Daily Schmankerl: Franck Ribery to join Salernitana?; Mario Mandzukic retires; Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich and Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus talk Germany; Erling Haaland to England?; and MORE!

Mandzukic retired from football (@FabrizioRomano)

Former Bayern Munich target man Mario Mandzukic has officially retired from football.

Mandzukic’s career has been unstable since parting ways with Juventus back in January of 2020. Since then, the Croatian star had stints with Al-Duhail SC and AC Milan.

And while he might have had a couple of offers on the table, Mandzukic decided it was the right time to call it a career:

ICYMI: Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 1, Episode 15

With another crazy week in the books for Bayer Munich and Germany, we are here to recap all of the action. With the summer transfer window closing, an international break kicking off, and Bayern Munich’s strong effort last weekend, there is plenty of news for the Bayern Munich fanbase to discuss:

Here is what we have on tap for this week’s episode:

• Bayern Munich’s dominant effort against Hertha Berlin.
• The continued excellence of Jamal Musiala.
• The transfer deadline: Who came in and who failed to make it out?
• How and where Marcel Sabitzer might fit under Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich.
• First impressions of what Germany looked like under Hansi Flick and why the fan base might need to relax a bit.

Reus, Kimmich discuss Germany effort vs. Liechtenstein (RTL via @iMiaSanMia)

As Germany prepares to face off with Armenia, Marco Reus reflected on the squad’s effort against Liechtenstein.

“The opponent sat very deep, almost at their goal, so it was so tough to get through them. The last passes didn’t quite go through. But we’ll take the three points and go again on Sunday,” Reus said.

Joshua Kimmich also acknowledged that Liechtenstein made things difficult for the Germans.

“It was a tough game. The opponent defended very deep. We had many chances but didn’t take the big ones. Ultimately we have to take the 2-0 win,” said Kimmich.

Disgusting (@FarFarrAway)

As you might have imagined, the Philadelphia area caught the remnants of Hurricane Ida and took in some severe weather including flooding and tornados.

It was crazy to say the least.

This video below — aside of the absolutely disgusting state of the water — shows a couple of key things:

1. That dude needs to go to a hospital ASAP or at least have his friends douse him with gasoline and light him up to kill the bacteria now attached to him.
2. This is not a bridge...it’s the 22nd St. overpass that resides over the Vine St. Expressway (i-676). It has a clearance of 13.1 ft (roughly four meters).

The Schuylkill (don’t even attempt to say it) River overflowed and, well, things got really messy.

Philly will absolutely — and undeniably — always Philly...even when dealing with natural disasters.

Wenger says Haaland is likely headed to England (Transfer Market Web)

Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland is almost definitely leaving his club next summer, but where he ends up is anyone’s guess. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks the Norwegian is headed to England:

Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, believes that Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland would ultimately come to England. This week, Haaland has been connected with Real Madrid.

“I believe this will happen,” Wenger told BILD. The Premier League is a financially powerful league. English football dominates because there is a lot of money and the best footballers are always looking for the best opportunity to earn as much as possible. Haaland will be the next high-profile scorer after Mbappe, Erling is very talented. His ambitions, desire to score and fight for the ball speak for themselves. He wants to win, he has the qualities to become a great forward.”

Haaland has been of interest for most club as the player is on form this season and has helped Dortmund be on winning ways.

Ribery to join Salernitana? (Football Italia)

With Bayern Munich not an option, Franck Ribery could join newly promoted Salernitana:

Former Bayern Munich and Fiorentina winger Franck Ribery is reportedly on the verge of joining newly promoted Salernitana. The veteran seems set to stay in Serie A and can sign with the Granata outside of the transfer market due to his status as a free agent.

Ribery left the Artemio Franchi after the 2020-21 season and has been without a club since the end of June. The 38-year-old trained with Bayern Munich during the summer and has been linked with clubs in Serie A, including Hellas Verona. But SportItalia journalist Alfredo Pedulla reveals he is on the verge of joining Salernitana and is only formalities away from completing the move.

ICYMI: Bavarian Podcast Works: Preview Show — Germany vs. Armenia (Bavarian Football Works)

With Germany winning against Liechtenstein, Hansi Flick is off to a strong start in his stint as the national team coach. Now, the Germans are set to host Armenia, who currently sit at the top of Group J. With Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer set to return for this one, we hope to see Hansi continue experimenting with his lineup to find the right combination before the next World Cup.

Here are the talking points before the game:

• How missing Thomas Muller hurts Germany right now.
• The search for a striker and why the false 9 system is a stopgap.
• Hansi out to prove that Timo Werner and Kai Havertz should’ve been signed by Bayern.
• Why Robin Gosens could be replaced on the lineup.
• Some experiments to look forward to.