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Neuer joke at the banquet – and Dreesen’s toast to the bus drivers

Sports Of The Day
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Neuer joke at the banquet – and Dreesen’s toast to the bus drivers

After the 2-1 triumph over PSG, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen gives an exuberant banquet speech and highlights a Bayern duo. He briefly turns serious on one topic.

Even those in the expensive seats at the Parc de Princes had to suffer on Tuesday evening if they supported FC Bayern. “The second half demanded everything from you, but also a little from us in the stands,” reported CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen as he gave his obligatory banquet speech that night. “We cheered them on and fought alongside them in our hearts.”

With success: although Luis Diaz, who scored twice, was shown a red card shortly before half-time, Munich secured a 2-1 victory over defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and moved to the top of the Champions League table. Dreesen therefore sent a “wow” and an ‘amazing’ to Vincent Kompany’s team after a game that “felt like a semifinal or final” to him.

After a dominant first half, in which “we could certainly have scored three or four goals,” other qualities were required when down to ten men. “I heard Vincent in the dressing room: We showed real fight, everyone stood up for each other. We showed that we can not only conjure up magic and score goals, but also defend, that everyone fights for each other and wants to win together. This united team performance is extraordinary.“

Nevertheless, Dreesen (”I hope you’re not mad at me“) took the liberty of singling out two players: Joshua Kimmich, who played his 100th Champions League game, and Manuel Neuer, whom UEFA named ”Man of the Match“ as goalkeeper. ”That rarely happens. Manuel kept us in the game today in the second half. Manuel, you were magnificent,“ he said, addressing the 39-year-old directly and eliciting laughter from the audience: ”It’s amazing what you can still achieve at that age!”

Bayern organizes additional bus drivers with the fans

Dreesen became more serious when he talked about the Bayern fans, who were subjected to unusual hardships before they could enter the stadium due to a last-minute order from the Paris police prefecture. “I would like to thank our fans, they really didn’t have it easy this time,” Dreesen said, referring to the “arbitrariness of the Paris police.”

At least there was a small happy ending. Due to the late arrival at the stadium, the fans were facing a long night in the parking lot after the final whistle because of the bus drivers’ driving times. But: “We managed to organize second and third bus drivers with the fan clubs, so that the fans can still get home today,” revealed Dreesen. “I would like to express my sincere thanks for that.”

Spurs defender Udogie threatened with a gun by player agent

Jeffrey Gooding
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Spurs defender Udogie threatened with a gun by player agent

Italian left-back Destiny Udogie was threatened with a gun by a player agent in early September. This was confirmed by his club, Tottenham Hotspur.

“We have supported Destiny Udogie and his family since the incident and will continue to do so. As this is a legal matter, we cannot comment further,” said a statement from Tottenham Hotspur, quoted by the BBC, among others.

Earlier this week, British media reported that a professional soccer player had been threatened. The incident is said to have taken place in early September. Police said a 31-year-old man was arrested on September 8 and has since been released on bail. The man is also accused of blackmailing another person. No one was injured in the incidents.

The 22-year-old Udogie has been under contract with Tottenham since 2022. After a loan spell back at Udinese Calcio, he has been a regular member of the squad since the 2023/2024 season and has made 76 appearances. On Tuesday evening, in the 4-0 Champions League win against FC Copenhagen, the Italian started on the left of the back four and was substituted in the 73rd minute.

Lamine Yamal’s successor found: Doué is the Golden Boy 2025

Jeffrey Gooding
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Lamine Yamal’s successor found: Doué is the Golden Boy 2025

Desiré Doué has won the Golden Boy 2025 award. The PSG player was considered the clear favorite for the prestigious award.

It was a season that Desiré Doué could not have imagined better. The 20-year-old won four titles with Paris Saint-Germain, becoming French champion, cup winner, and Super Cup winner. On top of that came the crowning glory in the Champions League, where the striker scored twice in the final against Inter Milan (5-0). In March 2025, he was called up to the senior national team for the first time and has already made three appearances for the Equipe Tricolore.

So the “Golden Boy” award, presented by Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport since 2003, came as no surprise to the highly decorated player. Doué had previously been named the best young player of the year in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. It is also a little balm for Doué’s wounds. Due to a serious muscle injury in his right thigh, he faces a long break and will miss the top match in the Champions League against FC Bayern on Tuesday evening (9 p.m.).

No German players made the 25-name shortlist, but two Bundesliga players did: Eliesse Ben Seghir of Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Jobe Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund. The Premier League had the largest contingent among the 25 players with nine, followed by La Liga and Ligue 1 (four each).

Lamine Yamal was not listed because the 18-year-old from FC Barcelona won the award last year and is therefore no longer eligible to be voted for in the coming years. A new winner is to be chosen every year.

The trophy is awarded each year to the best U-21 player in Europe. This year, only youngsters born after January 1, 2005, were eligible.

“Transfer of the year”? Xhaka impresses, scores and draws criticism

Lesley Summerville
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“Transfer of the year”? Xhaka impresses, scores and draws criticism

Granit Xhaka has sensationally led AFC Sunderland into the top four of the Premier League. On Monday, he also scored – just in time for what is sure to be an emotional reunion.

The shot was deflected and took a short detour over the bottom of the crossbar, but nobody at the Stadium of Light on Monday evening cared: the ball was in, and Granit Xhaka was able to slide on his knees toward the corner flag for the first time in an AFC Sunderland jersey.

The summer signing from Leverkusen scored his first Premier League goal against Everton immediately after the break, since he had bid farewell to Arsenal in May 2023 with an unusual brace against Wolverhampton. But while everyone celebrated him on the pitch and afterwards at the microphone, Xhaka preferred to do Xhaka things: He was annoyed that his goal had only been enough for a 1-1 draw. “The first 25 minutes weren’t good enough, we made sloppy mistakes, too many at this level,” criticized the captain, who felt “half disappointed, half satisfied.” It was only after the break that his team “did exactly what makes us strong: played with emotion, team spirit, and the ball.”

Sunderland coach Le Bris: “He sets standards”

This trio has led Sunderland, which had fought its way into the Premier League via the playoffs after trailing fellow promoted teams Leeds and Burnley by 24 points and was therefore considered a clear candidate for relegation, to fourth place—level on points with champions Liverpool in third and just one point behind second-placed Manchester City. Without Xhaka, everyone agrees, that would certainly not have happened.

The 33-year-old leads the league’s second-youngest squad (25.03 years old, only Chelsea is younger) in a fatherly manner both on and off the pitch. “A player like Granit is really important to us with his experience,” raved coach Regis Le Bris on Monday evening. “He sets standards.”
For TV expert Jamie Carragher, Xhaka is even “the transfer of the year” because: “Is there anyone else in the Premier League who has such an influence? Hardly.” And Carragher said that before Xhaka’s goal debut.

Xhaka on Arsenal: “We know where they are good and where they are not.”

The Swiss player is among the league’s best this season in all kinds of passing statistics, as well as in assists (3) and ball recoveries. His leadership qualities do not appear in any rankings, but they are at least as important to the Black Cats, who, after years of deprivation, don’t know what to do with their euphoria.

“I didn’t expect to return after my time in Germany, but you never know where you’ll end up,” says Xhaka about his triumphant Premier League comeback, which he had vehemently pushed for when Sunderland showed interest. “I’m happy to be back. I knew that this project was about contributing my experience and teaching the boys something every day.” And of course, it’s “always nice to score for a new club for the first time.” On Saturday evening (6:30 p.m.), his old club comes to town: “It’s definitely going to be an emotional game for me,” says Xhaka about the upcoming home game against leaders Arsenal, where he has experienced more than just highs in seven years. “We’ll try everything to get something out of it. We know where they’re good and where they’re not so good. They’re very confident at the moment, but so are we.” Thanks to Xhaka’s debut goal, Sunderland remain unbeaten at home.

Even without the injured Young: Hawks hand Magic another defeat

Jason Maverick
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Even without the injured Young: Hawks hand Magic another defeat

After two wins that halted their downward spiral, the Orlando Magic suffered another defeat against the Atlanta Hawks. They trailed for almost the entire game.

The Hawks took control of the game right from the opening quarter. Former No. 1 pick Zacharie Risacher (21 PTS) scored 11 points in the first four minutes alone, giving his team the early lead. A 13-0 run across the quarter put the Magic 18 points behind (23-41) after just 15 minutes.

Returnee Jalen Suggs (12, 4/8) ended the drought, but the trend was not sustainable. Atlanta went into the locker room with a +17 lead. Franz Wagner had just four points at that point.

Da Silva leads comeback efforts

Less than 30 seconds after the restart, it was the Berliner who scored the first points of the second half. However, there was no sign of a turnaround. Orlando couldn’t get a grip defensively, conceding at least 30 points in all four quarters. Things got even worse for the Magic in the middle of the third quarter when Desmond Bane was ejected from the game for a flagrant foul.

Tristan da Silva gave the Magic some hope at times, scoring eight points in just under a minute and a half to cut the deficit to 14 points. With 20 points, he was one of the few bright spots. Franz Wagner scored another seven points in the final quarter and finished the game with 18. Banchero was the top scorer with 22/11. This is the Magic’s fifth defeat of the current season. The team with the German trio slips to tenth place in the standings. The action continues on Friday night in the NBA Cup against the Boston Celtics.

“No chemistry”: Former driver sees problems between Hamilton and his engineer

Sports Of The Day
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“No chemistry”: Former driver sees problems between Hamilton and his engineer

Lewis Hamilton continues to search for the perfect partnership with engineer Riccardo Adami at Ferrari – former driver Robert Doornbos speaks of a lack of chemistry

The relationship between Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer Riccardo Adami has been a topic of conversation since the season opener in Melbourne. Although the Brit himself has emphasized that speculation about an alleged rift is “bullshit,” the collaboration does not seem to be running smoothly so far.

Former driver Robert Doornbos also suspects that the coordination between driver and engineer is not working optimally. “I think it’s simply because there’s no chemistry between the engineer and the driver,” the Dutchman explained in The Pit Talk podcast.

“The communication between Lewis and Ricky [Adami], his engineer, just doesn’t seem like they’re really on the same page.” The Mexican Grand Prix in particular reinforced Doornbos’ assessment that the two were “not really on point.”

Robert Doornbos: “Not really on the same page”

Hamilton received a ten-second penalty there after cutting the track in a duel. Observers believed that Ferrari could have intervened and instructed Hamilton to reduce the gap behind him in order to possibly avoid the penalty once he returned to the track.

“It was Ricky who said, ‘We have a ten-second penalty because of this and that situation.’ And Lewis replied, ‘Yes, but it was very difficult to stay on the track.’ We know Lewis,” adds Doornbos. “I don’t think they’re really in sync.”

“If you want to fight for victories, championships, and podium places, you have to take every opportunity to get the most out of it,” emphasizes the Dutchman, pointing out that the chemistry between driver and race engineer is a crucial factor for success. Hamilton is still waiting for this success at Ferrari. Although the Briton has already triumphed in the sprint race in China, he is still waiting for his first podium finish in a Grand Prix. With four races to go before the end of the season, Hamilton is in sixth place in the drivers’ standings with 146 points, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who is in fifth place with 210 points.

Ducati stands by Bagnaia: No doubts about the Italian’s future

Jason Maverick
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Ducati stands by Bagnaia: No doubts about the Italian’s future

Despite ongoing difficulties with the GP25, Ducati is backing Francesco Bagnaia – mentor Valentino Rossi also believes in the Italian’s comeback

Following Francesco Bagnaia’s ongoing difficulties with the current Desmosedici GP25, rumors have been circulating about a possible change in the Ducati lineup. Italian media speculated that Bagnaia could end his commitment to the factory team prematurely or even be replaced by Fabio Di Giannantonio from the VR46 team.

However, Ducati sporting director Mauro Grassilli has firmly denied these speculations. “The situation is very clear,” he emphasized in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.

“Pecco is a Ducati rider and will continue to compete with the factory team next year. Diggia is an official rider who rides for our factory-supported VR46 team, and that will remain the case in 2026.” Last year, a long-term project was started with the VR46 structure, which will be continued.

Rossi: Pecco has proven his worth

Valentino Rossi, Bagnaias’ mentor and head of the VR46 Academy, also recently commented on his protégé’s problems on Sky. The nine-time motorcycle world champion remained confident despite the difficult season.

“Pecco is a three-time world champion, winning one title with our team in Moto2. He is incredibly fast, but this year he has struggled a bit,” said Rossi, who pointed out that Bagnaia has been in contention for the title every year since 2022, winning two of them and losing the last one in the final.

“He has proven his worth many times over. This year, he hasn’t felt entirely comfortable with the new Ducati version, and on top of that, he has a very fast teammate in Marquez. We are going through a difficult phase, but we are doing everything we can to help him and understand the causes. We don’t yet know exactly what happened. But I’m sure Pecco will come back and fight for victories again.”

Successful work by the VR46 Academy

Apart from that, Rossi also looked at the development of his VR46 Academy. He describes the project, which was launched in 2012/13, as a labor of love.

“I’m trying to give something back to motorcycle racing for what it has given me. It’s great to work with young riders. We now have four riders in MotoGP.” His academy riders include Luca Marini (Honda), Franco Morbidelli (VR46), Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), and Bagnaia.

“Luca rides the official Honda—a bold decision because the bike was struggling, but now he’s always at the front,” he says of his half-brother. “We’ve supported Franco from the beginning. He won the Moto2 World Championship and is now with us in MotoGP.”

“And finally Marco,” whose strong season with Aprilia Rossi particularly highlights. “He’s giving us a lot of joy this year: he’s had a fantastic season with Aprilia.”

Norris warns of World Championship showdown: Not all “problems” fixed yet

Phil Laffertey
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Norris warns of World Championship showdown: Not all “problems” fixed yet

Lando Norris delivered one of his best performances of the season in Mexico—but the Briton emphasizes that this could change as early as next weekend.

At the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lando Norris revealed on several occasions that the McLaren MCL39 was not a car he felt really comfortable in. The Briton won the season opener in Melbourne and also finished on the podium in the following three races.

However, Norris “only” won two of the first nine races of the season, while his teammate Oscar Piastri racked up a whopping five victories in the same period. In the meantime, the internal balance of power at McLaren has shifted and Norris is back in the lead in the World Championship.

“It’s hard to quantify how much work the team has done behind the scenes to give me a little bit more of what I want and what I need to drive at the level I can drive at,” said the Briton after his victory at the Mexican Grand Prix.

While Norris won from pole position and finished half a minute ahead of the rest of the field, his teammate Piastri only managed fifth place. Norris himself explains that he felt comfortable in the car right from the first lap of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.

Norris: Feeling in the car still fluctuates

“But just a few weekends ago in Singapore, I almost felt like I was back at the start of the season: no feeling for the front, no confidence,” he reveals, explaining that the weekends are still a rollercoaster ride for him.

Team principal Andrea Stella explained at the beginning of the year that Norris was struggling, especially at the limits of the MCL39, to “get a few more milliseconds out of the car.” With a few updates, they managed to give Norris a better feeling over the course of the year.

“Progress has certainly been made,” says Norris, who emphasizes: “Of course, I’ve also done a lot of work off the track with my team, with a lot of people, to understand what my problems were, all those things, and then how I can counteract them.”

However, it’s also clear that there are still weekends when he has problems with the car. “There are certainly areas where we need to improve. And if I want to achieve what I did [in Mexico] more often, we need to continue to improve the car,” Norris emphasizes.

Norris doesn’t want to look for ‘excuses’

“The last thing I want to do is look for excuses,” he explains, revealing: “I hate that because I don’t like having a reason for why I sometimes have problems. I just want to be able to drive any car I’m given.”

“Ultimately, it’s my job to drive any car I’m given, whether it’s a great car or a terrible car,” says Norris, who emphasizes: “There are reasons why I have problems here and there. But that’s no excuse.” “If I’m slow, it means I’ve done a bad job and wasn’t a good driver that day,” Norris says self-critically. That was certainly not the case in Mexico, where the Briton regained the championship lead with his commanding victory.

With four races to go, the McLaren driver is one point ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri, who has recently had more problems than Norris. The Australian has not been on the podium since the Italian Grand Prix in Monza almost two months ago.

Ralf Schumacher: Brazil will decide Max Verstappen’s World Championship chances

Sotd Editor
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Ralf Schumacher: Brazil will decide Max Verstappen’s World Championship chances

Max Verstappen is still in the title race: However, Ralf Schumacher believes that Brazil will decide whether the Red Bull driver still has a chance of winning the World Championship.

There are still four races to go in the 2025 Formula 1 season, but the Brazilian Grand Prix (full schedule) could see the first preliminary decision made—namely, regarding Max Verstappen’s title chances. “Next weekend will be crucial,” believes Ralf Schumacher. “He needs to close the gap now and may also need a little help,” muses the former Formula 1 driver in an interview with Sky. Verstappen is currently 36 points behind championship leader Lando Norris, who regained the lead in the standings for the first time in months with his victory in Mexico.

Few observers had expected this turnaround at the midpoint of the season. After the Briton retired in Zandvoort and his deficit to teammate Oscar Piastri had already grown to 34 points, his title chances seemed to be fading.

“We thought: mental issues, he wasn’t always consistent, plus the retirement – Piastri seemed to be pulling away,” Schumacher admits. But the Formula 1 season is long, and the expert knows: “With so many races, a lot can still happen.”

Schumacher: Verstappen can win in Brazil

Verstappen is therefore by no means out of the running. “The Red Bull wasn’t quite at its old strength in Mexico, but in the second stint with the softer tires, Verstappen was damn strong.” His prediction is correspondingly confident: “In my opinion, he can win in Brazil.”

A win in Sao Paulo would keep Verstappen’s title hopes alive. However, if he finishes behind the two McLaren drivers again, his World Championship dream could come to an abrupt end this weekend.
The upcoming tracks do not promise to be any easier. “The Red Bull usually struggles a bit on street circuits where it is bumpy or gets cool in the evening,” explains Schumacher. ” In Las Vegas, it gets cool in the evening, which means that Red Bull doesn’t have quite as much grip, mechanical grip.“ This coming weekend in Brazil offers a decisive opportunity for the Dutchman: with a victory in the sprint and a win in the main race, he could score a total of 33 points, just as he did in Austin. For Schumacher, one thing is certain: ”After Brazil, we’ll see whether he still has a chance.”

World Championship decision to be made after Brazil

“However, it worked really well in Singapore—it was warm there, but not so much in Mexico. Accordingly, Las Vegas will be a difficult challenge.” Last year, Verstappen only finished fifth there, but still ahead of the two McLaren drivers, who finished sixth and seventh.

“On the remaining tracks, I see Red Bull as at least on par, if not stronger,” Schumacher said, looking ahead to the final phase of the season. “The decisive factor will be whether Verstappen maintains his flawless style—or whether he makes a mistake, which has almost never happened so far.”

Tennis: Williams receives wild card for Auckland

Jeffrey Gooding
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Tennis: Williams receives wild card for Auckland

The 45-year-old returned to the tour this year after around 16 months away.

Tennis icon Venus Williams will start the new year at the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. As the organizers announced on Wednesday, the 45-year-old received a wild card for the tournament, which will take place from January 5 to 11 in the run-up to the Australian Open (starting January 18).

This year, the seven-time Grand Slam winner returned to the tour after around 16 months. After competing in Washington D.C. and Cincinnati, she lost in the first round of the US Open at the end of August to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.

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