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      Jamal Musiala is following in the England footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham and may be the best of the lot

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      JAMAL MUSIALA was not expected to be this good this fast.
      When Bayern Munich poached the then 16-year-old from Chelsea last summer, they saw a raw kid that could continue his development in Miroslav Klose’s Under-17s side.

      ⚠️ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

      Former Chelsea starlet Jamal Musiala is the latest English kid to burst onto the scene in GermanyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Fast forward 17 months and the winger is now both the German giants’ youngest player and scorer in their Bundesliga history.
      His record for the youngest player of 17 years and 115 days beat previous holder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg by a whopping 136 days.
      Musiala has also received his first England Under-21 call-up and could make his debut against Andorra on Friday at Molineux.

      Promoting Musiala up the ranks may be a smart move on Aidy Boothroyd’s part.
      The Three Lions know they have a battle on their hands to prevent the Stuttgart-born starlet from defecting back to Germany, for whom he represented at Under-16 level.
      Bayern boss Hansi Flick, who masterminded last season’s treble, has already recommended the youngster to close mate and Die Mannschaft coach Jogi Low.
      For now though Musiala is another example of an English starlet flourishing in Germany.

      And, following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and former England Under-17 co-captain Jude Bellingham, he is perhaps the best one that you may never have heard of.

      Jadon Sancho has become a regular England starter during his time at Borussia DortmundCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Son to a German mother and Brit-Nigerian father, Musiala moved to the UK aged seven and was spotted by Chelsea scout Graham Castle playing in an Under-8 tournament in Southampton.
      Saints wanted to sign the eight-year-old but Castle, wowed by how “the ball stuck to his feet the whole time”, convinced him to pick the Blues.
      At 11, he attended prestigious, Croydon-based private school Whitgift for three years.
      Their famous sporting alumni include Callum Hudson-Odoi, whose brother Bradley is Musiala’s agent.
      Ex-Crystal Palace forward Andy Martin is Whitgift Director of Football and coached both and recalls how they made the game look “effortless” with their passing, dribbling and control.
      Musiala played as a striker back then, hitting a phenomenal 129 goals in 36 matches across Under-12, Under-13 and Under-14 level.
      Martin told SunSport: “I remember we played a team down in Plymouth in the quarter-finals of a national competition.
      “We travelled down on the day, a five-hour journey for a two o’clock kick-off. Jamal had scored a hat-trick within five minutes.
      “The game ended 10-0 and we called it off with 15 minutes to go so we could get back. That was the mark of the boy. He was absolutely ice cold.

      Jude Bellingham has received his first senior call-up after joining Dortmund in the summerCredit: PA:Press Association

      “There was rarely a game he didn’t score. I remember one game where he didn’t and he was so disappointed he had a few tears after the game.”
      Martin remembers “quiet, well-mannered, unassuming” Musiala being academically strong, excelling at art, English and, of course, languages – while shunning the flash side of being a footballer.
      Musiala, who turned down a three-year Chelsea deal to go to Munich, was called into a senior Bayern training session on May 22 without much fanfare.
      He did enough to earn his debut and be included in the Champions League party to head to Lisbon for the final knockout stages last term, where he impressed though he did not play.
      That has led to eight appearances so far this term, including two goals.
      His only start came in last month’s 3-0 cup win over FC Duren, in which he produced a stunning dribble and shot against the post which Flick lauded afterwards as “cheeky”.
      Bayern have learned to rein in their expectations of young players having seen the likes of Hojbjerg fail to match them. Less pressure could help Musiala.
      Musiala’s emergence at the reigning Champions League winners has justified his decision to turn his back on England’s top league.
      Boothroyd, Gareth Southgate and Co will be hoping that does not extend to the national team too for a player whose rapid progress shows no signs of slowing down.

      Watch ex-Chelsea wonderkid Jamal Musiala become second youngest goalscorer in Germany’s third tier with brace for Bayern Munich II vs FSV Zwickau More

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      Dortmund face losing likes of Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland if they don’t start winning trophies, warns Fjortoft

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      BORUSSIA DORTMUND are in danger of losing the likes of Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland if they don’t start winning trophies, warns Jan Aage Fjortoft.
      Lucien Favre’s side fell to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich at the weekend.

      The 20-year-old duo have flourished together in 2020Credit: AP:Associated Press

      The result saw them fall three points behind Hansi Flick’s champions after seven games.
      And Fjortoft, 53, believes that they are in danger of losing their stars if they don’t start turning good players into silverware.
      He told ESPN: “Viv Anderson said to me, ‘but Jan, it’s quite easy, young kids want to win trophies – that’s why they’re in the game.’
      “One day they will go away, meet each other now at international break and they will say ‘you’re a good team, you have good talent, how many trophies have you got?’

      “I think that is the danger with Dortmund, now having the best Norwegian, the best American, the two best English, although Sancho is not at the moment unfortunately.
      “That is the main challenge for Dortmund, how long can they keep these young kids without winning trophies and the culture needs to be built up.
      “It’s also typical that Bayern [have] got that culture at the moment because they have that winning mentality in there.
      On Dortmund’s chances of ending their title drought this season, Fjortoft was bleak in his assessment.

      Fjortoft fired a warning shot at DortmundCredit: Getty – Contributor

      He added: “The weakest link in that is Favre of course. Favre loves his football, he loves his analysis and he’s a great coach, but at the end of the day, will you take the next step?
      “Are Dortmund closer to Bayern than they were last year? I doubt it.”
      Sancho, 20, was persistently linked with a move to Manchester United over the summer.
      And while BVB held on to their star winger this time around, Liverpool and Real Madrid could be in the financial position to enter the race next year.
      Los Blancos have also been linked with Haaland, 20, who has scored 27 goals in 29 games for Dortmund since joining ten months ago.

      Watch as Dortmund star Haaland is asked if he has a girlfriend in ‘weirdest interview’ that leaves Carragher baffled More

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      Man Utd transfer target Jadon Sancho ‘lacking natural lightness’ and not in ‘top shape’ claim puzzled Dortmund bosses

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      JADON SANCHO is suffering from a dip in form that Borussia Dortmund are struggling to get their heads around.
      Manchester United failed in a summer bid for the England winger, who stayed put in Germany thanks to Borussia’s tough line on his transfer fee.

      ⚠️ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Jadon Sancho is yet to hit top form in 2020-21Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Although Sancho, 20, tallied up goals and assists for fun last season, this year has not followed the same theme.
      The winger has failed to score in the Bundesliga and was subbed off during Borussia’s defeat to Bayern Munich on the weekend.
      Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc was at a loss when explaining how to get Sancho back on form.

      Following the 3-2 defeat, he admitted to Ruhr Nachrichten: “He has had better and more efficient games. He’s lacking a bit of natural lightness at the moment.
      “Of course we speak to him, but it’s not something you can rediscover just by talking.”
      One man being held responsible for Sancho’s struggles is coach Lucien Favre.

      Many in Germany believe the 63-year-old has taken Borussia as far as he can and his star’s decline is described as showcasing his inability to harness truly top talents.

      Speaking ahead of the Bundesliga side’s midweek win over Zenit, in which Sancho scored, Favre insisted that Sancho cannot be expected to perform perfectly every week.
      The Swiss boss said: “Every player has slow periods.
      “There was a lot of talk about Jadon in the summer, something like that can also have an influence.
      “But no player is consistently in top form for a year, that’s impossible. You have to accept that.”
      Questions have been asked over Sancho’s state of mind since his move to Old Trafford fell through.

      Lucien Favre is the man charged with turning around Sancho’s woesCredit: AFP or licensors

      Borussia sporting director Michael Zorc has aired his concerns over the winger’s formCredit: Getty – Contributor
      United were told to pay £108million for the youngster and the Red Devils will reportedly come back with a fresh bid next year.
      However, several rival teams will be interested – reportedly including Liverpool and Bayern.
      And Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has accepted that the pandemic continues to make the transfer market incredibly unpredictable.
      He stated last month: “We could have made a big, valuable transfer in the summer, that’s well known.

      “But we’re glad it didn’t come to this.
      “Of course, we will also implement transfers again in the future, because Covid is clearly throwing us back.
      “Even the biggest clubs are feeling the effects of the pandemic, be it Bayern, Barcelona or Real Madrid.
      “At some point you come to the limit of what you can answer for. You can even see that in Munich right now with David Alaba as an example.”

      Watch former Man Utd wonderkid Angel Gomes scores brilliant solo goal to continue stunning form for new club Boavista More

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      World Cup hero Mario Gotze in line for stunning Germany recall after three years exile following PSV Eindhoven transfer

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      WORLD CUP hero Mario Gotze has been offered a Germany lifeline by manager Joachim Low.
      Gotze, who scored the winner against Argentina in 2014, has not played for his country in three years.

      Mario Gotze has been offered a Germany lifeline by manager Joachim LowCredit: Action Images – Reuters

      But after a successful summer move to PSV Eindhoven in Holland, the 28-year-old could be in line for a recall.
      Low told Sports Buzzer: “We don’t lose sight of him, of course. He looks very fresh and very agile, the joy can be seen in him.
      “He needs that for his light-footedness, for his variability.”
      Despite glory in Brazil, Gotze struggled to hold down a regular position in the Bayern Munich squad after joining in 2013.

      As a result, he returned to Borussia Dortmund in 2016 where he enjoyed more game time despite picking up injuries throughout.
      He managed just six starts last season before deciding to leave the club for a second time, later joining PSV on a free transfer.
      Gotze has played six times this season, all out on the wing, scoring three times.

      Gotze signed for PSV this summer Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Low admitted the weight of expectation on the playmaker has caused his form to suffer in the past.

      He said: “Everything was always focused on him. He had a backpack on with the 2014 goal, which must have been a heavy burden.
      “That’s why I’m happy for him that he has started so well in Eindhoven.”

      Borussia Dortmund legend Mario Gotze joins PSV on free transfer as World Cup winner signs two-year contract More

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      Arsenal ace Lisa Evans recalls crazy celebrations with Bayern Munich aces like Ribery after lifting Bundesliga title

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      LISA EVANS has lifted the lid on boozy celebrations with the likes of Franck Ribery after Bayern Munich men and women won the Bundesliga title in 2016.
      The Scotland international, 28, switched to Arsenal in the summer of 2017 and has been there ever since.

      Arsenal aces Lisa Evans and Vivianne Miedema lifting the Bundesliga trophy with the German club after the 2015/16 season

      Frank Ribery and David Alaba in traditional German lederhosen in 2016Credit: AFP or licensors

      The men’s and women’s celebrated on the Rathaus balcony in MunichCredit: Alamy Live News

      She lifted the 2015/16 Bundesliga trophy with Bayern women and with the men’s side, who also won the title that year, on the Rathaus balcony in Munich city centre.
      The women were dressed in traditional German dresses known as, dirndl, while rubbing shoulders with the likes of Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben.
      Evans told the Adidas X podcast: “Basically we had won the German Bundesliga with Bayern and the women always celebrate with the men’s team.
      “They call it the German Rathaus in Munich and we got all our German dress on, so the men were in lederhosen and the women wear a dress.

      “We were on the town hall with the men we all got assigned a men’s player and I remember walking out the town house with Ribery.
      “And I was like, Franck Ribery, like this is actually not real. This is not real like this is surreal.

      Pep Guardiola won his third consecutive league title with the Bavarians in 2016Credit: EPA

      Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title in 2016 for a fourth year in a rowCredit: AFP or licensors

      “It was the most crazy thing ever we walked out on the balcony and it was just like tens of thousands of Munich fans all cheering and throwing beers.
      “I was like what is ‘what is life?’ I was pinching myself in that moment.

      “They had such a good team back in the day, it was amazing to be a part of that whole thing.”
      Bayern men clinched an historic fourth consecutive Bundesliga title under manager Pep Guardiola at the time – extending their own record to 26 in 2016.
      Guardiola left the the club to manage Manchester City in the summer that year having won the title in all three of his seasons in Munich.

      Bayern Munich physio slips and falls over during Champions League tie with Locomotiv Moscow More

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      Watch ex-Newcastle star Valentino Lazaro score phenomenal scorpion kick that ‘could win Puskas Award’

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      FORMER Newcastle loanee Valentino Lazaro scored a phenomenal scorpion kick that should see him in contention to win the Puskas Award.
      The versatile wide man, 24, finished in emphatic style for his first goal on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach from Inter Milan.

      Valentino Lazaro scored arguably the goal of the season with his flying scorpion kick against Bayer LeverkusenCredit: Reuters

      With his side trailing 4-2 to Bayer Leverkusen deep into injury time, Patrick Herrmann swung in a pacey cross from the right.
      Matthias Ginter desperately tried to get on the end of it but missed the ball with his header.
      That allowed Lazaro to instinctively throw his right leg out behind him and flick in sensationally into the far corner with his heel, leaving Bayer pair Sven Bender and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky bamboozled.
      The commentator compared the brilliant goal to Olivier Giroud’s for Arsenal against Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day in 2017, which won the Puskas Award with 36 per cent of the vote.

      But he reckoned Lazaro’s was better due to the pace on the ball from the cross.
      Fans were left in awe as they watched the Bundesliga belter.
      One said: “Far better than Giroud’s.”
      Another replied: “You’ve just made my day.”

      The Austrian made the cleanest of connections with his right heel deep into injury timeCredit: Reuters

      The ball flew into the far corner and is surely a contender for the Puskas AwardCredit: Reuters

      And a third added: “That really is an absolute beauty!”
      But a couple of cheeky Newcastle fans complained they didn’t see that from Lazaro during his time at St. James’ last season.
      The Austrian made 15 appearances under Steve Bruce, scoring in a 4-1 league win at Bournemouth and against West Brom in the FA Cup.
      One wrote: “Shame he couldn’t do that at Newcastle.”
      Another Toon supporter quipped: “Must of learnt that from Joelinton last year ha.”

      Fans compared the finish to Olivier Giroud’s effort against Crystal Palace in 2017Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      Daniel Zsori wins FIFA Puskas goal of the year for stunning, last-gasp overhead kick winner on his debut aged 18 More

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      England and Germany set to fight over Bayern Munich prodigy Jamal Musiala who has starred since leaving Chelsea academy

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      ENGLAND and Germany are set for an international tug-of-war over Bayern Munich’s former Chelsea prospect Jamal Musiala.
      The 17-year-old winger is joining up with the Three Lions’ Under-21 squad next week.

      England and Germany are set for an international tug-of-war over Bayern Munich’s Jamal MusialaCredit: Getty

      But the Daily Mail claims he is also due to be invited to train with Germany.
      Musiala is one of the hottest young prospects in the Bundesliga after a major breakthrough at the Champions League holders.
      He has scored twice in his seven appearances already this campaign.
      The teen was born in Stuttgart to a Nigerian father and a German mother but the family moved to England when he was a child. 

      That means he is also eligible for the African nation but is likely to opt for either the Three Lions or Germany.
      Musiala signed for Chelsea as a schoolboy but left the Blues for Bayern at 16.
      He has British citizenship and has played for both Germany and England at age-group levels, and also speaks both languages fluently.
      Fifa rules state a player has not committed his international allegiance until he plays in a competitive fixture for the senior team.

      England will be boosted by the fact he accepted their U21s call.
      But Gareth Southgate and his youth coaches at the FA will be expecting a response from their German counterparts.
      And he will reportedly receive a call to their U21s in the next international break in 2021.

      Watch ex-Chelsea wonderkid Jamal Musiala become second youngest goalscorer in Germany’s third tier with brace for Bayern Munich II vs FSV Zwickau More

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      Dortmund vs Bayern Munich FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for TODAY’S Bundesliga derby

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      DORTMUND host Bayern Munich as two German giants go head-to-head in a crunch Bundesliga clash.
      The visitors are chasing a ninth-straight title and arrive in great form having won their last four games on the bounce.

      Erling Haaland continues to score at will for club and countryCredit: AFP or Licensors

      BVB are hot on their heels though and can go top with victory, with Lucien Favre’s side on the back of four consecutive clean sheets.
      When is Dortmund vs Bayern?
      What TV channel is Dortmund vs Bayern Munich on and can I live stream it?
      You can catch this crucial Bundesliga clash live on BT Sport 1.
      Coverage will begin at 5pm.
      BT Sport subscribers can watch on the official app, which also includes the option to pause and rewind the action.

      And EE phone customers can watch for FREE – text SPORT to 150 for a free three-month BT Sport mobile trial.

      What is the team news?
      Dortmund are sweating on the fitness of former Bayern centre-back Mats Hummels.
      Emre Can is out with coronavirus, while Marcel Schmelzer has a knee complaint.
      Alphonso Davies is out until at least December, while Leon Goretzka has a calf complaint.

      Match odds
      Dortmund to win – 11/4
      Draw – 3/1
      Bayern victory – 4/5
      Both teams to score – 4/11
      *All odds from Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication.

      RED HOT ROBERT
      He just loves playing against his old team.

      GOOD EVENING
      Welcome to our live blog of Dortmund vs Bayern Munich.
      Both sides come into this evening’s game with identical records, winning five and losing one in the league so far this season.
      RB Leipzig are currently top of the table, but have played a game more than Bayern and Dortmund, and are just a point ahead, meaning a win for either side tonight will take them to the top of the Bundesliga.
      Bayern Munich have the better recent history in Der Klassiker, winning the last three meetings between the sides, and six of the last seven.
      Bayern have also won their last four games, as they chase a ninth successive Bundesliga title this season.
      Dortmund too come into the game in fine form, having kept a clean sheet in their last four.
      Both sides boast a world class striker in their ranks, with Robert Lewandowski scoring ten Bundesliga goals already this season for Dortmund, and Erling Haaland bagging five so far for Dortmund.
      In team news, Emre Can is missing due to Coronavirus and Marcel Schmelzer has a knock to his knee.
      Mats Hummels is also a doubt for the home side.
      For Bayern Alphonso Davies is out until at least December, while Leon Goretzka has a calf complaint.
      Kick off is at 5.30pm and team news will follow shortly.

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