When the Champions League draw took place, Liverpool needed several things to increase their chances of winning not only this competition, but also the Premier League.

As is the case in the current era of Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, the fortunes of Liverpool and Manchester City are usually linked. Only one can earn each of the three remaining trophies on offer, though both might ultimately earn it.

The UEFA draw – done correctly on first request this time – matched liverpool with Benfica: a big check in the “what we wanted to see” box. But the good news didn’t stop there.

Manchester City and Chelsea are both on opposite sides of the draw, with Guardiola’s men facing what could prove to be a tricky double game with Atlético Madrid, although an Atlético Madrid that Liverpool already have beaten home and away this season.

READ MORE: Liverpool may have an innovative solution to Jürgen Klopp’s nightmare as FSG’s only bet could backfire

READ MORE:Liverpool have obvious summer transfer target as £67m double scouting trip confirmed for FSG

The winner will face either Chelsea or Real Madrid; just as tricky as Bayern Munich (assuming they overtake Villarreal), who await the Reds if they can beat Benfica.

More interestingly, Liverpool and Manchester City will be playing on the same night in the Champions League, so neither have a huge advantage ahead of the clash between the two in the league in terms of recovery time and preparation time. The two have five days after the first leg before they meet at the Etihad Stadium, sandwiched between the two European fixtures.

But Atlético should be a tougher test and closer bond overall than Liverpool’s visit to Benfica, although Manchester City will ultimately be favorites to get the job done against Diego Simeone’s well-prepared side. It’s not the Atlético of three or four years ago, but they will always make it tough and keep the scoreline tight, especially against a team that has struggled to score goals at times lately.

The way is there for a Liverpool vs Manchester City final in Paris although there is plenty of action to be played before then. The top two in England are the competition favorites and that is, statistically, the most likely outcome, although football does not always follow that pattern.

Whether Liverpool would rather face Guardiola over two legs or one is a point that can be debated, but they have at least avoided the possibility of having to play against Manchester City four times in 18 days. There’s still a chance it could be two weekends in a row if the duo go head-to-head in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, but that would be far less daunting than a four-time header in pursuit of four trophies .

Frankly, playing as little as possible at Manchester City is better. If the teams played each other four times in such a short time, it would have been a nightmare – after all, it’s hard to imagine a team winning all four encounters (or at least making the most progress in each of the three competitions) .

If Liverpool are to claim the treble this season, they will always need a bit of luck in the draw for each competition, and so far the Gods of Football (if Mikaël Silvestre, the man chosen by UEFA to select meetings, can be called like that…) played ball. The quadruple is still on the way and while it remains an almost impossible task to win it all, it is undoubtedly more likely than it was a few hours ago.

Borussia Dortmund will have the chance to close the gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Wednesday against Mainz away from home.

Marco Rose’s side are currently seven points behind Bayern Munich, having played one less game. Die Schwarzgelben could not play against Mainz according to the original schedule, due to an outbreak of COVID-19.

Dortmund defeated Arminia Bielefeld 1-0 last weekend, but Mainz could provide a tougher test.

Bo Svensson’s side will be hoping to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Union Berlin in their last outing.

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Mainz vs Borussia Dortmund H2H

Dortmund dominated the encounters between the two sides, winning 18 and drawing eight.

Mainz have only won five times against Dortmund, the last of which came in June 2020 at Signal Iduna Park.

Mainz form guide (all competitions): LWDWL.

Borussia Dortmund forms guide (all competitions): WDDWL

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Mainz vs Borussia Dortmund Team News

Mainz

Alexander Hack and Dominik Kohr are suspended. Jeremiah St. Juste has a shoulder problem and Matt Dahmen has an ankle injury. Robin Zentner and Lasse Rieß are questionable starters, fresh out of COVID-19 isolation.

Hurt: Jeremiah St. Just, Finn Dahmen.

Doubtful: Robin Zentner, Lasse Riess.

Suspended: Alexander Hack, Dominik Kohr.

Unavailable: Any.

Borussia Dortmund

The trio of full-backs Thomas Meunier, Mateu Morey and Marcel Schmelzer are not expected to feature due to injury. Forward Steffen Tigges is also not expected to return this season.

Giovanni Reyna and Erling Haaland came off the bench against Arminia Bielefeld and are expected to be part of the squad again on Wednesday.

It remains to be seen whether the duo Raphael Guerreiro and Mats Hummels will return from COVID-19. Marco Rose has alternatives for the duo. Marco Reus could return from illness after missing last weekend’s clash.

Dan-Axel Zagadou and Manuel Akanji remain doubtful, while Youssoufa Moukoko is not expected before the end of March.

Hurt: Thomas Meunier, Mateu Morey, Marcel Schmelzer, Steffen Tigges, Youssoufa Moukoko.

Doubtful: Raphaël Guerreiro, Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Manuel Akanji, Dan-Axel Zagadou.

Suspended: Any.

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Mainz vs Borussia Dortmund Predicted Lineups

Mainz Probable XI (3-4-2-1): Tristan Mohn; Stefan Bell, David Nemeth, Moussa Niakhate; Silvan Widmer, Anton Stach, Niklas Tauer, Aaron Martin; Jae-Sung Lee, Jonathan Burkardt; Karim Onisiwo.

Probable eleven from Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Gregor Kobel; Nico Schulz, Emre Can, Marin Pongracic, Felix Passlack; Axel Witsel, Mahmoud Dahoud; Jude Bellingham, Thorgan Hazard, Gio Reyna; Donyell Malen.

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$1000 Risk Free Bet at FanDuel SB

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Mainz vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction

Although Borussia Dortmund have several players absent, they might have enough to get the job done and stay in Bayern Munich’s wake.

Goal prediction: Mainz 1-2 Borussia Dortmund.

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Andrej Kramaric has extended his contract at Hoffenheim until 2025, the Bundesliga club announced on Saturday.

News of Kramaric’s new contract broke ahead of Hoffenheim’s 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich, a result that keeps the Sinsheimers on track for European football next season, and their 30-year-old talisman will be there for lead their challenge.

“It means everything,” said Kramaric bundesliga.com. “It feels like home here.”

Look: Kramaric on his “second home” in Hoffenheim

Kramaric, who joined the Sinsheimers in 2016, was reportedly out of contract this summer but there was never talk of not offering a ‘living Hoffenheim legend’ a new contract, in the sporting director’s words of the club, Alexander Rosen.

“For a player as extraordinary and ambitious as Andrej to extend his contract with us and thus start his eighth season for Hoffenheim from the summer shows on the one hand how strong a reputation we have developed and on the other apart, how much Andrej identifies with the TSG,” Rosen said.

“Andrej was one of the most consistent goalscorers in the Bundesliga for many years and he’s a player who can really make a difference. He’s a model professional and he’s already a living Hoffenheim legend.

“His experience, ability and exceptional character strengthen the whole team.”

The Croatian striker originally joined Hoffenheim on loan from Leicester City in the second half of the 2015/16 season, helping them avoid relegation against all odds under Julian Nagelsmann. The Sinsheimers went on to qualify for Europe in three of the next four campaigns, with Kramaric scoring 15, 13, 17, 12 and 20 goals in his first five full seasons with the club.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute here so far and look forward to an exciting future,” Kramaric said. “I never imagined that I would ever be considered among Germany’s best strikers, but it was only possible because I feel at home here.”

Kramaric scored 101 goals for Hoffenheim – 86 in the Bundesliga – in just over 200 appearances.

The weekend soccer slate shifts to the United States as parity in Major League Soccer continues to stick out like a sore thumb. Going into the third week of the season, only four teams have won their first two matches so far. Will they be able to continue the good races or will they join others who have lost points? Tottenham will also travel to Old Trafford and will be hoping to win their third game on the rebound instead of returning to their rollercoaster form this season as we finish with Serie A and their race wide open for the scudetto.

Here’s what we’re looking at this weekend:

5. New York Red Bulls vs Minnesota United

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Direct: ESPN+
Caesars Sportsbook odds: New York -150; Draw +280; Minnesota United +440

Why watch: The Red Bulls are one of four remaining teams to have won their first two league games to start the season, but hosting the Loons will be a test to see what they are made of. Lewis Morgan is fresh off a hat trick against Toronto and summer signing Luquinhas has arrived. They’re a team that could improve between now and the season, but containing the attack led by Franco Fragapane and Emanuel Reynoso will be a tough test for the defense even with Aaron Long back in the fold. The Loons have drawn their first two games despite attacking too well to be limited to one goal per game.

4. Torino vs Inter Milan

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 3:45 p.m. ET
Direct: Paramount+
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Torino +440; Draw +275; Inter-150

Why watch: Inter Milan will look to hold their heads high despite being eliminated in their Champions League win at Anfield over Liverpool as the focus shifts to winning a second scudetto in a row. The Serie A title race is tight with AC Milan, Inter and Napoli separated by just three points. If one of them slips, Juventus are waiting to pounce. The midfield duo of Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella will be tough for Torino to deal with, but they have one of the best defensive records in the league when it comes to battling the Nerazzurri. Allowing just 28 goals, Torino has the fourth-best defensive record in Italy and is the only team with less than 30 goals allowed to not feature in the top five due to their lack of goalscoring. Can they get a signature win to end their bad form streak?

3. Chelsea v Newcastle United

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
Direct: peacock
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Chelsea -300; Draw +400; Newcastle +900

Why watch: While the potential sale of Chelsea and the looming problems with travel to away games grab the headlines, there are still football games to play. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe threatened relegation as Newcastle United climb the table with three rebound wins. Up to 14th in the league they are pretty much safe and that is with Allan Saint-Maximin who has missed the last few games with muscle injuries. This is a game where if Chelsea slip up, Newcastle can make them pay unlike the Norwich side who Chelsea knocked out in midweek.

Want to know more about this breakup story? Listen below and follow ¡Que Golazo! A daily football podcast from CBS where we take you beyond the pitch and around the world for commentary, previews, recaps and more.

2. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy

Dated: Saturday March 12 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Seattle Pollsters +118; Draw +230; Los Angeles Galaxy +245

Why watch: Two teams that should be near the top of the Western Conference face off. While the Sounders struggle with injuries to Nicolas Lodeiro, Will Bruin and Raul Ruidiaz, they managed to dismantle Leon at home in the Concacaf Champions League. Meanwhile, the Galaxy left him late in their opening two matches as their defense gave them a win at every opportunity. Raheem Edwards is proving to be a fine addition to Greg Vanney’s squad, but can they use form to their advantage to open up an early points gap on the Sounders?

1. Manchester United v Tottenham

Dated: Saturday March 12 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Direct: peacock
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Manchester United +115; Draw +245; Tottenham+235

Why watch: Two teams that have not fared well against top opponents meet in a critical clash to determine the race to the Premier League‘s top four. Antonio Conte is blackmailing Tottenham with nine goals scored in his last two matches, but things are set to be a little tougher against Manchester United even after the side fell flat in a 4-1 derby against Manchester City. Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit and available this weekend, but that could prove a distraction for United given he has just one goal in eight Premier League appearances this calendar year.

Honorable Mentions

(all US/Eastern times)

Friday March 11: A game to follow in…

• Spain: Atletico Madrid vs Cadiz, 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
• France: Lille vs Saint-Etienne 3 p.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Free trial)
• Argentina: Arsenal v Velez Sarsfield, 5:15 p.m. (Paramount+)

Saturday March 12: A game to follow in…

• MLS: DC United vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• England: Brighton v Liverpool, 7:30 a.m. (Peacock)
• Spain: Villarreal v Celta de Vigo, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Italy: Sampdoria v Juventus, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Germany: Hoffenheim vs. Bayern Munich, 9:30 a.m. (ESPN+)
• France: Troyes vs Nantes, 3 p.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Free trial)
• Argentina: Sarmiento vs. Newell’s Old Boys, 5:15 p.m. (Paramount+)

Sunday March 13: A game to follow in…

• MLS: Atlanta United vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m. (FS1 and fuboTV — Try it for free)
• England: West Ham United vs. Aston Villa, 10 a.m. (US and fuboTV – Try Free)
• Spain: Barcelona vs. Osasuna, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Italy: Udinese v Roma, 1 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Germany: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Cologne, 10:30 a.m. (ESPN+)
• France: PSG vs Bordeaux, 8 a.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Try for free)
• Argentina: Estudiantes vs. Boca Juniors, 8:30 p.m. (Paramount+)

Best bets and predictions for the weekend’s matches in Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Serie A.

Best bets

Nantes beats Troyes
BT Sport 3, 8 p.m.
1pt 6-4 general

Hoffenheim or no double chance against Bayern Munich
2:30 p.m.
1pt 11-8 BoyleSports, Hills

Sassuolo beats Salernitana 2 p.m.
1pt 5-6 bet365, Betfred

Overview

Troyes against Nantes

With the Coupe de France final to be expected in May and a top-four spot still a real possibility in Ligue 1, it’s shaping up to be a bright season for Nantes.

With Randal Kolo Muani and Ludovic Blas having 18 league goals this season, Nantes have great attacking options and opened PSG 3-1 in February with just 28 per cent possession.

However, they are also comfortable when dominating the ball and that could be the case when they travel to Troyes, who beat Bordeaux’s basement boys last time out but still only had that 38% possession in this contest and looks largely out of their depth in Ligue 1.

Troyes have already lost 14 games in the French top flight and only two of their six triumphs have come at home.

Hoffenheim-Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich refused to take their foot off the pedal in a 7-1 thrashing against Salzburg on Tuesday, but they could face more resistance from the top four contenders at Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Hoffenheim entered the Champions League qualifying table with four straight Bundesliga wins and they should be imagining their chances of avoiding defeat against the Bavarians.

Bayern are once again in pole position to claim a tenth straight league title, but they haven’t been without their flaws of late, having lost to Bochum and been held to a draw by Salzburg and Bayer Leverkusen since early February. . They seem to be worth picking up in the double chance market.

Salernitana v Sassuolo

Four successive draws suggested Salernitana could have half a chance of surviving in Serie A, but they were put in their place by Inter last time out, losing 5-0 at San Siro.

They are now best priced 8-11 for relegation and could struggle to contain Sassuolo when they meet next.

European football seems out of reach for Sassuolo but that hasn’t slowed them down lately as they have beaten Inter, Fiorentina and Venezia in their last three games, scoring at least twice in each of those wins.

Domenico Berardi, Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca are part of a dangerous attack and they should emerge comfortable winners at Stadio Arechi.

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FIRST PUBLICATION AT 1:05 PM, MARCH 11, 2022

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski’s contract expires in the summer of 2023 and speculation is rife over the Polish international’s future. Reports that a Premier League transfer has been announced for the 33-year-old striker have alerted several clubs, including Arsenal, who are desperate to sign a new No.9.

Meanwhile, former England footballer Peter Crouch has delivered his verdict and said he would like to see Lewandowski play in the Premier League. Crouch’s comments came as he discussed Bayern’s failure to tie Lewandowski to a new deal on BT Sport, following the Bundesliga giants’ 7-1 win over RB Salzburg in their last-16 second leg Champions League final on Tuesday.

Lewandowski netted a hat-trick on 23 minutes in the clash at the Allianz Arena to make Champions League history. After converting from the penalty spot twice, in the 12th and 21st minutes, the prolific Poland international then netted a screamer two minutes later to complete a record hat-trick.

Also read: Lewandowski shoots record Champions League hat-trick; Bayern Munich fans hail heroism

Peter Crouch said, in a post-match chat on BT Sport, “It sounds ridiculous. I don’t know what else they (Bayern) want. I know he’s approaching 34, but he still looks like a machine. eats well, he lives decent, he looks fit and the numbers are absolutely ridiculous.”

“Who are you going to go out and sign to get those kind of numbers? I know there’s been talk of (Erling) Haaland if you obviously want longevity, but it’s going to cost you a hell of a lot of money,” Croupton added.

“I would love to see him (Lewandowski) in the Premier League,” admitted the former England international.

“If I’m Bayern, you try to tie it up as quickly as possible,” Crouch concluded.

Lewandowski’s three goals against Salzburg came just a minute earlier than former record holder Marco Simone, who achieved the feat in 24 minutes of AC Milan’s 2-1 loss to Rosenborg in 1996.

Tuesday’s hat-trick was the latest highlight of another jaw-dropping season for the Pole, taking his tally to 42 goals in 35 appearances.

Last updated on Mar 9, 2022 at 11:24 a.m. IST

Robert Lewandowski says the chance to make history with Bayern Munich has him and his team-mates chasing a 10th consecutive Bundesliga trophy and further UEFA Champions League success.

>> Click here for the Bayern-Salzburg LIVE blog!

No team in one of Europe’s top five leagues has ever managed to win 10 domestic titles on the spin, but Bayern are currently in pole position to become the first to do so.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men enter Matchday 25 eight points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund; a position they hold thanks to the remarkable contributions of their Polish striker.

After scoring a record 41 goals in a season in 2020/21, Lewandowski has been relentless again this term.

The 33-year-old has been responsible for 28 Bundesliga goals in just 24 appearances, and he has revealed the chance to make even more history with the Bavarians continues to be his driving force.

Look: All of Lewandowski’s Bundesliga goals so far in 2021/22

“Winning our 10th league title in 10 years would be historic,” he said. Telefoot. “People in the future will say, ‘Wow, what team was that. Who was playing on that team?’. We are lucky to become the first team to win a major league 10 times in a row.”

Lewandowski won’t be satisfied with domestic glory alone, however, and has his eyes set on lifting the Champions League trophy for the second time.

Bayern still have a second leg of the round of 16 with Red Bull Salzburg, but Lewandowski is adamant that his side are the team with the biggest target on their backs.

“We are still among the favorites for the [UEFA Champions League] title,” he said. “If we stay fit, we’ll have a great chance of winning.”

Bayern last triumphed on the continent in 2020, reaching new heights with Hansi Flick’s hat-trick side setting the bar for Nagelsmann’s side to follow.

A leader in 2020, Lewandowski’s form in 2021 is near perfect as the Poland captain set a new top-flight German benchmark for most goals in a calendar year.

He was subsequently crowned FIFA Men’s Player of the Year 2021 and has already maintained that form in 2022. But there is no time for reflection and with another year in the bank, Lewandowski – who has yet to 18 months on his current Bayern contract – focus on those to come.

Fortunately, he promised us a lot more fun, with Lewandowski saying: “I want to play for many more years, at least five years!” If I start to decline in two years, I might think about retirement, but not yet.

Impressive winners of Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages, Scottish champions Rangers host Serbian counterparts Crvena zvezda in the round of 16 first leg of the UEFA Europa League, a stage of the competition from which the Glasgow side have been knocked out each times. of the last two seasons.

• Rangers clinched a place in the UEFA Europa League knockout stage with one game to spare, finishing second behind Lyon in Group A on eight points, before beating Dortmund 6-4 on aggregate (4-2 a, 2-2 h) with Captain James Tavernier. scoring three of their goals in the tie.

• Crvena zvezda topped Group F in the autumn ahead of Braga, Midtjylland and Ludogorets but as section winners with just six goals – the same number Rangers managed in Group A. That was the first time the Belgrade team had ever finished first in a European group.

Rangers vs Crvena zvezda: the latest match news

Previous meetings
• Rangers and Crvena zvezda have already played three times in UEFA competition, with the Scottish side having the advantage with two aggregate wins against one.

• A play-off in London was needed to separate the teams when they first met, in the 1964/65 European Cup preliminary round, after Rangers won the first leg 3-1 in Glasgow and Crvena zvezda s won 4-2 in Belgrade. to return to. With no away goals rule in place, the Scottish side qualified after winning the extra game 3–1 at Arsenal’s Highbury.

• The teams only met in the second round of Crvena zvezda’s triumphant 1990/91 European Cup campaign, with Darko Pančev scoring in both matches as the Belgrade side went on to a 3-0 home win with a 1-1 draw in Glasgow.

• The most recent encounter, however, belonged to Rangers, as they eliminated Crvena zvezda from the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, Nacho Novo’s 90th-minute goal in the first leg at Ibrox s ‘proving to be the only goal of the meeting. . Walter Smith’s side would end this European campaign as UEFA Cup runners-up.

• Rangers’ only other UEFA game against a Serbian opponent was a 2006/07 UEFA Cup group game at home to Partizan, which they won 1-0 thanks to an Alan Hutton goal for reach the knockout stage. They are therefore undefeated at home by the Serbian visitors (W3 D1).

• Crvena zvezda’s all-time home and away record against Scottish opponents is W2 L3. Beaten by Celtic in the 1968/69 European Cup second round (1-5 a, 1-1 h), they beat Hearts on away goals in the Cup Winners’ Cup qualifying round European 1996/97 (0-0h, 1-1y). They still have to win in five trips to Scotland (D2 L3).

Play Europa League Predictor

Form Guide
Rangers
• Unbeaten champions Scotland in 2020/21 as they won a record 55th domestic league title, Rangers also made 13 appearances in the UEFA Europa League, progressing from the second qualifying round to the round of 16, where their journey ended with Slavia Prague (1-1 a, 0-2 h).

• Rangers returned to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in a decade this season but lost both third qualifying round matches 2-1 to Malmö and were therefore transferred to the UEFA Europa play-offs League, where they edged out Alashkert to reach the final. group stage for the fourth consecutive season. Although they lost their first two group games – against Lyon (0-2 h) and Sparta (0-1 a) – they remained unbeaten thereafter, taking four points from Brøndby (2-0 h, 1-1 a) and taking second place. place with a 2-0 victory over Sparta at Ibrox on matchday five in their first game under new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who had replaced Steven Gerrard.

• This is Rangers’ fourth appearance in the UEFA Europa League round of 16, and their third in a row, a record. However, in the previous three campaigns they failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, coming out at PSV Eindhoven in 2010/11 (0-0 a, 0-1 h), at Bayer Leverkusen in 2019/20 (1-3 h, 0-1 a) and Slavia last season. They are therefore yet to win a game at this stage of the competition, scoring just two goals and losing all three home games.

• The Glasgow giants have lost just five of their last 31 European home games (W19 D7), although three of those defeats have come in the last seven – against Slavia, Malmö and Lyon. In the UEFA Europa League knockout stage, their record at Ibrox is W2 D2 L3, with all three eliminations all triggered by those home defeats.

Crvena zvezda
• A fourth consecutive Serbian SuperLiga title for Crvena zvezda in 2020/21, and second under manager Dejan Stanković, was completed with a first victory in nine years in the Serbian Cup. The club’s first domestic double since 2006/07 capped a season in which they also played a dozen games in Europe, reaching the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League, where they lost goals at the outside against AC Milan (2-2 h, 1- 1a).

• This season’s bid to return to the UEFA Champions League group stage, where Crvena zvezda played in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, was thwarted by Moldovan champions Sheriff in the third qualifying round after that the Belgrade team had eliminated Kairat Almaty. CFR Cluj were then convincingly beaten in the UEFA Europa League play-offs to secure Crvena zvezda’s third appearance in the group stage. After advancing as runners-up in each of their two previous campaigns, in 2017/18 and 2020/21, they clinched top spot in Group F on 11 points with a 1-1 draw against second-placed Braga. the 6th day.

• This is the Belgrade side’s first appearance in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16. They lost in the Round of 16 to CSKA Moskva (0-0h, 0-1a) in 2017/18 and to Milan last season. It is the club’s biggest advancement in a UEFA competition for 30 years.

• Crvena zvezda have lost just two of their 11 away matches in the UEFA Europa League proper (W3, D6), conceding just six goals in the process. Despite being beaten on the road in both UEFA Champions League qualifiers this season, they are unbeaten in seven away matches in the UEFA Europa League, including this season’s fixtures at CFR (2 -1), Ludogorets (1-0), Midtjylland (1 -1) and Braga.

UEFA Europa League squad changes
Rangers
In: Amad Diallo (Manchester United, loan), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus, loan), James Sands (New York, loan)
Outside: Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City), Ianis Hagi, Filip Helander, Nathan Patterson (Everton)

Crvena zvezda
In: Nemanja Motika (Bayern Munich II), Ohi Omoijuanfo (Molde), Cristiano Piccini (Valencia)
Outside: Miloš Degenek (Columbus Crew), Lois Diony, Marko Lazetić (AC Milan), Njegoš Petrović (Granada)

Links and stories
• Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who made his 100th appearance in UEFA club competition in the first leg against Dortmund, kept a clean sheet in both games for the Ibrox club by beating Crvena zvezda in 2007/08 UEFA Champions League qualifying.

• Crvena zvezda Austrian international defender Aleksandar Dragović was part of the Leverkusen side that eliminated Rangers from the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago, starting the first leg at Ibrox and coming off the bench in the second leg.

• Aleksandar Katai, who converted crucial penalties for Crvena zvezda in both group games against Braga, also found the net for Serbia against Scotland in the UEFA EURO 2020 play-off penalty shoot-out, where Scotland, with Ryan Jack of Rangers, won 5-4 in Belgrade.

• Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield and Crvena zvezda goalkeeper Milan Borjan both played international football for Canada.

• Opposing managers Van Bronckhorst and Stanković met for the Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro respectively in a group stage match at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with the Oranje winning 1-0 in Leipzig. Both players have won over 100 caps at senior international level (Van Bronckhorst 106, Stanković 103).

• Rangers are in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League for the third successive season. Only one team, Sevilla (2013/14–2015/16), have already scored the treble.

• Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos’ goal in the first leg against Dortmund was his 31st in all rounds of the UEFA Europa League, qualifying included, making him the third-highest all-time goalscorer in the league UEFA Europa League and UEFA Cup combined – level with Radamel Falcao and Aritz Aduriz and behind only Henrik Larsson (40) and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (34).

• Rangers and Crvena zvezda are the only two defending domestic champions to make the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 this season. The Serbian club is one of three national cup winners on the pitch, along with Barcelona and Braga.

• Crvena zvezda are one of three former European Cup/UEFA Champions League winners involved in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, along with Barcelona and Porto.

• Serbia have a club in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 for the first time, making them the 23rd nation represented at this stage of the competition.

• Rangers and Crvena zvezda currently sit second in their domestic league standings behind their arch-rivals, the first three points behind Celtic, the bottom two behind Partizan.

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Bayern Munich’s defense has been shaky at best since the club returned to the pitch after the winter break. Pundits and fans shifted the blame from the defense to the midfield, to various individual players and to the coach. However, is the solution to many current problems simply the return of the greatest goalkeeper of all time to Manuel Neuer?

May be.

No one here blames Sven Ulreich here. When Bayern brought Ulreich to Munich for the second time this summer, everyone was delighted that the club had a solid replacement for Neuer after Alexander Nübel’s loan spell at AS Monaco. He’s a spectacular substitute for the club, but it’s not Neuer. He’s not the best, and when you’re not the best, you’re always going to be compared to the best.

Ulreich has made seven appearances this season, including six in 2022 in Neuer’s absence. In these six matches, Bayern have conceded nine goals. Now, again, nobody blames Ulreich for the volume of goals he concedes. Many of them can be blamed for abysmal defense or, quite frankly, a hilarious own goal.

Photo by Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images

Clearly, Neuer has conceded 28 goals in 28 games in all competitions this season. This total includes the 0-5 thrashing in the DFB Pokal against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Take that game out and Neuer conceded a much more acceptable 23 goals in 27 games.

I happen to be a firm believer that a returning Neuer will be a big boost for Bayern and, perhaps, will solve most of the defensive problems. Why is that?

Trust. Neuer, who turns 36 at the end of the month, plays with an otherworldly confidence that only comes when you’re the best at what you do.

His presence in the Bayern goal affects the way Bayern play as a team. Neuer’s ability as a sweeping keeper eases the pressure on Bayern’s back line letting them know that, Oh! Neuer is back there! He is so good with the ball at his feet that he acts as a third centre-back when Bayern are in possession, easing the pressure on central midfield and full-backs.

Obviously, it’s not just the Bayern player who is affected by Neuer being in goal. While not dispelling #SvenTheWall, trying to score against Neuer is simply a tougher quest than trying to score against Ulreich.

Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Almost three and a half years ago I wrote an article for Bavarian Football Works titled Manuel Neuer’s decline: Bayern Munich, Germany should be worried. At the time, Neuer was struggling to recover from his long foot injury, but his self-confidence was gone. He lost control of his box, made questionable decisions and had one of the worst save percentages in the Bundesliga.

Then it flipped like a switch. Neuer became fully fit and with that he started to establish himself again as the best goalkeeper in the world. His confidence is visible when he plays as much as he has ever been.

Will Neuer’s return to the starting line-up be enough for the Bavarians to lock things down at the back? That may be the case, but it’s enough to give Bayern fans hope that Bundesliga and Champions League glory is back on the horizon.

Bayern Munich meet Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday in a match that sees two of the top three face off and we can bring you the details of when and where to watch the game.

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