Daily Schmankerl: Would João Palhinha have disrupted the locker room at Bayern Munich? We might find out soon enough; Manchester City’s plan to keep Erling Haaland away from Real Madrid; Thomas Tuchel sad to lose Benjamin Pavard; Mo Salah out?; & MORE!

Hamann says Palhinha might have disrupted Bayern locker room (Sport Witness)

When Bayern Munich’s pursuit of João Palhinha failed, there are some who think it might have been all for the better — including noted pundit Didi Hamann.

Hamann thinks the rampant talk of how the club needed a new midfielder might affect the leadership structure within the group:

Bayern Munich’s failed late bid for Fulham midfielder João Palhinha could end up causing problems in the dressing room. That’s according to Didi Hamann, who believes some of the more senior players in Bayern’s dressing room will be asking questions about the pursuit of the Portuguese midfielder.

The deal, like several for Bayern at the end of the window, failed to go through, leading to plenty of questions being raised inside the club and outside by fans, journalists and pundits alike.

Hamman has now shared his thoughts on the matter and believes the failed transfer will be causing plenty of debate in the Bayern dressing room.

“Tuchel has denied the ability of all his sixes and eights. He said he doesn’t have a defensive midfielder,” he said on Sky Sports. “Now the club is ready to pay 65 million euros for a player from Fulham! Not from Manchester United or Barcelona, ​​from Fulham! What is a Kimmich, a Laimer, a Guerreiro, whoever, thinking? You need a hierarchy. If you don’t have a hierarchy in the team, you have nothing. Should Kimmich say something in the dressing room now: Is anyone else listening? I don’t know. That’s the biggest problem.”

Hamann’s primary point could be correct — adding a player like Palhinha could have created some tension given that both Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are both in the team’s leadership group. However, that will be a problem for another day. The failure to get Palhinha might have given the squad a clue for what might be coming in the winter transfer window, but it should not affect how any player is viewed within the locker room...at least not yet.

Tuchel laments losing versatile Pavard (Sempre Inter)

If there was any one person who took the loss of Benjamin Pavard to Inter Milan hard, it was manager Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel appreciated the versatility that the Frenchman brought to the table:

Thomas Tuchel admits that the sale of Benjamin Pavard to Inter Milan is “like losing two players” for Bayern Munich.

Speaking in a press conference after the Bavarians beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, as reported by FCInterNews, the German gave a frank assessment of the departure of the Frenchman to the Nerazzurri.

“In attack we have virtually two players in every position,” Tuchel noted. “But then in defense, it’s different. We had Laimer covering at right-back in the second half, and then he even risked a second yellow card. In losing Benjamin Pavard, it’s like losing a player in two positions.”

Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 3, Episode 8 (Bavarian Football Works)

So the Champions League draw is official aaaaand ... Bayern Munich will face Manchester United and two others in the 2023 group stage. Okay, that’s being unfair to Copenhagen and Galatasaray, but that really is the first thing you think when you see a group like this.

Beyond that, there is the news that João Palinha is on his way over from Fulham (transfer pending) and to finance the deal, Benjamin Pavard is headed to Inter Milan (confirmed) and Ryan Gravenberch is on the verge of a move to Liverpool FC (less than confirmed). Given the 40 minute Zoom time limit for meetings, we had to rush to fit all the topics in this time:

• What can Bayern Munich expect in the Champions League group stages this year?
• Do we expect any threat from Man United?
• How many Bundesliga teams will make it to the next round of the UCL?
• Is João Palinha really on his way to Bayern Munich ... and for HOW MUCH?
• Why Ryan Gravenberch never worked out for this club.
• The final word on the Benjamin Pavard deal and the implications of not getting a replacement.
• Can Christoph Freund be the guy to turn around Bayern’s failing youth system?

Ulreich gives Neuer update (Tz via @iMiaSanMia)

Sven Ulreich has three wins so far during this Bundesliga season, and has also assumed the role of spokesperson for rehabbing teammate Manuel Neuer.

“The last few weeks have been excellent for Manu. Things are looking good. Manu is making a good impression. Of course you can’t predict when he’ll be back. He’s doing a good job of not putting any pressure on himself. I’m happy when I get to play. If he waits another 2-3 weeks, that would be nice,” Ulreich said with a laugh.

There was some concern about how Ulreich would handle the situation, but he has been very solid as the starter for Bayern Munich.

City launches counter-strike on Madrid pursuit of Haaland (Daily Star via 90Min.com)

Rumors are swirling that Real Madrid will make a strong push to get Erling Haaland next summer, and Manchester City might be ready to try and counter that attack with a massive salary offer to the Norwegian:

Manchester City have been tipped to offer Erling Haaland a base salary of £600,000 per week to keep him and the club and stop a future move to Real Madrid.

This is really one of the few cases where the player is worth that kind of money.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Postgame Show — Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-2 Bayern Munich (Bavarian Football Works)

The Gladbach curse is finally gone as Bayern Munich faced Borussia Mönchengladbach and won 2-1. It took the Bavarians three (!) years and multiple managerial changes, but the win is truly sweet.

Here are our talking points from the game:

• The lineup and its implications
• Gladbach’s defensive nature and the first goal
• The Bavarians and their lethargic tactics
• Where it all changed — the goals from Leroy Sané and Mathys Tel
• The system has failed Harry Kane and Thomas Müller
• Praise for Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sané, Konrad Laimer and Mathys Tel
• Tuchel’s tactics — myth or mystery?
• Worries about squad depth — the bench isn’t good enough
• Concluding thoughts

Salah’s future still murky at LFC (Daily Mirror via 90Min.com)

Mo Salah’s future with Liverpool FC is in major doubt. While there is some speculation that he could still move on before the transfer window closes in Saudi Arabia, it has become assumed that this would be Salah’s final season in England regardless:

Jürgen Klopp has accepted that Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool for Saudi Arabia, but hopes a potential £200m bid from Al Ittihad expected before the country’s own transfer deadline will be rejected so that it isn’t this year.

According to The Sun, Salah was not called to the Egyptian national team because of the uncertainty surrounding his future:

Mohamed Salah hasn’t been called up by Egypt for the September international break as he weighs up his club future.

Dreesen hints that Bayern will move for Palhinha in January (@iMiaSanMia)

When quizzed about the transfer collapse that prevented Fulham FC midfielder João Palhinha from joining Bayern Munich on Friday, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen gave a statement that sounded like the situation was not dead.

“He was extremely sad (on Friday). He would’ve liked to stay (in Munich). But as we say: most of the time, you see each other twice in life,” Dreesen remarked.

A future move could be in play for the Bavarians and Palhinha.

Kimmich, Nübel recognized for effort (kicker via @iMiaSanMia)

Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich and loanee Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart) were named to German outlet kicker’s Bundesliga Team of the Week: