Soccernews Issue # 1, 3Rd June 2016
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SoccerNews Issue # 1, 3rd June 2016 Continental/Division Tires Buettnerstraße 25 | 30165 Hannover Alexander Bahlmann Phone: +49 511 938 2615 Head of Communications & E-Mail: [email protected] Public Relations PLT www.contisoccerworld.de Soccer News # 1/2016 2 News mels in the dressing rooms of the time-hon- oured Olympic Stadium, while party noises could be heard in the background from the Bayern rooms. Hummels’s last shift for The Winners black-yellow ended early in the 78th minute, with the groggy 27-year-old sitting on the Wept for Joy bench for a further 60 minutes wearing a sad expression. “I had cramps on and off again. You then can’t play on that level”, said the The match won’t go down in defender, who had announced his move to Bayern Munich on May 10. His conclusion of history as a classic, but the the unsuccessful day: “Shit!“ emotional output following the It was even more emotional in the Munich Cup final made the encounter dressing room. After his last match with Bay- between FC Bayern Munich and ern, Pep Guardiola cried incessantly, much to the amazement of his team. “Previously Borussia Dortmund ultimately he had to execute his job, now he can be hu- something very special. It was man”, Thomas Mueller said. The coach, who previously didn’t like to be celebrated, ran world champion Mats Hum- to the fan corner together with the players mels’s last match for the BVB, and celebrated with the supporters. Pep flew upwards as the players tossed the Spaniard and Bayern’s farewell to coach in the air several times. The coach was as Pep Guardiola. But much more happy as a child, dancing, singing and crying. Captain Philipp Lahm spontaneously added a happened in Berlin. nice touch during the Cup award ceremony. He called up the coach, and the team cheered Guardiola on as he finally agreed to hold the The atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium “Pott” with Lahm. But then Lahm backed off, was once again fantastic, with the German Pep Guardiola stood alone at the forefront on Tackling Thomas Mueller pushed Mats Hummels over the edge. Shortly afterwards the Dortmund captain Wembley shaking. However, breathtaking goal the podium and kissed the golden Cup in a had to be substituted. Photo: Imago scenes and brilliant play remained a rarity dur- shower of confetti, cheered on by the team. ing the 120 goalless, but passionate minutes. The penalty shoot-out proved the highlight When Brazilian Douglas Costa netted the three years and seven titles to join Manches- Guardiola: “Many thanks Germany!” of this still exciting fourth final encounter be- decisive shot, Munich’s rejoicing was limitless, ter City, cried without restraint. tween the best two German teams. With a 4-3 while in Dortmund’s group Hummels and The Catalan achieved seven titles with the success Bayern won the DFB Cup for the 18th Tuchel particularly struggled to accept defeat. Naked emotions: sad Hummels, sobbing Bavarians: three national championships, two time, and thus the double after achieving the Tears were also flowing with the winning side. Guardiola DFB Cup titles, the World Club Champion- 2016 championship title. Guardiola, who has left the Bavarians after “I am unbelievably sad today”, said Mats Hum- ship and the UEFA Super Cup. The dream of Soccer News # 1/2016 3 winning the Champions League did not quite had a go at the leaving captain. Asked about come true; under his direction the Bavarians Hummels’ performance in the final, Tuchel were eliminated by Spanish teams in the said shortly: “He can play better”. Tuchel gave semi-final on three occasions. Guardiola re- the impression he didn’t approve of the de- ceived a worthy farewell on the big occasion fender’s substitution. Hummels wanted to be of the DFB Cup final, something not neces- replaced “because he was exhausted”. The sarily expected after his decision to leave the BVB coach roasted his key players as well as club. “I shall miss my players”, he disclosed, himself. deeply moved. The following day the 45-year- old even made a speech in front of thousands The second and third takers, Lars Bender and of fans in Munich’s Marien Square: “It was an Sokratis, missed for Dortmund in the penalty unbelievably good time. On behalf of my fam- shoot-out, prompting an early indication of ily I say many thanks Germany! Particularly to the final result. Tuchel regretted their nomina- Munich and its people“. tion after the match. He queried that the key players had not volunteered during his search No wonder Dortmund’s mood was less jubi- for takers. Only with the second whistle of referee lant. But in Berlin the losers always celebrate, Marco Fritz, pushing for the start of the shoot- with the previously organised winning party out, had it been possible to persuade Sokratis turned into a seasonal conclusion party. The and Bender. It then became his mistake to put Pep Guardiola, who said farewell after three years with Bayern, cries deeply moved after the Cup triumph. 2015-16 season certainly wasn’t a disappoint- them second and third. The coach is leaning against Jerome Boateng. Photo: Imago ing one for the Westphalians, but ended frus- tratingly on a national level. After losing 4-3 to On the night the Bavarians also achieved Liverpool in the Europa League, Dortmund the “triple“, by winning the party title. It was a became the best runners-up in the long Bun- stormy affair at the club restaurant The Grand; desliga history – behind Bayern. Dortmund fin- celebrations were wild and rompish, marking ished second in the DFB Cup – behind Bayern. Championship, Cup and Arturo Vidal’s birth- And Dortmund lose their captain Hummels – to day. A highlight came with Thomas Mueller Bayern. “It was an incredibly good time”, said and David Alaba belting out the suitable song a deeply moved Hummels in a speech during for the occasion together with the Austrian the party at Kreuzberg. “I shall miss all the band Seiler & Speer – “Last night was a heavy guys very much. Definitely”. He will earn the one for me.” A drying out period was neces- club a transfer sum of 35 million Euros. sary after the heavy weekend as many of the players had to join their national teams. Tuchel criticised key players because they didn’t want to take penalties That didn’t interest coach Thomas Tuchel much on this for him also a bitter evening. He failed to win his first title as a professional coach, reacted contritely and bad-temperedly Mats Hummels, honoured as a loser at the Berlin final, leaves the podium sadly. After eight and a half years with Dortmund he moves to FC Bayern. Photo: Imago Soccer News # 1/2016 4 on Sunday (May 29, 17.45hrs) will be fiercely follow the recommendations of naming a few competitive. For on May 31, Loew must cut his players who attracted particular attention by number to 23 players for participation at the their strong performances in the final phase of European Championship and hand the list to the season, such as Moenchengladbach’s Andre the European Football Association (UEFA). Con- Hahn. Besides Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski sequently Loew must decide on the four field is another deserving veteran in the squad. It will players who will be discarded. The last test for be the fourth European Championship partici- the final European Championship squad against pation for both the former Munich and Cologne Hungary will take place at Gelsenkirchen at players. 18.00hrs on June 4. Loew dismissed critics who nagged that “Poldi” “We are strong but not invincible” was no longer good enough for the national The hotel Giardino at Ascona. Foto: Getty Images Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) and Lukas Podolski team. The national coach stressed that the Photo: Getty Images “A joint start of the preparations for a tourna- offensive player enjoyed a good season in Istan- News ment has always been our ideal vision”, Loew bul and points out that Podolski plays an impor- pions Andre Schuerrle and Julian Draxler. But explained. “But this situation only came about tant role in the team’s social structure. Loew also Christoph Kramer, the high flyer of two years Countdown to the European through Bayern’s regrettable elimination in the remained faithful to the flagging world cham- ago who showed only average performances Champions League semi-finals”. Only Lukas with Leverkusen, fell by the wayside. Compared Championships for the World Cup Podolski, who still has to play the Turkish Cup to the 2014 World Cup, Loew executed an alter- champions final with Galatasaray Istanbul, and Toni Kroos, nate generation among the goalkeepers. Manuel Champions League finalist with Real Madrid, Neuer remains the number one, of course, but need to join the team later. Mario Goetze suf- behind him Bernd Leno replaces Ron-Robert The top hotel on Lago Maggiore, located in the fered a broken rib the day before the Cup final Zieler and Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen southern-most part of Switzerland and the Ital- between FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. supersedes Roman Weidenfeller. ian-speaking zone covering the entire canton of But Loew is quite confident that the scorer of Ticino, will be reached by a 40 km bus journey. the winning goal in the World Cup final will be Loew and his assistant Thomas Schneider have Some of the older German internationals and quickly fit again – thanks mainly to the excellent contrived the training schedules meticulously; many staff of the German Football Association treatment by the DFB’s medical department.