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There is nothing quite like Borussia Dortmund's Yellow Wall.
Twenty-five thousand fans can pack into this part of the club's Westfalenstadion and create one of the best atmospheres in the game.
Let's take a look inside.
Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry has signed a new contract at the club, tying him down for four more years.
Bayern announced the news on Tuesday:
Gnabry arrived at the club from Werder Bremen in 2017, but spent his first season on loan with Hoffenheim.
The winger had an impressive campaign with Hoffenheim. After recovering from some early injury problems, he finished the season with 10 goals and seven assists to his name in 22 Bundesliga appearances.
This season, having returned to Bayern, he has contributed eight goals and five assists in 29 matches in all competitions.
While the match finished goalless, Gnabry was among Bayern's most impressive performers in their UEFA Champions League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield in February.
Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi was impressed:
He's come a long way since leaving Arsenal in 2016, having made just 18 first-team appearances for the club and endured a dismal loan spell at West Bromwich Albion, as Squawka Football demonstrated:
The 23-year-old will hope to keep improving in the coming years, and he'll have plenty of opportunity to do so at Bayern.
Arjen Robben turned 35 in January and will leave the club at the end of the season, while Franck Ribery, who turns 36 in April, could also leave as his contract is up in June.
In tying down Gnabry, Bayern are ensuring they have the players in place to oversee the transition from the veteran pair to a new generation.
Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho still has "a lot to learn" and must match his talent with hard work, according to manager Lucien Favre.
The 18-year-old has starred for the Bundesliga side this season, but the team's form has dipped in recent weeks and Favre says his players need to apply themselves, per Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC.
"Jadon is very talented, but also only 18 years old," he said. "At that age, you go through a lot of ups and downs. He has a lot of potential, but also still a lot to learn. They [the young Dortmund players] all have talent but, without work, talent does not exist. It's 10 per cent talent and 90 per cent work."
Sancho has scored nine goals and contributed 11 goals for Dortmund this season, and he was named the Bundesliga player of the month for October:
His form also saw him called up to the senior England squad, and he made his full debut against the United States in a friendly in November.
Sancho's impressive impact at Dortmund has also seen him linked with a move to some of Europe's top clubs.
Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are both keen on the winger who could cost £100 million, according to James Ducker at the Daily Telegraph.
Meanwhile, Dortmund have seen a nine-point lead at the top of the table wiped out after a poor run of results, including a 2-1 defeat to Augsburg on Friday.
Former Dortmund midfielder Matthias Sammer was critical of Dortmund's immaturity after the damaging loss at the SGL Arena, per Eurosport (h/t Goal's Chris Burton).
He said: "This is Borussia Dortmund, where people think: 'We are already the German champion.' But they are immature. You could see it for some time now."
Dortmund are also on the brink of an exit from the UEFA Champions League. They host Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday but are 3-0 down from the first leg.
Sancho offered a glimpse of his talents in the defeat at Wembley Stadium:
Dortmund and Favre will need Sancho to recapture his best form if they are to complete a remarkable turnaround against Spurs, and he is expected to start the match at Signal Iduna Park.
Sancho has already shown this season just what an exciting prospect he is, and Favre's comments show he's keen to ensure the youngster lives up to his full potential.
Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac has criticised Rafinha after the full-back spoke out about his lack of game time.
Rafinha has made only 10 Bundesliga appearances this season under Kovac despite largely being available since his month-long absence early in the campaign.
The 33-year-old has made just one start in 2019, and after being an unused substitute in Saturday's 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin, he said, per Guy Atkinson of Goal: "I do my work and train well, but the coach does not count on me."
Kovac on Friday responded to Rafinha's comments and revealed the Brazilian has apologised, per Atkinson:
"Nobody can stand over the club and be so critical about the coach. That goes for everyone else too. In the emotion you say things that you regret the next day. We have spoken, and he has apologised in front of the team for his statements."
After a tough start to life as Bayern manager, Kovac has engineered a superb run that has propelled the German champions back into the title race.
The Munich giants have won 10 of their past 11 games in the Bundesliga and now sit just three points back from leaders Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern will be looking to continue their fine form on Saturday, but they face a tough challenge with a visit to third-place Borussia Monchengladbach.
In the reverse fixture back in October, Bayern were humbled in a 3-0 defeat to Monchengladbach that saw them drop to fifth in the Bundesliga.
That result was perhaps the nadir of Kovac's early struggles as Bayern boss, which had people questioning the wisdom of his appointment as Jupp Heynckes' successor last summer.
However, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has turned around Bayern's fortunes recently, and they will head into the Gladbach clash confident of earning another three points.
Benjamin Pavard has urged France international team-mate Lucas Hernandez to leave Atletico Madrid and join him at Bayern Munich next season, but he said it's a matter between the player and Bavarians.
Speaking to SportBild (h/t Goal's Charles Jones), Pavard said he would be "proud" to call Hernandez his team-mate in Germany: "We are very good friends, and I think it would be fantastic if Lucas also came to Bayern. He proved that he is a great player, first together for France, then for Bayern―that would make me proud."
Jones noted Hernandez has been linked with Bayern for some time now, and club president Uli Hoeness has openly discussed trying to land the Frenchman.
The Bavarians concluded a deal for Pavard in January, and the Stuttgart man is set to make the switch to the Allianz Arena in the summer.
According to Bild's Christian Falk, Hernandez will join him:
Pavard and Hernandez were both members of the France squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup last summer, flashing their talent and versatility in defence.
Both are capable of switching between the centre-back and full-back positions without any issues, playing most of their minutes for Les Bleus out wide. At 23 years old, Hernandez is one year older than Pavard, and both still have ample room for growth.
The two already look like tremendous building blocks for the France national team, and reuniting them at the club level could have a similar impact. Hernandez won't come cheap, however, as his buyout clause is set at €80m (£69m/$91m), per Jones.
Such a fee would be almost double Bayern's transfer record, paid for French midfielder Corentin Tolisso.
The Bavarians have shifted their transfer policy to signing younger players in the past few years, and Hernandez would fit that new philosophy. The likes of Niklas Sule, Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, Serge Gnabry and Renato Sanches were all signings made with long-term upside in mind.
Sule, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels have seen most of the minutes at centre-back this season, and Hernandez would likely be brought in to provide competition for those spots. Hummels remains an elite option at the position, but injuries have sapped Boateng of some of his athleticism and Sule is still developing as a player.
Bayern's defence has struggled this season, conceding 26 goals in 23 Bundesliga matches already.
Atletico are not expected to sell Hernandez on the cheap in the summer, with interested clubs likely having to pay the full amount of his buyout clause to land him.
Drama has followed Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac this season, and the latest headlines came as his side's defensive flaws were dramatically exposed by Augsburg over the weekend.
In studying the play and shape of Bayern, it was discovered that their defence begin matches quite far up the field and that an opportunity to get behind them early could bring rewards.
In their final session before facing Bayern, 15th placed Augsburg worked on a plan to catch them out. And it worked.
Within 14 seconds of kick-off they had caused such chaos in the Bayern back-line that Leon Goretzka diverted the ball into his own net. It was the fastest own goal in Bundesliga history and a moment that has been dissected ever since.
"The coach had looked at a few videos, and the Bayern players are always there—everything went as we wished," Augsburg's Philipp Max told German reporters. "It was the same kick-off we had tried in our last session. When it worked I had to smile a bit."
Bayern's blushes were spared as they went on to record a 3-2 victory, which maintains pressure on Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table, but their overall state has not been repaired.
This current team appear damaged, frail and in need of renovation. A trip to Liverpool, one of Europe's most exciting attacking sides, is going to provide the ultimate test on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League.
"It's a difficult season for Bayern," explained Bild reporter Philipp Kessler. "Under Kovac, the team often seems to have no plan and has shaky phases. Every opponent has a chance to score. It is hard to recognise an offensive concept.
"The team often decides games by its individual class. The chemistry between the team and coach doesn't seem to be the best either."
It has been reported in German media that Kovac shouted at Thiago after the match in Augsburg—and the player yelled back. There was also drama around a loud discussion he had with Jerome Boateng at a Champions League match with AEK Athens.
Kovac was brought in over the summer as a replacement for legendary figure Jupp Heynckes, but he has stuttered as he attempts to make his mark.
"It’s a good choice. It will work," Heynckes had said of the man brought in to fill his place in the dugout. Kovac has won 23 of his 32 games in charge, and at a club like Bayern the manner of four defeats and five draws bring concern.
It is nights like the one at Anfield that truly will define how he is perceived. And there has to be concern about their back-line, as their best combinations are still unclear.
"When you say defence is not solid, I would not just limit that to Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Joshua Kimmich," explains Bundesliga commentator Phil Bonney. "A big factor has got to be the fact that Manuel Neuer is not at the level he was previously.
"He has saved just 60 percent of shots that he's faced this season—pretty much the only keeper with a worse record than that is bottom of the table, Nurnberg's Fabian Bredlow.
"Now that, of course, can also mean that both are being left exposed by their defences. But I think Bayern's back line will be severely tested by Salah and Mane. Klopp will have done his homework. The key to keeping Liverpool at bay will be the defensive cohesion, not only with the defence but with the rest of the team tracking back to help out. In short, I think that if they leave Neuer exposed too often, they will come back from Liverpool empty-handed."
That seems like a fact that must be depressing for followers of the club, who have become so familiar with the business end of Europe's elite competition. Bayern won the Champions League in 2013, reached the final in 2012, and have made it to the semi-final stage in four of the past five tournaments.
"In general Bayern fans are optimistic," insisted Kessler. "They know that the team can outgrow itself in big games. In last year's Champions League semi-final, Bayern were also outsiders. They played very well, but lost unhappily. When you look at the history, Bayern is on point when it counts."
Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Neuer and Robert Lewandowski have been so feared in this competition, but it seems this team may just be reaching the end of the road.
"Neuer has struggled this season," admits Bundesliga writer James Jukes. "Bayern's back four has been shaky all season. Not only is Neuer not what he used to be but he's also fallen victim to some shocking defending at times.
"But that cannot be said of Lewandowski, who has been his usual self—still scoring goals. He arguably is Bayern's best player this season."
Bild's Kessler, who is fully consumed in all matters around the club as part of his day job, can see the beginning of the end as he dissects everything that has been going wrong.
"I think it is time for a new era," he told B/R. "Robben will leave the club in summer and so will Bayern legend Ribery. They leave big footprints, but the change is underway. We see now Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, Sule and Kimmich—great players. Also Alaba, Thiago and James Rodriguez are still young.
"There will be new faces in summer. Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic is very convinced that Callum Hudson-Odoi could help to create a new era; he is a big fan of him. And the player also wants to go to Bayern. The club is also interested in signing Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid, and Timo Werner could also be among new transfers. According to our information—he can imagine playing at Bayern."
Bayern are ready for new beginnings. Their night at Anfield will help decide how soon the revolution needs to arrive.
Bayern Munich will be without Arjen Robben and Jerome Boateng for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.
The duo have been left out of the travelling squad along with Franck Ribery, but the Frenchman is expected to join the group later after the birth of his child.
Manager Niko Kovac explained ahead of the key clash that centre-back Boateng is out due to illness, while Robben has been struggling with a thigh injury since November:
Kingsley Coman was a doubt after hobbling out of Friday's 3-2 win at Augsburg, in which he scored twice.
He has been given the all clear and included in the squad, but there still seems to be some doubt over whether he will start:
Bayern are back in the Bundesliga title race after winning nine of their last 10 matches, and they pose a big threat to Liverpool's progress in the Champions League.
The Reds made the final last year before losing to Real Madrid.
This season's tournament has already been tough for Jurgen Klopp's side as they scraped out of Group C in second place having finished tied on nine points with Napoli.
As a result they were handed a tough draw against Bayern in the first knockout round and will need to make their home advantage count on Tuesday.
The German champions will be looking to get an away goal on Merseyside as well as restricting Liverpool's impressive front line.
If they can avoid defeat at Anfield as well as getting a goal they will be heavy favourites to advance to the quarter-finals.
Having topped Group E ahead of Ajax, Benfica and AEK Athens, Bayern could hardly have been given a tougher last-16 tie than a meeting with Liverpool.
But they have the quality to restrict the Premier League side even without Boateng in the side.
As one of Europe's biggest clubs Bayern are regularly expected to go deep in the Champions League.
Despite reaching four semi-finals in the last five seasons, though, they have not made a final since they last won the tournament in 2013.
Liverpool pose a major threat to their progress this season, but Bayern will be confident they can get a result at Anfield given their recent form.
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben believes Liverpool's Anfield stadium is his "worst" ground to play at, looking back on the two occasions he suffered heartbreak there in the UEFA Champions League as a Chelsea player.
The Germans will face the Reds at Anfield on Tuesday in what will be Robben's last ever visit to Merseyside as a Bayern player. He'll leave Bavaria at the end of the season and sat down with the Observer's Nick Ames to discuss his departure and the upcoming fixtures.
On the topic of Anfield, he didn't hide his feelings: "I think, if you ask [about] the worst stadium for me, it’s probably Liverpool. You always have your favourite opponent and there always has to be a negative one."
Turning his attention to the two Champions League exits he suffered there with Chelsea, he opted not to be drawn on discussions about Luis Garcia's 'ghost-goal,' saying "we'll never know" whether it crossed the line.
The Reds' reputation of being cup specialists was well earned at the time, according to Robben:
"At that time [Liverpool] were really capable of being this cup fighter team, also in the FA Cup or [League] Cup. In one or two games they could really live up to it and perform; just not the whole season, which was maybe too much. That was their biggest quality: they were there at the moment they needed to be there.
"Now I think it changed and they developed really well. The manager has done a great job. Last year they were in the Champions League final and at the moment they are top [of the Premier League]. It’s a long, long time ago that they won the league and that’s the one they’re dreaming of."
Robben also touched on his signature skill of cutting inside on his left foot:
The 35-year-old moved to Germany in 2009 after stints with the Blues and Real Madrid. While he played well for the English and Spanish giants, he didn't realise his full potential until he arrived in Bavaria.
He's gone on to win seven Bundesliga titles and the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League, netting the winner in the final.
Bayern have not enjoyed a great first season under new manager Niko Kovac, but their form has improved of late, even if they only narrowly beat Augsburg 3-2 in their last outing. The boss warned his players things won't be easy against the Reds:
Liverpool have been among Europe's most consistent attacking teams, while Bayern's main problems have been at the back. Tuesday's first leg at Anfield could be an explosive affair as a result, with two teams who won't be afraid to attack early and often.
Robben also touched on his future in the interview and didn't rule out a return to England or Spain. He'll be a free agent and could be a prime-value signing as a veteran forward with ample experience who can still do a job as a squad option.
He has started seven Bundesliga contests this year but made a bigger impact in the Champions League with four starts and two goals.
Bayern Munich confirmed on Saturday that Kingsley Coman has been passed fit and is available to face Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 on Tuesday:
The 22-year-old scored twice but was forced off with an injury in Bayern's 3-2 Bundesliga win at Augsburg on Friday night.
Manager Niko Kovac said after the match that the youngster has suffered another ankle injury:
However, the injury is not as bad as first feared, which will be a big boost to the Bundesliga champions ahead of the first leg at Anfield.
Coman was in fine form on Friday night and twice equalised before setting up David Alaba for the winner in the second half:
The result sees Bayern cut the gap to league leaders Borussia Dortmund to two points. Lucien Favre's side take on Nurnberg on Monday.
Despite the victory, it was not an impressive performance from Bayern, as they toiled to beat a team that are just three points off the relegation zone.
Coman is likely to start against Liverpool and will be a threat down the flank. He's a pacy, direct player who has five goals in 15 appearances for Bayern this season.
Bayern could also look to bring in Franck Ribery if there are any lingering concerns over Coman's fitness.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge isn't sure Franck Ribery will be a Bayern Munich player beyond this season. Die Roten's CEO discussed the idea of a new contract for the 35-year-old winger, whose deal expires this summer.
Rummenigge told Eurosport (h/t FourFourTwo): "You have to be open and honest. At some point, we'll have a conversation with him and his agent and then make a joint decision. I can't predict what that will be."
Those words leave the door ajar for Ribery to move on after 12 mostly trophy-laden years at the Allianz Arena. He's won the Bundesliga eight times and lifted the DFB-Pokal on five occasions.
The Frenchman was a key member of Jupp Heynckes' treble-winning squad for the 2012/13 season. The campaign ended when Ribery's fellow winger, Arjen Robben, scored the winner to beat Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.
Ribery still feels like his performances during that historic season weren't suitably recognised:
Give Ribery's haul of silverware, it's no wonder Rummenigge has said he has a "huge respect" for the veteran player. Even so, Bayern's reluctance to sign Ribery to a new contract is evidence of the former Marseille man's declining influence in Munich.
It's true Die Roten have been attempting to get younger in recent seasons. The youth movement is particularly obvious on the flanks, where 22-year-old France international Kingsley Coman and ex-Arsenal ace Serge Gnabry, 23, are becoming more prominent in first-team affairs.
Coman has been in peak form this season, including during Friday's 3-2 win away to Augsburg:
The gifted wide forward was substituted with injury against Augsburg, but Bayern have since tweeted (h/t BBC Sport) Coman could be fit to face Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 at Anfield on Tuesday.
Bayern's need to refresh the squad's options on the flanks has been heightened by Robben's declaration that this season will be his last at the club.
Robben's decision to call time on a decade in the German top flight, along with the uncertainty involving Ribery, is liking driving Bayern's interest in 18-year-old Chelsea academy graduate Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Even so, Ribery can still play a role this season. He got onto the pitch during Bayern's recent 3-1 win over Schalke 04:
Ribery also came off the bench against Augsburg. For the season, he has chipped in with five goals in all competitions.
He may be restricted to cameos these days, but the French wing wizard is still an effective, proven winner who can help first-year manager Niko Kovac negotiate a difficult season. Bayern need to make up ground to Dortmund in the Bundesliga and see off Liverpool in the Champions League.
After the season, though, going their separate ways will be best for both club and player.
