Bundesliga

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski set a new Bundesliga single-season record by scoring his 41st goal during Saturday's match against Augsburg.

Robert Lewandowski's 41 goals is the most EVER scored in a Bundesliga season 💥 pic.twitter.com/HtPFtdR2Ia

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 22, 2021

Lewandowski corralled a rebound in the 90th minute and used some fancy footwork to create space before sliding the ball into the net to set the new standard in a 5-2 win:

THERE IT IS!!!

LEWANDOWSKI'S RECORD-BREAKING GOAL 🔥

AMAZING! pic.twitter.com/HOdzJ4A2eH

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 22, 2021

The 32-year-old Poland international shared the record with former Bayern star Gerd Muller, who held the three highest totals—40 in 1971-72, 38 in 1969-70 and 36 in 1972-73—before the dominant campaign from Lewandowski, who broke the mark in the final match of the term.

It's the fourth straight season and the sixth time in the past eight years Lewandowski finished atop the Bundesliga's scoring list, a run that includes time with both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.

Simply the Best.#LewanGO41ski pic.twitter.com/81rKpkAPM2

— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) May 22, 2021

The Bavarians had long locked up the domestic title before Saturday's fixture, finishing 13 points ahead of second-place RB Leipzig in the table, so Lewandowski's pursuit of the record represented the only major drama heading into the last match.

Lewandowski commented on Muller after he tied the mark of 40 last Saturday:

"It's a great honor. For me, but also for the modern history of the Bundesliga in Germany. That makes me happy. It was a legendary record that lasted for a long time. What Gerd Muller did was incredible. I never thought that I could manage to have a record with him. I am very proud and still can't believe it. I still need some time. The record belongs to the whole team. Not only my name is on the list, but that of the whole team."

Muller still holds the all-time Bundesliga mark with 365 career goals.

Along with the 41 goals, Lewandowski picked up seven assists in 29 league matches this season. He added five goals in six Champions League appearances.

Bayern also secured trophies from the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and DFL-Supercup throughout the 2020-21 season.

Mino Raiola, the agent for Erling Haaland, said Saturday the Borussia Dortmund striker's price tag won't be prohibitive for some of Europe's top clubs in the summer transfer window.

Raiola confirmed to AS' Marco Ruiz that Dortmund has told him it's not interested in a sale, but he believes European giants Real Madrid, among others, can certainly afford the likely massive transfer fee to convince the Bundesliga side to let him go.

When asked if the La Liga outfit could make an acceptable bid for the Norwegian, Raiola said: "I don't know if they can afford him, because I've haven't studied their books. But I think they can. I think they all can. The question is different: Can Madrid afford not to buy Haaland? And Barca?"

Haaland will be one of the most coveted players available this summer if Dortmund eases from its stance about trying to keep him, a decision that may be directly related to how much opposing clubs can offer considering the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Raiola explained to Ruiz that Dortmund's lack of interest in a sale hasn't stopped the European giants like Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid from lining up for talks after the 2020-21 season:

"Haaland is interested in two things. Scoring goals, because he's a little bit like Cristiano or Zlatan...it's his obsession, in a positive way. And winning titles. No doubt he'll pick somewhere where he feels those two things go together best for him. It's really hard to lie. When a club like Barcelona or Real Madrid comes in for you, with so much history and being such a big club, it's hard to say no. PSG is getting into his group of big clubs, City is trying, Juve have always been there. The league they play in is important too. PSG plays in the worst league of the big clubs. Bayern are in an attractive league, but we know they always win it. In Spain there are three clubs with a chance."

Haaland has been in peak form for much of the term for Dortmund. He's recorded 35 goals and seven assists in 34 appearances between the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

The 20-year-old Norway international has firmly established himself as one of the world's most dynamic attackers, and he'd provide an instant boost to any frontline in Europe.

Raiola noted whenever Haaland becomes available for transfer, whether it's this summer or in the future, it won't be a matter of simply which club offers the most money.

"No, no...my job is to maximize the economic performance of the player, but it needs to be a major project," he told Ruiz. "You can't buy a footballer without having a plan or a project for the future. Real Madrid and Barcelona have changed a lot in this sense. They had an era when they bought players who had little future. They had to leave soon after. The rotation of players was too quick."

The agent, who also works for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and others, added Haaland hasn't provided any preferences about the league or club where he wants to land, and it's best to compile a list of potential suitors and then let the player go through the process from there.

For now, the standout striker is focused on trying to help Dortmund earn a Champions League berth. BVB are two points behind Wolfsburg and one point behind Eintracht Frankfurt for the final two UCL spots out of the Bundesliga with three matches remaining.

But first, the club hosts the DFB-Pokal semifinal against Holstein Kiel on Saturd

Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick told reporters after his club's 3-2 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday that he would be stepping down from his post after the season. 

"I told the team today that I informed the club during the week, after the game in Paris, I would like to terminate my contract at the end of the season," he said. 

All indications are that Flick will become the next manager of the German national team, according to football journalist Fabrizio Romano:

After the official announcement of his decision about Bayern future, Hansi Flick is now set to become the new coach of German National Team after the Euros, when Joachim Löw will leave the job. 🇩🇪 #Bayern

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 17, 2021

Flick, 56, has been in charge of Bayern since November 2019, leading the team to Bundesliga, Champions League and German Cup triumphs in the 2019-20 campaign. 

This year has been more of a struggle, with the Bavarian powerhouse bowing out in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and losing in the second round of the German Cup to second-tier side Holstein Kiel, though the team sits atop the Bundesliga table after 29 games played and holds a comfortable seven-point cushion over RB Leipzig. 

Alex Richards of the Mirror reported that Flick "has fallen out with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic" over the club's transfer business, specifically the departure of midfielder Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool and the failure to sign a backup for star striker Robert Lewandowski.

As for who might replace him at Bayern, Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann is believed to be the frontrunner:

Outside bet? Southampton's Ralph Hasenhüttl.

— Stefan Bienkowski (@SBienkowski) April 17, 2021

It'll be interesting to see how appealing Flick makes that Bayern job look in the summer. Kovac has already came out and criticised the situation. Rummenigge leaving also another blow. Does an ambitious coach want to work under Salihamidzic/Kahn after this mess?

— Stefan Bienkowski (@SBienkowski) April 17, 2021

Flick has had a fantastic—if brief—run at Bayern Munich. His shoes will be big ones to fill, though a club of Bayern's stature should be able to land its preferred replacement. 

The West German FA (WDFV) is drawing criticism for requiring a Borussia Monchengladbach under-23 coach train the women's team as a form of punishment, according to ESPN's Stephan Uersfeld. 

Uersfeld wrote Heiko Vogel was banned for two matches for "unsporting behaviour" toward the officials during a U23 match in January. As a consequence, he received a €1,500 fine and was ordered to coach a women's or girl's team for six training sessions.

German football journalist Nicole Selmer explained the obvious issue with the decision.

"It shows that at whatever level women and girls play football, they are not taken as serious as men and boys," Selmer said. "This punishment for the Gladbach coach puts coaching a women's team on a level with social work. But it's not like that. Women's football is a sport, and those who participate in it are as professional as their male counterparts.

"If you strip away everything and give it to them they have good intentions, it is still sending a fatal message, as coaching a women's or girls' team is part of a punishment for a misconduct."

The WDFV declined to comment, telling Uersfeld the ruling was "pending litigation."

The Gladbach women sit third in the northern group of Germany's second division. They're unbeaten through two matches and play Cloppenburg on Sunday.

Vogel has completed his two-match ban and will be back coaching the U23 team on Saturday.

Bayern Munich announced left back Alphonso Davies is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a ligament injury in his right ankle during Saturday's match against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Davies was injured and removed from the fixture after just three minutes. He was replaced by Lucas Hernandez. Bayern won 5-0.

The 19-year-old Canada international was making his first start since Oct. 15 against Duren in the DFB-Pokal. Hernandez was in the starting XI for a Bundesliga win over Arminia Bielefeld and a Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid.

Bayern manager Hansi Flick said the lineup change wasn't as much a demotion for Davies as it was a chance for the teenage sensation to "recharge."

"For a young player like Alphonso Davies, it's not easy due to the sheer number of games last season and the short preseason," Flick told reporters. "We've deliberately given him the time to recharge—mentally and physically—and that's what he's been doing."

Teammate Thomas Muller wished the defender the best during his recovery:

All the best, @AlphonsoDavies #ComeBackStronger #phonzy #FCBayern https://t.co/lRtFWnx61g

— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) October 24, 2020

Hernandez should draw a vast majority of the starts at left back over the next two months.

Davies is a strong bet to regain his starting role once healthy.

Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz are expected to be the two biggest transfers of this summer⁠—but how close are we getting to their moves?

A report in Bild (per Daily Mail) suggests Borussia Dortmund are setting a deadline of August 10 for a deal to be struck over Sancho, with Manchester United expected to make an offer.

Bayer Leverkusen's Havertz is beginning to push for the exit door, and his future will become more clear over the next fortnight. Chelsea appear to be in the driving seat, but how can they seal the deal⁠—and why are they chasing him?

Here, with help from sources in England and Germany, we break down how the two deals are looking right now.

                

Jadon Sancho

Mason Greenwood's emergence as an option on the right side of United's attack has been a major bonus for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since the restart. He's going to be a big part of the club's future, but he is also expected to become a centre-forward in the coming seasons, so his great form has not deterred their pursuit of Sancho.

After a run of 17 games undefeated, Solskjaer is in a strong position to direct the United board and owners on what the team needs to reach the next level, and sources insist that a new elite attacker is the priority.

Ideally, that man is Sancho. They have put in plenty of work on background and character checks, and they believe he would add an X-factor to their squad that will push them closer to competing with Liverpool and Manchester City.

The issue is how much they are prepared to pay.

Reports last week suggested United value him at £50 million, but that is not true. Ideally, the club would not want to be spending more than that amount because of the uncertainty over next season—specifically whether they will be playing UEFA Champions League football and when fans will return.

But realistically, there is an awareness that there is no chance of signing a player like Sancho for £50 million, even with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the transfer market.

One source, who is not directly involved with the deal but works as an intermediary in the game, suggested to B/R that we could try to predict what the eventual fee will be based on what we know so far.

"We know United will have to pay more than £50 million, but also they will not meet his £118 million valuation under any circumstances," the insider told B/R.

"United won't want to break their transfer record at this strange economic time, so any offers in advance of the £89 million they paid for Paul Pogba are unlikely. Yet last summer they paid £80 million for Harry Maguire, so Dortmund can use that as leverage to how the club values key first-team players."

Sancho, with his goals and assists, has an added premium—so perhaps we are looking at around £85 million, which converts to approximately €95 million, as the sort of figure that might make this deal possible.

That would make him Dortmund's second-most expensive departure in history, behind Ousmane Dembele, who left for £112 million to join Barcelona.

Other sources say agents fees need to be considered as part of the Sancho agreement. When negotiations move forward, that will be one of the elements that might be used to drive up the price.

Whether or not the deal happens might come down to the player himself. United know Sancho has a strong desire to sign for them, and he might need to make that clear to keep the price at a level that United are willing to pay.

           

Kai Havertz

Chelsea have identified this as a perfect time to sign Havertz⁠—particularly because of the potential lack of competition for his signature.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have both had interest in the player but will struggle to come up with a suitable financial package at the moment. Bayern Munich want him but can't do the deal until next year after agreeing to sign Leroy Sane⁠, who was their top target for this window.

Havertz wants to leave Bayer Leverkusen, so the Premier League has become a much more realistic option than was expected four months ago, with Chelsea the club making their interest most known.

It seems strange given they have already signed Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, and they also have a lot of other options in the forward positions.

But sources indicated to B/R that it could be due to the fact that manager Frank Lampard is frustrated with Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The player recently signed a big new contract and was expected to become a poster boy at Stamford Bridge, but in recent times there have been concerns about his attitude, Chelsea insiders say.

It has opened the door for them to consider signing another star forward in the 21-year-old Havertz.

The player has two years remaining on his contract but is seeking a transfer this summer, with Leverkusen looking for €100 million if he is to go.

Chelsea are going to sell up to six players this summer, which will help Lampard shape his squad for next summer.

Matt Law of the Telegraph reported Havertz is keen on the prospect of joining Chelsea.

Negotiations between the Blues and Leverkusen are expected to move forward in the next week, with Chelsea officials hoping they can convince the German club to drop their price expectations.   

The Bundesliga is over for another season, and once the DFB-Pokal final between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen ends on Saturday, attention will turn to the summer transfer window.

This year, the structure is different. In Germany, the window will open for a single day on Wednesday to allow player registrations for agreements already made. 

After that, it will reopen for new business on July 15 and stay open until October 5.

It means the transfer window will stretch into the new season, which is expected to begin in September, and that will also be the case across other European leagues.

Because their season is over, German clubs can get a head start on most rival teams on recruitment for 2020/21. Here we take a look at the biggest deals we can expect to hear about over the coming weeks and months.

          

BAYERN MUNICH

Leroy Sane

This has been more complicated than originally expected because Bayern have been testing the market with a lowball offer for Sane. At the beginning of the year, he was valued at close to £100 million by Man City, but now Bayern have been willing to pay around half that amount.

The transfer looked like dragging on because City wanted more, though sources told B/R it was expected to eventually happen.

And on Tuesday the story accelerated as it became clear Sane's five-year deal is finally going ahead.

Bayern could yet bring in extra money if Thiago Alcantara leaves, which could be put towards the Sane deal. Thiago has so far refused to sign a new contract.

          

Sergino Dest

The Bundesliga champions are looking for a new option at right-back to challenge Benjamin Pavard, and sources say Dest is the top choice.

An agreement is not yet close, mainly due to the fact Bayern have tried to push a loan deal. But Ajax expect them to return with terms that are more difficult to turn down.

The player is open-minded about the next step in his career but would be willing to move to Germany, even though his ultimate goal is to join Barcelona. 

          

Philippe Coutinho

A loan deal looked like good business for Bayern, who hoped to get Coutinho back to his best and then sign him permanently. But his form has been inconsistent, and they will not take him back beyond this season. 

A few years ago, Coutinho was considered one of the best talents in the game. But now none of the elite clubs want to sign him, and the search for a new club is getting pretty desperate.

Tottenham and Liverpool have both been linked, but sources at each team insist nothing will happen. If Coutinho wants to return to English football, the club most interested are Everton, and he is having to  seriously consider it. 

      

David Alaba 

Man City manager Pep Guardiola has been keen on the idea of signing Alaba because of his versatility. There has even been talk of him becoming part of the Sane deal.

It's not going to happen because Alaba doesn't fancy playing in England, but he could still leave the club. Paris Saint-Germain are very interested, but he will wait to see if any other opportunities crop up at other top UEFA Champions League clubs.

        

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Jadon Sancho

Dortmund are still waiting for Manchester United to meet their valuation of around £118 million. At this stage, negotiations are open, but there is a distance between what Dortmund want and what United will pay.

They are probably going to have to break their transfer record to sign him, and there is a desire to make him their new No. 7, but United have also been continuing to carry out background checks to make sure he will be a good fit for the dressing room. If they are going to spend huge money, it has to be on the right player with the right character.

      

Ferran Torres

He has long been earmarked as one of the leading names to step in if Sancho leaves this summer.

But Dortmund have gone cold on him for the time being as they are unsure if he is overpriced at around £50 million.

Torres is being pursued by a number of clubs this summer and is likely to leave Valencia, but we must wait to see if Dortmund decide to jump back in.

       

Bukayo Saka

This is an interesting option for Dortmund and one they are continuing to monitor.

No new contract has been signed at Arsenal, and while the club remain confident the issue will be resolved, Dortmund, as well as Bayern Munich, are hovering in the background.

Saka, 18, has been one of Arsenal's few success stories this season, but his deal ends in 2021, and the player is aware of the interest from Germany's top two. 

         

Jude Bellingham

He turned 17 on Monday. By staying with Birmingham City until now, the club can land a significant transfer figure rather than compensation fee.

The midfielder was tempted to join Manchester United, but sources say he is more excited by moving to Dortmund because he has seen how quickly Sancho developed. Bellingham is keen to play regular first-team football despite his young age, and Dortmund have given assurances he will get that.

The move to Dortmund will be worth an initial £15 million, which could rise as high as £25 million with add-ons.

     

RB LEIPZIG

Hee Chan Hwang

Leipzig need a replacement for Timo Werner, who has signed for Chelsea, and they have been torn between RB Salzburg's Hwang and Werder Bremen's Milot Rashica.

They are pushing forward with the 24-year-old South Korea international, whose development scouts have been monitoring closely over the past year.

       

Benjamin Henrichs

Leipzig have been quick to make contact with AS Monaco for a deal over their right-back, and they look like beating Bayern Munich to his signature.

Manager Julian Nagelsmann is a huge admirer of the player, who is likely to cost around €20 million.

        

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Kai Havertz

At the age of 21, Havertz has pretty much every big club monitoring him this summer.

Bosses at his current club say they will not sell unless someone offers €100 million—but things could become tricky because the player wants to test himself at a bigger club, sources told B/R. 

Chelsea have been in contact but are not close to an agreement. Bayern Munich like him but were only likely to do a deal this summer if the Sane bid became impossible.

       

SCHALKE

Weston McKennie

Schalke are struggling financially on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic and will be one of the first clubs looking to set a wage cap to get a grip on their balance sheet. As part of that, McKennie could become available for transfer.

The U.S. international has established himself in the Bundesliga but is now expected to look towards the Premier League for his next challenge.

The Bundesliga belongs to Bayern Munich yet again. 

For the eighth straight year, the German giants have won the league title, clinching it Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen. 

2013. 2014. 2015. 2016. 2017. 2018. 2019. 2020.@FCBayern rule Germany for the eighth straight year. pic.twitter.com/rzA9l0rUpr

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 16, 2020

Bayern Munich become only the second team in history to win EIGHT consecutive titles in one of Europe's 'big five' leagues:

🏆 2012/13
🏆 2013/14
🏆 2014/15
🏆 2015/16
🏆 2016/17
🏆 2017/18
🏆 2018/19
🏆 2019/20

Prost. 🍻 pic.twitter.com/ivX83b6sdb

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 16, 2020

It is Bayern's 29th title, 24 more than any club (Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund are tied for second with five league championships each). And only Juventus is on as impressive of a top European league title run as Bayern are currently on:

EIGHT. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Bayern Munich move level with Juventus for the longest title streak in Europe's Top 5 leagues. pic.twitter.com/c7RFt7MAt1

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2020

Few clubs can boast of the dominance Bayern has displayed over the Bundesliga:

Number of Bundesliga titles won by Bayern: 29
Number of Bundesliga titles won by every other German club combined: 28

— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) June 16, 2020

Superstar forward Robert Lewandowski and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer were the heroes for Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Lewandowski scored late in the first half after getting behind the Werder Bremen back line and brilliantly chesting down the pass over the top of the defense. Clinical as always, he finished to give Bayern the 1-0 lead.

WHO ELSE?!

Robert Lewandowski's 31st @Bundesliga_EN goal of the season puts @FCBayernUS ahead at Bremen 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/DcOlEFnfuv

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2020

And Neuer preserved that lead with a superb save in the game's late stages.

What. A. Save, Manuel Neuer. 😱🧤 pic.twitter.com/K8fn8htioi

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2020

Bayern Munich's title was never really in doubt, as Tuesday's win opened up a 10-point lead over Dortmund on the Bundesliga table. The champions' 1-0 win over Dortmund on May 26 meant that, barring a monumental collapse, they were on their way to another championship.  

Perhaps it's time for the Bundesliga to be formally renamed the Bayerndesliga. For the past eight years, that's essentially what it has been. 

As we head towards the end of another Bundesliga season, Borussia Dortmund find themselves in a familiar situation.

They are looking up at Bayern Munich, who are on course to win the German championship for the eighth season in a row. And as they consider what to do if they do indeed come up short again, there is an expectation that head coach Lucien Favre will lose his job.

The truth is, Dortmund still seem to be struggling to move on from the days of Jurgen Klopp. He left at the end of the 2014/15 season, but those exciting times, when they played heavy metal football and won league titles in 2011 and 2012, still hangs over everyone at Signal Iduna Park.

After a brief sabbatical, Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015, and he has since led the Reds to a Champions League title in 2019 and has them on the brink of winning the Premier League.

Yet the outward image of Dortmund today still feels built around what Klopp did back then, with the club trying to reimagine the brand of football he brought. The memories seem a burden on those who have come afterwards.

Bosses Thomas Tuchel, Peter Bosz and Peter Stoger have all been and gone, while current head coach Favre could soon be out of a job, according to SportBild (h/t BVB Buzz). The club could be on to their fifth boss in as many years very soon.

Abel Meszaros, a Bundesliga analyst for European sports channel Sport1 TV, tells Bleacher Report he believes in the theory that an obsession with Klopp is still lingering.

"I share the sentiment that Dortmund are in a state of Kloppophenia," Meszaros says. "After all, he was the ultimate embodiment of a Ruhrpott legend: charismatic enough to basically inspire a devout following from his players, yet understanding and caring enough on a human level to connect with them personally.

"In some ways, the perception of Klopp in Germany is both that of like a religious leader, a global brand and a down to earth guy, basically the total package.

"What made those years special is that he became champion as an outsider and changed the course of world football with his heavy metal football. 

"He developed young players into superstars in the middle like Nuri Sahin and Ilkay Gundogan, turned versatile attacking midfielders into briefly world-class players like Shinji Kagawa and Mario Gotze, and his strikers—Marco Reus, Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang—kept supplying goals.

"In addition, his revolutionary ideas on pressing and counter-pressing—the idea that you don't have to get back into defensive shape, and it's much better to actively try to win the ball, because it's less energy and you create chances—changed the world of football tactics.

"You no longer needed to have the best players in the world to try to compete with the likes of Bayern or Real Madrid."

When Klopp moved on, Tuchel seemed a good choice as his replacement. 

He had learned his trade in the Bundesliga and earned a reputation at Mainz—where Klopp had also made his mark as a young boss—as one of the game's most tactically astute coaches. 

But Tuchel lasted two seasons, and his replacement Bosz lasted just five months after a spell in which he failed to win any of the side's Champions League fixtures.

Stoger was next and managed to stabilize the club, before Favre was named in May 2018 as the next man to lead them forward.

Manuel Veth, a Bundesliga writer and Area Manager at Transfermarkt, says the club have had difficulties moving on from Klopp: "I think it has always been about finding the coach that can add to Klopp's tactical approach.

"In Thomas Tuchel, they perhaps thought they might even have found a similar character, but fundamentally, he is very different in his approach to Klopp.

"When it came to Peter Bosz, the attacking style of football was similar but defensively the two are not. Finally, Favre, he is a technocrat. Perhaps the best tactical coach on the planet—but he lacks Klopp's emotions.

"I think Dortmund always had to find some sort of compromise in their appointments, copying Klopp is impossible, so it was always about playing style rather than personality."

German expert Meszaros agrees: "I am sympathetic to the argument that Dortmund should try to distance itself from the 'let us find the next Klopp' argument. It is a bit like 'let's find the new Messi.' Essentially you might be chasing a mirage."

Favre is contracted to Dortmund until 2021, yet the managerial shortlist for a replacement seems to be shaping up behind the scenes, and B/R understands the options are pretty varied.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is the dream appointment, although there will be concerns over his grasp of German and the sort of financial package he would be looking for.

An emerging option is American RB Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch, 46, who has already worked with Erling Haaland. He also has Bundesliga experience thanks to a brief spell as assistant manager at RB Leipzig, and he is considered one of the most courageous, exciting young bosses in the game.

Niko Kovac, who was sacked by Bayern Munich in November, is being linked but would be a hard sell to supporters. However, he was admired for his previous work at Frankfurt and did win silverware with both clubs.

Ajax's Erik Ten Hag has also caught attention with his brand of dominant football. 

Bundesliga commentator Phil Bonney has seen enough chopping and changing in recent years to convince him that ditching the head coach again is not necessarily a good idea: "I guess the question I would throw back here is, who would do better than Favre?"

"Clubs don't seem to have much patience these days. In a parallel universe, Bayern lose their next two games and the title fight is back on. Favre becomes a BVB legend as Bayern only draw with Wolfsburg on the last day and Dortmund swipe the title from under Bayern's nose!" 

For Dortmund fans, though, Favre's reign has been pretty frustrating. 

"There are a number of reasons he is having to fight for his job", says Tushar from fan blog BVB Buzz.

"Favre has got a lot wrong during his time at Borussia Dortmund. His man-management hasn't been the best. Some players keep getting chances despite playing poorly.

"His record in big games has also generally been really poor. Aside from the wins over Inter Milan and PSG, Dortmund seem to struggle in big games more often than not. His tactics have also been too passive in a lot of the games against teams of lower calibre. Far too often, Dortmund start defending deep after taking the lead, allowing the opposition to get back into the game. He can also be very stubborn at times and is often too slow to react with his in-game tweaks and substitutions. 

"But a case can also be made for him being unlucky. The Dortmund players have been very inconsistent, making easily avoidable errors. Players like Achraf Hakimi can go from world-class to error-prone in the space of a week.

"Injuries to key players before crucial games have also hurt Dortmund in each of the last two seasons. I can see why some fans are calling for Favre to go. He hasn't helped himself with some of the decisions he has made, but he has been unlucky, too.

"He has taken Dortmund from struggling to make top four to serious title contenders in a very short time, and deserves a lot of respect for that. 

"If Favre is sacked, Michael Zorc and Hans Joachim Watzke will be under massive pressure to get their next appointment right."

So what does the next coach need to have? 

"Dortmund need someone who is aggressive and takes a more proactive approach to matches," Tushar explains. "Favre gives the opposition too much space and time at times, and they need someone who can control the game better tactically. They also need someone who can get the best out of players, motivate them and get them to turn up for every game."

Bundesliga analyst Meszaros adds: "From the list of Favre replacements, I would very much be interested if they could pull the trigger on a guy like Jesse Marsch, who has a lot of the same attributes as Klopp.

"I think he would be a really good appointment—although I realise that it contradicts the 'getting over Kloppo' argument."

Yep. When all is said and done, it still sounds like Dortmund could do with finding the next Jurgen Klopp, doesn't it?  

Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach got creative Saturday in the absence of fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As seen in the following video courtesy of BT Sport, the club placed 12,000 cardboard cutouts throughout their Borussia-Park stadium:

Borussia Mönchengladbach's cardboard cut out fans are something else! 🙌

12,000 in the stadium so far, and 20,000 have been ordered.

Impressive numbers 👏👏👏#BundesligaIsBack pic.twitter.com/2fu225qbXG

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 23, 2020

BT Sport noted that fans were allowed to upload a photo of themselves to be used for a cardboard cutout at the price of €19 ($21). A portion of those proceeds will go to charity.

After the league was suspended for about two months because of COVID-19, the Bundesliga returned to action last week in empty stadiums. 

Monchengladbach entered Saturday third in the table with 52 points, putting them two points behind second-placed Borussia Dortmund and six points behind first-placed Bayern Munich.

The Foals hosted fifth-place Leverkusen, who had the opportunity to leapfrog Monchengladbach in the standings with a win.