The Bundesliga Connection

The Bundesliga is officially heading into the business end of the season, with more at stake now, than ever before. Borussia Dortmund trail first placed Bayern by a mere point, which seems like it came from the recent stalemate with 'Der Klassiker.' Union Berlin is in cruise control occupying the third spot, with RB Leipzig and Freiburg making up the fourth, and fifth spots respectively. As it stands, statistically no other team in the league can creep into the top 5. It is very tight at the top, ‘’tight like a can of sardines’ says Kres Harrington on the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection. Bayern will be aiming to protect what historically is theirs. Considering that the Bavarian giants have been booted out of all knockout competitions, they will be doing everything in their power to secure an 11th straight league title. They showed that they mean business this past weekend when they put 6 goals past Schalke. Thomas Touched praised his team after the match but also suggested to not get carried away with the euphoria at hand. Dortmund are itching to reclaim the title, and they showed their fighting straight, beating Borrusia Monchengladbach 5-2.

Match-day 33 brings with it battles like no other, RB Leipzig will be looking to hold down Bayern Munich once again, and with Dortmund traveling to the WWK Arena, they will be hoping to claim all 3 points against Augsburg. Bayern is aware of the strengths behind Marco Rose and his team; they will also be aware of the magnitude of this match and how important it is to clinch the 3 points at stake. Historically, the Bundesliga is most exciting towards the end of the season and with the relegation spots constantly changing, this season is no different!

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent and German football expert Kres Harrington breaks down the league standings from top to bottom. Kres explains what is at stake for the top 5 teams, and suggests the bottom half of the table will change without question. Kres speaks about the UEFA Europa League semi-final and suggests only a handful of teams stand a chance to snatch European football next season.

Sadio Mane has not been at his best since he joined Bayern Munich from Liverpool in June 2022 and his recent performance against Hertha Berlin is a perfect example of this. After Bayern’s match against Hertha Berlin, head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly criticised the current African footballer of the year suggesting his first half was sloppy with many technical errors committed. This would have brought Mane’s confidence down even more, which could suggest an opportunity for him to leave the Bavarian giants and perhaps return to the Premier League, where he is known for lighting up the stage. The Bundesliga is not an easy league to perform in, and considering the Senegalese superstar has been riddled with injuries, involved in a dust-up with teammate Leroy Sane and of course has had a few personal struggles off the pitch, the form he is in makes sense. It is important to remember that Thomas Tuchel is not only critical of Mane, but he is with other players too. Tuchel has been benching Thomas Muller for reasons unknown and this has only proved one thing; no matter how much money gets poured into a coach, their futures are never certain

Bayern Munich now only have 1 goal in mind and that is to win the league, claiming their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title, and with Borussia Dortmund being known for throwing away golden opportunities, the Bavarian giants will value their chances of this incredible feat. The next match day sees Bayern have a somewhat easier fixture than Dortmund, as they face off against Schalke who have their feet in the fire of relegation. Dortmund will welcome Borssuia Monchengladbach to the Signal Iduna Park, who are sitting in 10th position.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington dives deep into the continued Sadio Mane sage which has recently seen Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly critic the Senegalese superstar. Kres looks forward to the UEFA Europa League matchup between Bayer Leverkusen and Jose’ Mourinho’s Roma and also looks at the title race in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich has lost yet another match under the guidance of Thomas Tichel and the fans are getting anxious and annoyed. With the Bavarian giants winning only 1 match during April, being Der Klassiker, Tuchel’s tenure has been questionable, to say the least, and questions need to be asked, not only about Thomas Tuchel but also about senior management higher up. With the likes of Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic playing a massive role in the club's downfall, why are these gentlemen still running the show? It all starts with the sacking of Julian Nagelsmann being poorly explained and ends with Bayern’s poor run of form during April. Something is going wrong within the club, but perhaps these issues stem from authority and not the players.

Bayern Munich suffered this loss to Mainz, who is Thomas Tuchel’s former club, which saw the Bavarian giants have a great first half, After the break, they became lackluster and uninspired to get the victory. Bayern’s ‘Iron Man,’ Joshua Kimmich had circles run around him and the lack of urgency saw Mainz claim all 3 points. At the same time, Borrusia Dortmund proved to be too strong for Eintracht Frankfurt. A brace from Male and a slick turn and shot from Dortmund star Jude Bellingham saw Frankfurt go down. Dortmund is now leading the league table by slender margins but looking at their run of fixtures, the club should claim maximum points.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent and German football expert Kres Harrington claims the Bayern Munich dynasty is coming to an end. Kres speaks on Borrusia Dortmund’s title hopes and the challenges they face and touches on the Sadio Mane saga!

Bayern Munich, as a club, seems to be in complete turmoil after the incident which unfolded after their humiliating loss to Manchester City when they traveled to the Etihad for their UEFA Champions League for their first Quarter-final leg. Manchester City was dominant from the get-go, and ultimately, put 3 past the Bavarian giants. After the match, in the locker room, tempers were flaring which saw an argument between Leroy Sane and Sadio Mane break out, with the Senegalese superstar throwing a punch toward Sane. This caused the German’s lip to split, and blood was drawn. A shocking event from the least-likely player. Sadio Mane has since been fined over €300 thousand and was benched during Bayern’s match against Hoffenheim. The latest reports out of Munich suggest that the club wants to see Sadio Mane out during the summer transfer window. This could be because of 2 things; the fact that Leroy Sane is German and due to the fact of the long-term plan that Sane has been involved in. It also goes without saying that physical aggression within the German culture does not sit well. Sadio Mane is clearly frustrated due to a lack of playing time and personal losses, but this still doesn’t justify his actions.

Regardless of this dispute, and the 3-goal deficit, Manchester City has coach Pep Guardiola has publicly admitted that this ‘fight’ will fire up Bayern even more for a chance at redemption when the two footballing giants face off against each other, in Munich for leg number 2. A 3-goal deficit is never an easy task to overcome, but Guardiola is worried and will have to make sure that his Citizens do not become complacent. Looking at history, this is few and far between, and not many are giving Bayern a chance. Momentum-wise, they didn’t do anything to help themselves out by dropping points in the league, missing the chance to go 4 points clear at the top, Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned that during this 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim, there were only a handful of decent minutes played by Bayern.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent and German football expert break down the issues which transpired in the Bayern Munich locker room after their humiliating defeat to Manchester City. Kres Also provides an in-depth analysis of the second leg of their UCL tie. Borussia Dortmund dropped points in the league and Hertha Berlin has made some managerial changes!

Bayern Munich regained the top spot in the table after a 4-2 victory over fierce rivals, Borrusia Dortmund, Bayern now leads the standings by a mere 2 points, with the likes of Dortmund, and Union Berlin applying the pressure. With only 4 points sporting the top 3 teams, Bayern will need to stay focused to win yet another league title.

The Bavarian giants welcomed Borrusia Dortmund to the Allianz Arena in what is known as 'De Klassiker.' Bayern recently sacked Julian Nagelsmann and employed former Dortmund coach, Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel was looking to hit the ground running and he did just that. A convincing 4-2 victory over his former club but Dortmund do have themselves to blame. The first goal from Bayern came as a gift when Dortmund goalie Gregor Kobel swiped and missed the ball, allowing it to roll into the back of the net. Questions were asked about Gregor’s selection, as the Swiss International recently returned from injury and then was put straight back into the first team. This error shifted the tide and Bayern Went on to dominate.

As mentioned, this was Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge for Bayern which is slowly becoming a daunting task. Tuchel inherited a divided locker room which is never a good thing for a coach. Bayern left back, Ben Pavard, dedicated this victory to Julian Nagelsmann which just goes to show the animosity among the players. Tuchel has an incredibly difficult job at hand and considering how ruthless Bayern Munich can be towards coaches, he needs to keep on his toes.

Bayern Munich will slowly start to feel the pressure with all of the matches coming their way. The Bundesliga record holders are facing Freiburg in the German Cup and Manchester City in the UEFA Champion league, at what point will the fatigue come into play?

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington breaks down Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge and the magnitude of the role he has been handed. Kres Also speaks about the remainder of Bayern’s season and how they need to stay focused and calm if they want to claim silverware. Kres speaks about the German Cup draw which has some interesting fixtures.

In a shocking turn of events, Bayern Munich recently parted ways with Nagelsmann, terminating his contract with immediate effect.

Since he joined the Bavarian giants, the German-born coach oversaw 84 games, winning 60 of them and only losing on just 10 occasions. Averaging 2.31 points per match, it is no wonder why his departure came as a surprise. According to reports, the 35-year-old 'lost the locker room', which could be because of one of two reasons for his departure. The first reason is rumoured to be due to his tactical analysis being leaked, which reportedly caused a drop in morale in the dressing room. The other reason stems from Nagelsmann’s personal life. He has allegedly left his wife and is now dating a journalist. Both reasons will cause more than enough damage in the locker room.

Bayern have already hired former Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel as his replacement after the German parted ways with Chelsea early into this season. The former Paris Saint-Germain, BVB, and Blues coach has a known track record of butting heads with senior management, but, as the old saying goes, class is permanent, which is why the Bundesliga champions have moved swiftly in appointing the 49-year-old, whose first match in charge will be against his former side this coming weekend.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington breaks down Julian Nagelsmann's sacking from Bayern Munich and the possible appointment of former Borrusia Dortmund and Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel. Kres also speaks about Germany's performance thus far under the guidance of Hansi Flick and what ‘Die Mannschaft’ has in store for the 2024 European Championship.

This past week saw Bayern Munich receive a shocking defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen. The Bavarian giants were subjected to a 2-1 defeat, thanks to penalty goals by Exequiel Palacios. Both penalties were awarded after Amine Aldi's simulation-infused yellow cards were overturned. Ultimately, this defeat is going to be blamed on the mole incident the Bavarian giants were facing. Prior to kick-off, Bayern Munich's tactical plans, formations, and team info were leaked to the media and without a doubt, former Bayern star Xabi Alonso studied these which could have potentially assisted in the victory. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann had no complaints about the penalties, but there is something bigger on the table to focus on - the mole.

Borrusia Dortmund shot up to the first position in the standings after they dominated FC Köln 6-1 with 2 players scoring braces. Sebastien Haller netted 2 goals as well as captain fantastic, Marco Rues. In doing so, Reus became the clubs leading all-time goalscoring and even hinted at signing a new deal with the club. Bearing in mind that Dortmund is coming off an ejection from the UEFA Champions League, a performance such as this was hugely important for the morale of the team. Once the Bundesliga returns, Borrusia Dortmund will face off against Bayern Munich, in what will almost certainly be a title-deciding match.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington breaks down Bayer Munich's shocking defeat to Bater Leverkusen which saw Amine Aldi awarded 2 penalties which were both given after the diving simulation was reversed. Kres Also speaks about the UEFA Champions League quarter finals draw which sees Bayern Munich Face off against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City

Bayern Munich has once again proven its European worth after knocking out a full-strength Paris Saint-Germain outfit from the UEFA Champions League. The Bavarians were able to win the first leg 1-0, and now the second leg 2-0. This may be exactly why Kylian Mbappe spoke out after the defeat and suggested that Bayern is built for the Champions League and PSG aren’t. Mbappe was restricted during these matches, he was unable to perform and defensively, Bayern shut the Frenchman down. Thomas Muller has suggested that Bayern always does well against teams with Lionel Messi, thinking back to his Barcelona days and how Bayern used to play around with the Catalonian outfit. Julian Nagelsmanns looks to have plans and Ideas waxed considering his goal was to hold Mbappe down, and his team pulled this off brilliantly. Mbappe was paralyzed on the pitch

Borussia Dortmund has potentially hit a speed bump - first in the UEFA Champions League where they have been booted out of the competition thanks to Kai Haverts, Raheem Sterling, and Chelsea FC. Kres Harrington discusses this and suggests that perhaps the English crowd got the better of the travelers. Dortmund then faced off against a relegation-battling team Schalke in the Bundesliga, which resulted in a 2-2 draw. Dortmund had the upper hand on 2 occasions, but by conceding goals after scoring, Dortmund was only able to secure a single point. Dortmund has a history of digging holes deeper, if history is to repeat itself, Dortmund’s season might be going downhill from here

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent and German football expert Kres Harrington breaks down the chances of a handful of German sides and their run in European competition. Bayer Munich has solidified a cushion-like lead at the top of the Bundesliga table and Borrusia Dortmund has taken a slight turn for the worst after Chelsea booted them out of the UCL and Schalke held them to a draw. Kres debates whether or not Jude Bellingham will stay at Dortmund, or will the 19-year-old head to Real Madrid and play for Los Blancos!

The Bundesliga title race is heating up with the top 2 teams sitting with 49 points, only being separated by goal difference (GD). It is no secret that Bayern is leading the league having scored a whopping 66 goals in 23 matches. With a goal difference of 44, they sit above second-placed Borrusia Dortmund, leading them by a GD difference of 25. The Bavarian giants are for sure worried about the charge Dortmund see themselves on and Dortmund will be confident that they can overtake their bitter rivals and end their 10-straight league titles to reclaim the league title for the first time since the 2011/12 season

European football continues with scintillating fixtures being the talking point. Borussia Dortmund will face off against Chelsea in London with the Blues having it all to play for after Dortmund emerged victorious 1-0 during the first leg. Bayern Munich welcomes Paris Saint-Germain to the Allianz Arena where the Parisians need to overcome a 1-0 aggregate.

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington continues with the title race and how Borrusia Dortmund keeps applying pressure to table-toppers Bayern Munich. Kres breaks down the UEFA Champions League matchup, which sees Bayern face PSg and Dortmund take on Chelsea.

Bayern Munich hasn’t had the best run during the course of 2023. Although they have just about maintained the top spot, other teams such as Borrusia Dortmund and surprisingly Union Berlin are forcing the Bavarian giants to stay on their toes. A mouthwatering clash between Bayern Munich and Union Berlin was enough for Bayern to send the rest of the league a message - Know the pecking order. Bayern put eased to a 3-0 victory over the traveling outfit from the capital sitting, slotting 3 goals in the first half. The loss for Union Berlin means that they now occupy 3rd spot in the standings, with 43 points. Bayern maintained the title as log leaders, now with 46 points. This victory could be thanks to a secret meeting that was called by head coach Julian Nagelsmann, a heart-to-heart if you will. Nagelsmann explained to his team what it meant to play for Bayern and this was clearly moving enough for his team to outplay a dangerous team.

Borussia Dortmund emerged victorious against Hoffenheim, scrapping together a 1-0 win. A stunning free-kick by Julian Brandt was enough for Dortmund to claim all 3 points, and claim second position in the standings. Although Dortmund only occupied the top spot for a short while, they got a feel of what it was like to lead the league, which will for sure prove to be a motivating factor moving forward. Statistically, Dortmund has the most wins in the Bundesliga thus far, more than Bayern Munich too, so this victory came as no surprise. But the real question has been revealed - Can Dortmund keep the pressure on Bayern?

On the latest episode of the Bundesliga Connection, DW Sports correspondent Kres Harrington analysis Bayern’s ferocious performance against Union Berlin and explains that Borrusia Dortmund is still very much in the title race. Kres also looks ahead to the next match day and explains what he thinks will happen!