4:41 PM
Scheduling Concerns Arise as Bundesliga Season Nears its Conclusion
The German Football League (DFL) has announced precise dates for matchdays 28 through 30 in both the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, raising some logistical questions. The Bundesliga match between champions Bayern Munich and DFB Cup winners VfB Stuttgart is scheduled for Sunday, April 19th, at 5:30 PM due to European competition commitments during the week.
However, both teams will then compete in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals, requiring one of them to play again as early as Tuesday. VfB Stuttgart will host SC Freiburg, who also played on Sunday against 1. FC Heidenheim (3:30 PM). Bayern Munich will travel to Bayer Leverkusen. A request for clarification on how this scheduling conflict will be resolved from the German Football Association (DFB) has gone unanswered.
Two weeks before their match in Munich, Stuttgart is slated for another high-profile game: the DFL has designated their home match against Borussia Dortmund (April 4th) as a top match on Saturday evening (6:30 PM). Further scheduling for the upcoming matchdays will be finalized between March 23rd and 27th, following the completion of the European competition round of 16.
3:31 PM
Exploding Firework Near Goalkeeper: “Never Experienced That Before”
In the third-division match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Waldhof Mannheim, Essen goalkeeper Felix Wienand was injured by a thrown firework. The match resumed after a delay despite the shocking incident. Both coaches expressed their shock after the game.
2:57 PM
Kovac Urges Schlotterbeck to Make Quick Decision
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac is putting pressure on Nico Schlotterbeck to quickly decide his future with the club. “We would all be happy if this was settled soon. It’s up to him,” Kovac said.
Schlotterbeck’s contract with Dortmund runs until 2027. However, as he has not yet accepted an extension offer, Dortmund may require to sell the national team defender this summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer if he wishes to leave. With several squad decisions hinging on this situation, Dortmund is facing a time crunch.
“But I am still confident. He is an important part of this team, a great player, a great character, a leader that we need, that every team needs,” Kovac continued. According to media reports, crucial talks between the club and the player’s representatives are expected in the coming days.
2:18 PM
“It Lies With Him”: Bayern’s Clear Weakness
Bayern Munich is marching towards the Bundesliga title and can likely claim the German championship this weekend. However, a glaring weakness could hinder the record champions, especially in Europe.
1:48 PM
Despite “Consistently Positive Development”: Second-Division Club Parts Ways with Hockey Legend
Former national hockey player Peter Draisaitl will step down as Sporting Director of second-division leaders Krefeld Pinguins at the end of the season. The 60-year-old, who played a key role in the sporting turnaround of the former DEL team since 2022, agreed with the two-time German champion to end their collaboration. The reason for the separation is “a restructuring of responsibilities in the sporting area,” the club announced today.
“We thank Peter for the good cooperation over the past three years. In his position as Sporting Director, he played an important role in the consistently positive development of the Krefeld Pinguins over the past seasons,” said majority shareholder and managing director Peer Schopp. Krefeld is the clear favorite to return to the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) as they head into the playoffs. The main round ends this weekend.
Draisaitl, who played 165 international matches and won the German championship with the Cologne Sharks in 1995, joined Krefeld in October 2022 – initially as a coach, before switching to the role of Sporting Director just two months later.
1:07 PM
Khedira Switches Associations to Play in World Cup
Rani Khedira is now eligible to play for the Tunisian national football team. The Tunisian association announced that the relevant FIFA court officially confirmed the association change for the 32-year-old from Bundesliga club Union Berlin. This could fulfill the World Cup dream for the brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira. Tunisia will face Japan and the Netherlands in Group F at the expanded tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, with the third opponent to be determined in the playoffs.
The Stuttgart-born Khedira, whose father is from Tunisia, could theoretically make his debut for North Africa as early as the end of March. Matches against Haiti and Canada are scheduled then. The German Football Association (DFB), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the European Football Association (UEFA) were informed of the player’s association change. Tunisia hopes Khedira will add experience and stability.
Khedira played for the DFB’s junior national teams from the U15 to the U19 level. He was never called up to the U21 or senior national team.
12:24 PM
Two Super Clubs Reportedly in Talks with Xabi Alonso
Is it a wild rumor or something more? Xabi Alonso is reportedly set to join a Premier League club in the coming months – with Manchester City or Liverpool as the likely destinations. According to “Indykaila News,” an X account run by five reputable reporters, the former successful manager of Bayer Leverkusen is currently in talks with both clubs. The report claims that Alonso’s camp is also discussing potential personnel changes.
It is said that both City and Liverpool are aware that Alonso would bring his own coaching staff if he were to take over. What we have is reportedly a non-negotiable point for the 44-year-old Spaniard. According to reports, Alonso has a preference for returning to Liverpool, where he played between 2004 and 2009 and became a club legend.
At Liverpool, a managerial change appears to be on the horizon given their inconsistent season. There is growing speculation that Dutchman Arne Slot does not have a future beyond the summer. At City, the situation is slightly different: Pep Guardiola’s contract runs until 2027, but You’ll see recurring rumors of a possible early departure at the end of the season.
11:35 AM
Friedhelm Funkel Could Be Set for a Quick Return to the Bundesliga
Could the Bundesliga see a spectacular managerial comeback? Friedhelm Funkel is reportedly being considered for a return to the top flight. According to “Kicker,” the name of the 72-year-old has surfaced at VfL Wolfsburg. The club is reportedly on the verge of parting ways with current head coach Daniel Bauer. The sports magazine writes that if the Wolves do not win their upcoming home game against Hamburger SV on Saturday (3:30 PM), Bauer will lose his job. Even a draw is unlikely to save him.
Should there be a change on the bench, Wolfsburg officials apparently favor hiring a classic “firefighter” to keep the team in the league until the end of the season. Dieter Hecking is also a strong candidate. The 61-year-old worked at VfL from 2013 to 2016 and won the DFB-Pokal and Supercup with the club. He was dismissed by second-division VfL Bochum in September of last year.
10:48 AM
Harry Kane Ruled Out for Bayern’s Match Against Gladbach
Bayern Munich will be without striker Harry Kane for their Bundesliga home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The England international “received a knock to the calf and has not yet recovered,” said coach Vincent Kompany before the match on Friday (8:30 PM/Sky and live ticker at ntv.de): “It’s just a knock, it’s nothing serious. But that one day was perhaps missing.”
Looking ahead to the Champions League round of 16 first leg at Atalanta Bergamo on Tuesday, Kompany remained calm. He “expects” Kane to be available by then, saying: “We are quite relaxed.” Hiroki Ito and Alphonso Davies also remain sidelined.
Captain Manuel Neuer will return to the squad against Gladbach, however. “Manu is fit,” Kompany said. Neuer suffered a calf muscle fiber tear in his left leg during the game against Werder Bremen on February 14th (3-0) and was substituted at halftime. He missed the subsequent matches against Eintracht Frankfurt (3-2) and Borussia Dortmund (3-2) due to the injury.
Kompany is looking forward to the busy final phase of the season. “It was strange that we didn’t have any English weeks,” said the 39-year-old: “What’s coming up now is what we’re used to.”
10:09 AM
Rot-Weiss Essen Stunned: Goalkeeper Seriously Injured After Firework Attack
In the third-division match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Waldhof Mannheim, Essen goalkeeper Felix Wienand was injured by a thrown firework. The match resumed after a delay despite the shocking incident. Coaches and officials expressed their shock after the game.
9:29 AM
Bayern Reportedly Have Next Super Talent on Their Radar
Kerim Alajbegovic is currently making waves at RB Salzburg. The former Bayer Leverkusen talent is now reportedly on Bayern Munich’s radar. According to “Gazzetta dello Sport,” the Munich club is closely monitoring the 18-year-old left winger’s contract situation. The report claims that Bayern is aware of potential competition from Italy, with both Juventus Turin and AC Milan also reportedly interested.
Alajbegovic only joined RB Salzburg from Bayer Leverkusen’s youth academy last summer, signing a contract until 2029. A transfer fee of two million euros was paid. The youngster has made an immediate impact with the Austrian club, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists in 34 competitive appearances. Bayer Leverkusen included a buyback option for Alajbegovic in the deal, reportedly costing between five and six million euros to activate. The amount would decrease in 2027.
8:40 AM
Pavlovic Credits Kompany for His Development at Bayern
Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic attributes a significant part of his strong development to his club coach. “Vincent Kompany has had a exceptionally big influence,” Pavlovic told Sky: “He simply knows how I play football, how I tick, and has also brought me to another level defensively. That’s why he’s very important and it’s a lot of fun playing under him.”
His personal goal has always been to break through at Bayern. He never considered leaving the club, even during more difficult times at the campus, he emphasized: “I always wanted to make it here, never gave up and kept working. Even when it was difficult, because I was too tiny physically. But leaving Bayern was never an option for me.”
He advises his 18-year-old teammate Lennart Karl to remain patient during a period with limited playing time. “What I always share him is not to rest and to keep working hard every day. He should play the game and just go for it. Of course, there are also harder phases when you don’t play so often. But that’s just part of it and everyone has them.”
8:14 AM
German NHL Stars Suffer a Difficult Night
German NHL stars had a tough night on the ice. National team goaltender Philipp Grubauer saw his Seattle Kraken fall to the St. Louis Blues 3-2, while Moritz Seider and the Detroit Red Wings lost 4-3 in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights.
A tough loss for the Red Wings, who led 3-1 before the Golden Knights rallied and won in overtime after 2:11. Detroit is currently in third place in the Atlantic Division with 77 points and on track for the playoffs. Grubauer’s Kraken are in a tight race in the West with 67 points.
7:32 AM
Advisor Reveals Major Dispute Over Mario Götze at BVB
In 2013, Super talent Mario Götze moved from Borussia Dortmund to FC Bayern – one of the most discussed transfers in Bundesliga history. Star advisor Volker Struth recounts in vivid detail how much tension there was behind the scenes at BVB. The then-Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc “insulted me like no other” in his 20 years as a player agent, Struth recalled on the “Phrasenmäher” podcast.
Struth declined to repeat exactly what Zorc said to him at the time. “I’m probably too old to repeat that,” he explained. What happened? Götze’s contract with BVB included a release clause of 37 million euros. Bayern activated this clause after reaching an agreement with the future World Cup final goalscorer – and Dortmund were powerless to stop it.
Struth admitted he wasn’t thrilled with the move. “I had a bad feeling,” the advisor said, “and if it had been up to me, that transfer would not have happened.”
6:42 AM
Six Years After Arrest: Football Star Maguire Receives Reduced Sentence
English football international Harry Maguire has received a reduced sentence six years after his arrest in Greece. After a lengthy appeal process, the sentence for the 32-year-old, which he received in 2020 for an alleged brawl on the island of Mykonos, has been reduced to 15 months of suspended imprisonment. This was reported by the state news agency Athens-Macedonian.
Originally, the Manchester United defender was already sentenced to 21 months of suspended imprisonment shortly after the incident for repeated assault, attempted bribery, violence against officials, and insult. Maguire appealed the verdict, but the process was postponed four times between 2023 and 2025 due to procedural issues.
In August 2020, Maguire was part of a violent altercation in a nightclub with his older brother and a friend, and spent two nights in police custody. The allegations were denied by the player.
6:21 AM
Hartenstein’s Thunder Win, Hornets on a Roll
Isaiah Hartenstein and the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder secured another win in a matchup of German centers. OKC defeated the New York Knicks 103-100 on the road, marking their fourth consecutive victory. Hartenstein recorded five rebounds as a starter in 17 minutes of play. Ariel Hukporti had three rebounds for the Knicks in nine minutes.
A strong performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way. The Canadian MVP scored 26 points and extended his streak to 124 consecutive games with at least 20 points. He is closing in on the record held by basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain (126). With a record of 49-15, Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference by a significant margin. The Knicks are in third place in the East (40-23) and also on track for the playoffs.
The Charlotte Hornets, meanwhile, celebrated their sixth straight win with a 118-89 victory over the Boston Celtics and their 16th win in their last 19 games. With a record of 32 wins and 31 losses, the Hornets are ninth in the Eastern Conference and hoping to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
5:39 AM
Advisor Makes Revealing Statements About Niklas Süle
Niklas Süle’s departure from Borussia Dortmund this summer has not been officially confirmed. However, it is widely reported that the defender will leave the club at the end of his contract – but will he retire? No, believes Volker Struth, head of Süle’s agency Sports 360. The player’s retirement is “unlikely,” Struth emphasized on the “Bild” podcast “Phrasenmäher.”
Struth explained that he doesn’t believe Süle wants to end his career. “I think he has set himself the goal of having real fun with football again and not ending his career like this.” The 30-year-old joined BVB from Bayern Munich in 2022 but has never fully lived up to expectations. Injuries have repeatedly hampered the 49-time national player, who was the highest earner in the BVB squad with up to 14 million euros per year.
“Everyone knows that Süle has a reputation for not being a model professional,” Struth admitted, “although he has won many titles and shown great performances in his career.”
