Daily Schmankerl: Bayern Munich and Juventus eyeing RB Leipzig star

Bayern Munich in pursuit of Emil Forsberg as he quarrels with RB Leipzig (Calciomercato.it via TZ)

According to a report by Calciomercato.it, Bayern Munich is allegedly competing with Juventus Turin and Arsenal for the services of RB Leipzig’s offensive playmaker Emil Forsberg. The Italian online newspaper claims that Forsberg’s relationship with coach Ralph Hasenhüttl has deteriorated and that he is frustrated with his reduced playing time since missing much of the season to a pelvic injury. Forsberg supposedly wants to leave Leipzig at the end of the current season, but is under contract until 2022. What the Italians don't bother to explain, however, is where Forsberg would play at Bayern and indeed whether he fits at all into this team.

Jupp Heynckes criticizes UEFA for Bayern's brutal April schedule (Kicker via AZ)

April is the cruelest month—at least, if you are still competing on three fronts in European soccer. Coach Jupp Heynckes publicly criticized UEFA for handing Bayern an unforgiving schedule of seven games in a single month, one English week after the next. Heynckes accused UEFA of “cramming everything in; previously, we didn't have an English week for weeks. That is not normal.” The scheduling of Bayern's two games against Sevilla is particularly outrageous: the two games take place within eight days of each other, with a regular Bundesliga fixture against Augsburg between them.

Bayern decree that Lewandowski shall not leave—except maybe for a ton of money (Kicker)

News, and yet not news: according to Kicker, Bayern long ago decided that they would not sell Robert Lewandowski. The catch: it is still possible they might give in for a massive bid (in Kicker's words, “ein Mega-Angebot”!) well in excess of €100 mil. So we are back where we started.

“You little pisser!” Mönchengladbach's Max Eberl flips out on Julian Nagelsmann (SportBild)

It’s not always easy to be the youngster in an overweight, middle-aged man’s game. Or something like that. Julian Nagelsmann caught some fire over the weekend during Gladbach’s 3-3 draw with Hoffenheim. After a disputed foul on the pitch, Gladbach’s sporting director Max Eberl, who was linked heavily with Bayern before Hasam Salihamidzic was hired, screamed at Nagelsmann on the sidelines within earshot of the microphones, “You little pisser!” Eberl then held his index finger up under his nose to suggest that Nagelsmann was arrogant (“high-nosed,” hochnasig, in German). The two made amends later, though: Nagelsmann claimed he didn’t notice that Eberl had said anything, and Eberl personally apologized after he cooled down.

Ilkay Gündogan admits that even the players sometimes don’t understand Pep’s tactics (SportBild)

In a delightfully candid comments, Manchester City and German international Ilkay Gündogan described what it is like to play for Pep Guardiola. “Pep Guardiola has a tactical gift that has no equal in the world,” he said. On some occasions, even Guardiola’s own players have no idea how to interpret the tactical instructions he gives them. “Only after we then take the field and see what it does, does a light go on for us.” Gündogan is happy playing for the Catalan and feels he and Guardiola share a similar ideal of how soccer should be played. „Pep Guardiola bringt taktisch eine Gabe mit, die ihresgleichen auf der Welt sucht.”

Jose Mourinho wants James Rodríguez for Manchester United (Don Balolol)

After the Manchester United’s humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of Sevilla, José Mourinho is allegedly plotting the next transfer coup that will restore them to glory: United will sign James Rodriguez! Don Balon claims "everything is in the hands of Real Madrid." Except it isn't! Bayern Munich have a unilateral option to buy James, which they undoubtedly will do, no matter how special he is to the Special One™.

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