Weekend Warm-up: Return of the King — Could Bayern Munich bring Kingsley Coman back?; Throwing it back to Deep Purple; Bundesliga predictions; and MORE!

If we know anything about Bayern Munich’s front office, it is that the bosses collectively love the team’s wingers.

Leroy Sane? Serge Gnabry? Kingsley Coman? All beloved players to the front office and all players who the club would love to continue working with.

Sane is sealed up through 2025 and Gnabry is currently in talks to extend his contract, but Coman’s future is cloudy at best. While the club wants to retain the Frenchman, Coman’s salary demands have been a major obstacle in making it happen.

Depending on who and what you believe, Coman’s salary demands are in the €18 million to €20 million per year range. Other reports have indicated that he is willing to come to the “€15 million to €16 million per year” stratosphere, but that seems iffy at best given how bullish Coman’s camp has been about the money.

For Coman, though, it remains to be seen if he actually wants to go. From a total outsider’s perspective, he has always looked happy at Bayern Munich, but how much is that happiness worth to him? FC Barcelona, Chelsea FC, Liverpool, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City are just some of the clubs that have been linked to Coman of late. The 25-year-old will assuredly not have a lack of suitors.

Coman, though, will have to gauge what is best for himself. His representation, which includes some family members, has made the process with Bayern Munich combative at times, but in many cases of negotiations like this, the true desires of the player are put on the backburner in favor of agents or family members trying to cash out.

Ultimately, though, Coman is eventually going to have to put his pen to paper and decide what is next — and best — for himself. The bright spot for Bayern Munich is that the club should know by the summer transfer window what will happen.

Already with valuable assets like Corentin Tolisso and Niklas Süle as potential free transfers, the Bavarians can ill-afford to risk letting Coman leave for free as well.

Time is ticking, though. Should Coman not reign in his demands — or Bayern Munich not bolster its offer — a move away from Bavaria looks likely for Coman.

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Haaland’s ordeal has to be frustrating for Dortmund fans

It has to be an odd feeling to be a Borussia Dortmund fan these days. The club has a great roster with a good mix of veterans and young players. Among that roster are phenoms such as Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham — and plenty of reasons to be excited.

Haaland, though, has been the elephant in the room. Currently injured, Haaland is probably the most widely-coveted player on the planet. Big, strong, fast, skilled and with a nose for the goal, Haaland is as close to a “New Age Robert Lewandowski” as there is.

Still, the last year for fans has been spent listening to where Haaland might go, rather than what he might do next on the pitch. After months of stories and rumors about where might end up, recent accounts have expressed confidence from the Dortmund brass about retaining the player and even some kind words from Haaland’s dad, Alf-Inge, indicating that BVB is a great place for the Norwegian to be.

It cannot be easy, though, to see all of that potential sitting there and knowing it might bolt. Surely, this happens to all clubs at one point or another, but Haaland’s situation seems more frustrating than most just given his overall level of talent.

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Quick entertainment note

There might not be a more seamless show than Curb Your Enthusiasm. It does not matter how much time they take between seasons, Curb just remains uncomfortably awkward and terrific.

We are only two episodes deep into the new season and it has lived up to the hype so far. The interplay between Larry and Jeff, Larry and Leon, Larry and Susie...basically Larry and whoever is just classic.

This type of permanent tension cannot be matched on-screen.

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Song of the Week: “Perfect Strangers” by Deep Purple

I zipped back to the early-to-mid 80s for a song that captured more late 70s vibes than 80s, but it is great nonetheless. Released on the “Perfect Strangers” album in 1984, this tune of the same name, hits hard at the beginning and maintains a heavy tone throughout.

No doubt, a lot of stoners open up the backdoors of cargo vans and emerged through a cloud of smoke while listening to this as they clung to the genre while nu-wave, heavy metal, and hairbands were emerging.

It is the kind of song that would pretty much never get airplay today — and heck, the sound was even a little too late for when it was released — but it still works. Enjoy:

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ICYMI: The Weekend Warm-up Podcast — Season 1, Episode 24

Here we are...here the bleep we are! It’s the Weekend Warm-up Podcast coming off the heels of a big week for Bayern Munich. After a couple of big wins and just ahead of yet another international break, the Bavarians look like they are back to normal. Here is what we have on tap:

• A quick look at the successes over the past week in downing Union Berlin and Benfica.
• A little frustration about the lack of rotation in some key spots from Julian Nagelsmann.
• Why Marcel Sabitzer should be playing more, even if he hasn’t been great.
• Ditto for Jamal Musiala, who should also be getting more playing time.
• The latest on Niklas Süle’s contract situation and the rumored interest from Newcastle United.

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Predictions

Bayern Munich has looked great in its last two games. Sure, there is some room for improvement on the backline, but the Bavarians look like a force offensively. For as much Christian Streich can help his team give anyone issues (and this match won’t be easy), Bayern Munich is absolutely swarming right now on offense and just looks too difficult to stop at the moment. I think Bayern Munich will concede a goal because Freiburg just seems to be able to give everyone at least some trouble this season, but Die Roten will pull out the three points.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 SC Freiburg

Other Bundesliga predictions include:

• Mainz 05 1-2 Borussia Mönchengladbach
• VfL Bochum 1-3 Hoffenheim
• VfB Stuttgart 1-1 Arminia Bielefeld
• Wolfsburg 3-2 FC Augsburg
• RB Leipzig 2-2 Borussia Dortmund
• Hertha Berlin 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen
• FC Köln 1-2 Union Berlin
• SpVgg Greuther Fürth 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt

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Prediction Records

Last Bundesliga Match Day record: 7-2

Overall Bundesliga record: 45-36

DFB-Pokal record: 1-1

DFL-Supercup record: 1-0

Champions League record: 4-0

Overall record: 51-37

Guest prognosticator record: 0-1 (Cowards)