean is that I want them to be tough and not accept it when someone isn’t good enough.”

Gueye had played a pass on the left side of the penalty area intended for center back Keane, who failed to react. This allowed Bruno Fernandes to get a dangerous shot on goal. “If you want to have a successful team with resilience and toughness, you need players who behave like that,” Moyes praised his veteran player and would have liked referee Harrington to “think a little longer.”

His counterpart Ruben Amorim also surprised with his assessment of the scene. He knew it was an assault, “but I don’t agree with it,” said ManUnited’s head coach. “Fighting each other is not a bad thing, it doesn’t mean they don’t like each other.”

Doncic and LeBron excel: Lakers qualify early for Cup quarterfinals

Jeffrey Gooding
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Doncic and LeBron excel: Lakers qualify early for Cup quarterfinals

The Los Angeles Lakers clearly won the city derby against the struggling Clippers, securing their ticket to the knockout stage of the NBA Cup ahead of schedule. Luka Doncic once again led the team in points and assists. LeBron James also had a good night.

43 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds. Luka Doncic narrowly missed out on his second triple-double of the current season. However, given the Lakers’ latest victory, the Slovenian will be able to cope with it. In the city derby against the Clippers, they ultimately secured their fifth consecutive victory.

The visitors put up a good fight, having recently slipped further and further into crisis. Kawhi Leonard made a noticeable difference in his second game after weeks of injury. James Harden also confirmed his good form of recent weeks with 29 points and nine assists.

Despite the Lakers’ long period of dominance, the Clippers fought their way back into the game several times. The last time this happened was in the middle of the third quarter, when they turned a double-digit deficit into a narrow lead (85-84). However, a LeBron and-one put the home team back up by five before the end of the quarter.

Doncic, Reaves and LeBron score 99 of the Lakers’ 135 points

In the final quarter, however, the Clippers – the oldest team in the league – ran out of steam. The Purple and Gold won the final quarter by twelve points, pulling away decisively just a few minutes into the period (112:97). The decision.

In addition to Doncic, backcourt colleague Austin Reaves once again impressed for the Lakers with 31 points on a very efficient 11/16 shooting. The same goes for LeBron James, who finished the game with 25 points (9/15) and six rebounds and assists each.

The Lakers thus inflicted the Clippers’ first cup defeat to date, at least in the Cup. With three wins from three games, the current number 1 from Los Angeles has secured its ticket to the Cup quarterfinals ahead of schedule. This will take place on December 9 and 10. The final fourth match day of the group stage will be played later this week.

Aprilia and Honda under pressure: FIM plans to ban seat winglets

Sotd Editor
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Aprilia and Honda under pressure: FIM plans to ban seat winglets

The International Motorcycling Federation plans to ban seat winglets in MotoGP from 2026 – the reasons for the new regulation and who will be most affected by it

The FIM has issued a technical directive that would ban the use of so-called “seat winglets” in MotoGP from the 2026 season onwards for safety reasons. For the decision to take effect, unanimous approval from the MSMA (Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association) is required.

Normally, changes to technical regulations are subject to strict deadlines. A ban on seat winglets outside of these schedules is only possible on the grounds of safety. The FIM discussed this regulation after the tests in Valencia, which already gave a preview of the 2026 season.

What are seat winglets?

Seat winglets are small aerodynamic wings that are attached to the sides of the motorcycle seat. They were first used on the Aprilia RS-GP and later adopted by Honda. These winglets are designed to improve the stability of the motorcycles—a factor that could also explain the leap in performance by Marco Bezzecchi, whose bike was known for its nervousness in certain situations.

The directive came as a surprise and without prior notice, causing a stir in the paddock. Motorsport.com was able to view the summary of the changes that was sent to the teams with new aerodynamic application limits.

Focus on safety concerns

The official reason for the ban is safety: there are fears that the winglets could keep the rider on the bike in the event of a crash, which would be potentially dangerous.

Nevertheless, there is an impression that the discussion took place without any specific incidents. Critics draw parallels to earlier debates, such as those surrounding Ducati, where safety concerns were raised even though the company was able to prove that aero elements break off under stress and do not pose a danger.

It therefore seems reasonable to assume that, once again, the directive was inspired more by critics of the visual design and “excessive” use of winglets than by actual safety issues.

The new rule in detail

The directive stipulates: “The part of the motorcycle that lies between 800 and 500 mm in front of the vertical line touching the rear edge of the tire must not exceed a tapered area (450-500 mm) when viewed from above. Exceptions are footrests, controls, brackets, and covers for exhaust pipes that are within a 20 mm offset from the outside of these pipes.”

In other words, seat winglets are taboo. It is noteworthy that the FIM issued this regulation after the Valencia tests, when the season was practically over.

Since manufacturers have been working on their 2026 models for some time, this could require additional time in the wind tunnel, resulting in costs exceeding the planned budget.

Impact on the 2026 bikes

The ban affects not only the removal of seat winglets, but also the overall aerodynamic balance of the bikes, as the airflow hitting the winglets and generated at the front would have to be redesigned.

There are rumors that Ducati may have brought the safety argument into play out of concern about Aprilia’s progress. However, these reports are unconfirmed. From a logical point of view, it would have made more sense to implement a ban only with the comprehensive new rules for 2027, which completely redesign MotoGP bikes, so as not to interfere with the teams’ development work to date.

Unanimous approval by the MSMA is uncertain at this stage, as President Massimo Rivola (CEO of Aprilia Racing) is chairing the vote. Therefore, the directive could initially serve as a trial balloon and still trigger discussions.

Marko laughs at McLaren radio message: It was the “funniest moment” of the race

Jason Maverick
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Marko laughs at McLaren radio message: It was the “funniest moment” of the race

McLaren’s radio message to Lando Norris caused Helmut Marko to laugh at the Las Vegas Grand Prix – The Red Bull advisor praises Verstappen’s show of power

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko had to smile at the Las Vegas Grand Prix over the weekend: for him, McLaren’s radio message to Lando Norris telling him to attack Max Verstappen was the “funniest moment” of the race.

The Dutchman was already leading comfortably at that point and responded to his rival’s announcement with a series of fastest laps.

Verstappen won the night race from second on the grid after putting Norris under pressure in the first corner and forcing him into a mistake. The McLaren driver had gone too wide while defending the inside line and immediately lost a position to George Russell.

The Mercedes driver initially kept Verstappen within striking distance, but came into the pits as early as lap 17. Norris followed five laps later, while Verstappen extended his stint to lap 25. The top three remained unchanged after the stops.

Norris ultimately without a chance

In the second half of the race, Norris found more speed and overtook Russell with 16 laps to go. At that very moment, he received the radio message: “We’re going to get Max.”

Red Bull informed Verstappen of the announcement, and he reacted demonstratively. With several fastest laps, he increased his lead and ultimately won with a 20.7-second gap over Norris.
Marko was suitably impressed. “He was able to keep up with the pace of his pursuers without any problems and save his tires in the process,” the Austrian told Sky Sport Deutschland. He was particularly amused by the McLaren message: “‘Attack Max, overtake him.’ And then he set one fastest lap after another, just to make it clear how things stood.”

According to Marko, Verstappen acted with “ease and confidence” while Norris lost speed towards the end. Later, he spoke of an “incredible Verstappen show.”

Mekies: Verstappen in a class of his own

Team boss Laurent Mekies also praised his driver, saying that Verstappen had even more speed in reserve and immediately implemented every desired pace increase. Despite chaotic practice conditions that made normal preparation impossible, he was “outstanding in all areas” on Sunday.

Thanks to the victory and McLaren’s double disqualification after the race, Verstappen is now 24 points behind championship leader Norris. With two races remaining, Verstappen currently shares second place with Oscar Piastri. Given McLaren’s earlier dominance, Mekies considers this situation remarkable.

Red Bull’s turnaround began in September with the upgrades at Monza. Since then, Verstappen has won four of the last seven races and remains fully in contention for the 2025 title ahead of the final races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

This comes as no surprise to Mekies: “Now that he can compete for victories again, he is delivering one masterpiece after another.” At the same time, Red Bull remains cautious and continues to take a weekend-by-weekend approach, especially as conditions in Qatar are “the complete opposite” of Vegas.

“I talked to the tires”: Antonelli’s one-stop masterpiece

admin3r
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“I talked to the tires”: Antonelli’s one-stop masterpiece

From P17 to P3: The Mercedes rookie completed 48 laps on one set of tires and surprised everyone—including himself.

Kimi Antonelli delivered an impressive comeback in Las Vegas. Starting from 17th on the grid, the Mercedes rookie fought his way up to fifth place, despite a five-second penalty for a false start. In the end, he even finished third due to the disqualification of the McLarens. However, the biggest challenge was not the competition, but the tires.

48 laps on one set of hard Pirelli tires demanded everything from the 18-year-old Italian. “I talked to the tires on the straights every lap for the last 20 laps,” Antonelli said after the race. “I just asked them to please hold out until the end.”

Halfway through the race, graining became noticeable. Antonelli became nervous because at that point he didn’t know whether Mercedes would actually go for the one-stop strategy. It was only 20 laps before the end that the decisive radio message came: Plan B. That meant driving to the finish line on the same tires.

Steep learning curve for the rookie

“I knew I would have to make it to the end with this set,” said Antonelli. “So I tried to manage it.” But management became more difficult when Oscar Piastri in the McLaren appeared within DRS range. Antonelli had to push again, even though the tires had already suffered.

What happened next surprised even the rookie. The graining began to clear up. “Thanks to some tips from the team while driving, the graining started to dissipate a bit,” he explained. The lap times got faster instead of slower. In the last ten laps, Antonelli continuously increased his pace.

He was lucky: Piastri himself was under pressure from Leclerc and used the DRS through Antonelli to keep the Ferrari at bay. Due to the 5-second penalty against the Italian, Piastri did not have to overtake him to stay ahead. Leclerc, on the other hand, ruined his tires with his attacks and ended up falling behind Antonelli.

Praise from the boss

Toto Wolff was impressed by his protégé’s maturity. Speaking to Sky Deutschland (before the announcement of McLaren’s disqualification), the Mercedes team boss praised him: “Unbelievable, from 17th to 5th, the fastest times at the end.”

Wolff particularly emphasized Antonelli’s adaptability: “He realized, okay, the car is understeering, so I’m going to destroy the tires a bit at the rear and then basically rebalance the car.”

Traction was the biggest problem in the end. “The traction became really difficult,” Antonelli admitted. “The rear started to give way, so I really had to work on the tools and also adjust my driving style.” When he had to push even harder in the final laps, the tires continued to give way. But they held out.
Antonelli clearly denied that he had deliberately held up Piastri and Charles Leclerc to help teammate George Russell get on the podium. “To be honest, I was driving my own race. I was even trying to catch George,” he said. “I just wanted to maximize the result because it was important to score good points for the team.”

At the start of the race, Mercedes did not expect the one-stop strategy to work. But Antonelli surpassed himself and showed that he is not only fast but also clever. What might have been if qualifying had gone better remains speculation.

“Just rumors?” Wurz irritated: Why did the FIA investigate McLaren so quickly?

Jeffrey Gooding
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“Just rumors?” Wurz irritated: Why did the FIA investigate McLaren so quickly?

ORF expert Alexander Wurz explains McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas—and hints that something was already brewing in the background in Brazil.

ORF expert Alexander Wurz talks about the disqualification of the two McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after the Las Vegas Grand Prix and is particularly surprised by the extremely quick measurement after the race. Could there be more to it than McLaren is admitting?

“The Formula 1 rumor mill is already saying that in Brazil, several other teams asked the FIA how it was possible that some cars in the field with such low ride height were able to pass technical inspection with the skid pads,” said the Austrian in an ORF interview. “Something was definitely brewing there.”

The speed with which the FIA checked both McLarens immediately after the race was particularly striking. Wurz: “When I see how quickly the McLarens were measured after the finish, it could well be that the FIA was alerted to this by other teams.”

It is also possible that they deliberately tested immediately: “Maybe when the car is still hot or whatever.” The result: “That’s where this excessive wear has occurred.” However, Wurz emphasizes: “These are just rumors.”

Wurz: “Otherwise you’re out of the game”

Despite all the speculation, Wurz shows understanding for McLaren’s aggressive approach. “I understand that they are pushing the limits. The two of us can easily talk about why they are doing this. But if you don’t do it, you’re out of the game.”

In Formula 1, the battle is fought for microscopic advantages: “It’s about the nitty-gritty. And it’s also about every millimeter, every fraction of a millimeter.” This time, however, McLaren has crossed the line: “Now it’s too much and they’re disqualified.”

The assessment of the sporting damage is clear. “The clear loser is Lando Norris, who has lost the most.” Oscar Piastri got off relatively lightly: “One winner, actually the net winner, is Oscar Piastri, because without the disqualification he would have been 30 points behind. Now I think he’s only 24 behind, because it affects Norris more, of course.”

Wurz: Verstappen now has more than just an outside chance

Wurz is not surprised, however, as there have been similar cases in the past: “We’ve seen disqualifications like this this year. I still remember Ferrari. There’s nothing to discuss. They’re worn out and therefore disqualified.”

For Wurz, however, the ruling has far greater sporting consequences than just the loss of individual race places. “This really gets the World Championship going. And Verstappen not only has an outsider’s chance, but is now much closer than the McLaren drivers and the McLaren team boss would like.” The expert even spoke of an “incredible bombshell that happened today in Las Vegas.”

“The bottom line is that perhaps the spectators are the biggest winners, because the World Championship is coming to a head and Max Verstappen’s long-shot chance is suddenly getting closer and closer.” The Dutchman already has momentum on his side: “The guy just puts his foot down and wins. And he also has a car in Qatar that he can win with.” His recommendation: “So let’s wait and see what happens in Formula 1.”

Italy triumphs even without Sinner

Sports Of The Day
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Italy triumphs even without Sinner

Italy wins the final against Spain and claims its fourth Davis Cup title. The absence of exceptional player Jannik Sinner is not noticeable.

Flavio Cobolli threw his racket away in disbelief and was then buried in a jubilant pile by his teammates: Italy’s tennis team celebrated its third consecutive Davis Cup title even without top star Jannik Sinner. The hosts prevailed 2-0 against Spain in the final in Bologna in front of a rousing crowd, winning the traditional international tournament for the fourth time overall. The absence of Wimbledon winner Sinner and top 10 player Lorenzo Musetti was hardly noticeable.

Tennis: Italy’s pure dominance

Cobolli and former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini stepped into the breach to guarantee success. The Italian number three and number six (according to the world rankings) won all their singles matches in the final round, while the top doubles pair Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli did not have to play in Bologna.

Italy thus underlined its dominance in world tennis: in September, the Italian women had already won the Billie Jean King Cup for the second time in a row. In addition, Sinner dominates the ATP Tour together with world number one Carlos Alcaraz (Spain).

In the Davis Cup, the last time three or more consecutive titles were won was by the USA more than 50 years ago (five titles from 1968 to 1973).

Davis Cup: Alcaraz out with injury

The Spanish, who had to do without the injured Alcaraz and knocked out the German team led by top player Alexander Zverev on Saturday, will have to wait for their seventh Davis Cup triumph. For the Iberians, it was their first final in the prestigious team competition since winning the title in 2019.

In the atmospheric “SuperTennis Arena” in Hall 37 of the BolognaFiere exhibition center, the Italians got off to a perfect start in the final. Spurred on by thousands of fans, Berrettini took the lead with a confident 6-3, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta.

“The Davis Cup is all about winning. I got the day off to a great start,” said Berrettini. Cobolli then sealed the third consecutive title with a hard-fought 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 victory over Jaume Munar.

Sinner, who had been instrumental in the Davis Cup triumphs of the previous two years, was not missed as expected. The South Tyrolean had taken an early and well-deserved vacation after his second title at the ATP Finals, causing some discontent – but it was still enough for the home triumph.

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