Bundesliga

Robert Lewandowski moved to the head of the 2019-20 European Golden Shoe rankings after netting a double for Bayern Munich in their 6-1 Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen on Saturday. 

After scoring in 11 consecutive Bundesliga games to start the campaign, the Poland international had been without a goal in his last three appearances in the German top flight, but he now has 18 for the season, just four fewer than he scored in all of 2018-19:

Lazio's Ciro Immobile is hot on Lewandowski's heels and will be in action in Serie A at Cagliari on Monday.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig's Timo Werner moved to 16 league goals for the campaign when he scored in Saturday's 3-0 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.

1. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich: 18 x 2.0 = 36.0

2. Ciro Immobile, Lazio: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0

T3. Timo Werner, RB Leipzig: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0

T3. Jamie Vardy, Leicester City: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0

5. Erik Sorga, Flora Tallinn: 31 x 1.0 = 31.0

6. Ilia Shkurin, Energetik-BGU Minsk: 19 x 1.5 = 28.5

T7. Shon Weissman, Wolfsberger: 17 x 1.5 = 25.5

T7. Kamil Wilczek, Brondby: 17 x 1.5 = 25.5

T9. Lionel Messi, Barcelona: 12 x 2.0 = 24.0

T9. Erling Haaland, Red Bull Salzburg: 16 x 1.5 = 24.0

T9. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid: 12 x 2.0 = 24.0

Rules: UEFA has assigned every European league a difficulty rating between one and two, which is multiplied by a player's goal tally to calculate their points total.

For example, Serie A has a maximum rating of two, so Immobile's goals are worth more than Ilia Shkurin's goals in the Belarusian Premier League, which has a rating of 1.5.

Despite the scoreline, Bayern did not have it all their own way against Bremen.

A stunning strike from Milot Rashica put the visitors ahead in the 24th minute at the Allianz Arena, and they looked set to take their lead into the break.

However, Philippe Coutinho, the star of the show on Saturday with a hat-trick and two assists, equalised in the 45th minute before setting up Lewandowski to put Bayern ahead in first-half stoppage time.

The 31-year-old's second goal in the 72nd minute made it 4-1 after an exquisite exchange with Thomas Muller.

In the fight for the Golden Shoe this season, Lewandowski's double against Bremen saw him make gains on the likes of Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, neither of whom managed to score at the weekend as their sides drew with Norwich City and Real Sociedad, respectively:

One man the top 10 will be keeping an eye on is Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice against Udinese in a 3-1 win on Sunday to move to nine goals for the Serie A campaign before hitting the post in search of his hat-trick:

It was a performance that hinted the Portuguese superstar may be nearing his best again after some fitness issues, with both goals coming from superb first-time strikes.

Ronaldo has now scored nine goals in his last seven appearances for club and country, and the four-time Golden Shoe winner could make gains on Europe's leading goalscorers quickly if he maintains that form. 

Bayern Munich have confirmed winger Kingsley Coman will be sidelined for some time as a result of the knee injury he suffered in the first half of Wednesday's 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Coman, 23, broke the deadlock at the Allianz Arena but had to come off after 27 minutes following what appeared to be a hyperextension of his left knee.

Bayern released a statement on Thursday revealing Coman will wear a splint after tests revealed a capsule tear and that he also "pulled his biceps tendon and jarred the knee joint."

The France international will have been particularly disappointed considering the bright start he and Bayern enjoyed at the Allianz Arena (U.S. viewers only):

Tottenham entered their final Group B fixture already assured of a second-placed finish behind Bayern, who got back to winning ways following back-to-back defeats in the Bundesliga.

Ryan Sessegnon scored on his full debut for Spurs to level the game, but Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho hit back to seal a convincing win for Die Roten (U.S. only):

Coman's strike was his fourth of the season and his first since September 18. He's enjoyed an increase in playing time this term after veteran wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery left the club in the summer.

Interim Bayern coach Hans-Dieter Flick gave a negative assessment of the player's injury after the game, per journalist Manuel Veth:

Goal's Ronan Murphy guessed the blow would likely sideline Coman for the remainder of 2019:

Bayern only have three games left before the Bundesliga's winter break and are sat seventh, seven points behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.

They will at least be glad to be done with their Champions League commitments for the time being, having progressed to the round of 16 with a perfect record:

Coman has formed a promising partnership down the left flank alongside Alphonso Davies, who could be pushed upfield to help make up for Coman's absence on the wing.

The draw for the Champions League round of 16 takes place on Monday.

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Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has ruled out the possibility of Jadon Sancho leaving the club and said he remains "fundamental" to the team.

Sancho has been linked with a return to the Premier League in the January transfer window, but Zorc said on Saturday he does not see him going anywhere, per Dominic Booth at the Manchester Evening News:

"We're continuing to plan with him. He's a fundamental player for us and I do not see any scenario where he leaves us. We have already had some situations with him to talk about, and there have been a lot of interviews in the last few weeks. We are in a good way; when he came off the bench in Barcelona and also in Berlin, he gave us a top performance."

Sancho left Manchester City for Dortmund 2017 in search of regular football and has been a big hit with the Bundesliga side:

His performances have seen him called into the senior England squad. He made his debut in their UEFA Nations League draw against Croatia in 2018 and scored his first international goals in a 5-3 win over Kosovo in September:

Sancho is one of the most exciting young attacking talents in Europe and has been linked with a move to several of the continent's top clubs.

Premier League teams Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are all keen on the teenager, according to Tony Banks at the Daily Express.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was asked about Sancho in a press conference in December and played down the speculation.

"He's a very good player," he said. "I have no clue where these kind of things [the rumours] are coming from, but it cannot come from us because we never speak about it."

The youngster is reportedly tempted by a transfer to Spain, and La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are both interested, according to The Times (h/t Lloyd Johnson at the Daily Express).

Sancho has had a few difficulties at Dortmund this season. He was dropped and fined by the club in October after returning late from international duty:

Sancho was also reportedly benched for Dortmund's UEFA Champions League clash against Barcelona after being "considerably late" for a team meeting, according to Bild (h/t Adam Shergold for MailOnline).

The recent disciplinary action from Dortmund had left Sancho feeling "feeling humiliated, scapegoated and unprotected," according to David Ornstein at The Athletic.

There is a suggestion that Sancho may be willing to leave Dortmund, although Zorc has made it clear the club are not interested in selling one of their biggest assets.

Sancho's Dortmund deal runs until summer 2022, but if he continues to produce the goods on the pitch, they may struggle to hold on to him if the top clubs come calling.  

Philippe Coutinho has said he would "love to stay" at Bayern Munich when his loan spell at the club ends this summer, though it's uncertain whether Die Roten will be as eager to invest in his transfer.

Coutinho, 27, joined Bayern on a season-long loan from Barcelona this past summer, but the Brazilian has struggled to seize the opportunity.

Speaking at a recent Christmas fan event, he told reporters: "I feel really good. I'm planning to stay here for a year and focus on the here and now. But if it all hangs together, I'd love to stay."

Coutinho has started in 12 of his 18 appearances across all competitions with Bayern. He came off the bench for a 20-minute cameo as Bayern fell 2-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, their third defeat in 13 league games already this term (UK viewers only):

Interim manager Hansi Flick is at the club's helm following Niko Kovac's dismissal at the start of November, but it's possible a new coach will be appointed before the end of this season.

Per Jose Carlos Menzel of AS, Bayern would have to pay the €120 million (£102.2 million) clause in Coutinho's loan contract to make his deal permanent next summer.

However, the chances of that seem slim considering the club's current record signing, Lucas Hernandez, cost €80 million. Bayern's closest player expense after that is €41.5 million Corentin Tolisso, showing just how rare it is for the club to spend so heavily.

Coutinho has scored three times in those 18 outings for Bayern thus far, the most recent of which came during their 4-0 annihilation of Fortuna Dusseldorf (U.S. only):

The South American complimented Flick's coaching and added: "We've understood well how his way of coaching and playing. Things are going well because of that. Flick makes everyone feel important. We're happy but aware there's a lot of work to do."

In total, Coutinho has had eight direct goal involvements since he moved to the Allianz Arena, not to mention his buildup play from midfield often leads to an end product in front of goal (UK only):

The player has proved useful thanks to his versatility, regularly swapping between wings and playing through more central avenues when required.

Coutinho appears to be enjoying his time in Bavaria thus far, but the financial complications make it difficult to imagine a permanent transfer materialising in 2020.

Fourth-placed Bayern travel to face Bundesliga leaders Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, when the defending champions and Coutinho hope to claw their way back to top form.

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has moved to quash rumours that Jadon Sancho could leave the club in January.

The Englishman started as a substitute on Wednesday for BVB's UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona, but he came off the bench and scored a classy consolation in the 3-1 loss at the Camp Nou:

Reports emerged afterward that the 19-year-old had been dropped from the starting XI after arriving late for both the pre-match team briefing and training:

He has previously been suspended by Dortmund for arriving late back from international duty in October, and he was also substituted after just 36 minutes in their recent 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich.

After the loss to Barca, reports have subsequently emerged that Sancho wants to leave Dortmund in the new year and the German club are prepared to listen to offers, per Miguel Delaney of The Independent.

However, Zorc has now dismissed those claims and said recent issues have been dealt with in-house:

While rumours have been swirling around Sancho, and his relationship with Dortmund has been questioned, his form has continued to be impeccable.

The England international has picked up in 2019-20 where he left of last term, netting four goals and providing six assists in 10 Bundesliga appearances:

While he may not leave in January, it has long been expected the current campaign will be Sancho's last at Dortmund.

Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid are all in the running to sign him, per David Ornstein of The Athletic.  

The prestige of the clubs linked with the winger is an indication of just how highly rated he is across Europe.

It is also another hint that a January exit is unlikely for Sancho, as big-money, high-profile transfers are rarely completed in the winter window due to time constraints and the fact the season is still running. 

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz has reportedly held talks with four Premier League heavyweights—Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City—amid talk he's set for a summer transfer.

The 20-year-old has been a first-team staple at Leverkusen since he made his senior debut in October 2016, but Havertz soared to new heights last season when he scored 20 goals in 42 games.

Bild (h/t Metro) reported Havertz will leave the BayArena at the end of this season, and four of the seven clubs that have held negotiations to sign him hail from England.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are also said to have discussed the player's move, while it's no surprise to hear German juggernaut Bayern Munich are the remaining outfit in the loop.

Havertz hasn't impressed to the same extent this season and has only three goals in 16 games. Nonetheless, he impressed enough in 2019 to finish third in Tuttosport's latest Golden Boy vote behind winner Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid) and runner-up Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) as the top under-21 player who plays in a European nation's top tier:

Leverkusen's quoted asking price of €130 million (£111 million) could rule out some of those clubs depending on their level of interest. Bayern tend to mount a monopoly on young, available German talent, but that figure falls further outside their usual spending range (of those teams mentioned).

One might also question the alleged interest from Pep Guardiola's City, who appear to have Phil Foden earmarked to inherit David Silva's spot when he leaves the club at the end of this season.

It's easy to see why Europe's superpowers would be interested in Havertz based on last season's form, and the Bundesliga recently shared highlights from each of his 17 league goals:

Metro also cited comments Havertz made to Marca this month, when the Germany international seemed confident he's ready to test himself outside of the country should the right opportunity arise. 

"I think I've picked up enough international experience at Leverkusen," he said. "I know the rhythm of these international matches and I'm confident that I can go abroad at any moment and play at clubs outside of Germany. For the moment, I want to have a good season. Afterwards, we'll see."

Manchester United are rebuilding under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at present, and it doesn't look certain they'll qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League, which is likely a priority for Havertz.

He'd find a German compatriot in Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp if he moved to Merseyside, but the Reds may not be ready to fork out such a massive figure on a young midfielder.

Havertz joined Leverkusen's academy aged 11 and has been a malleable midfielder since he debuted, possessing the knack to be effective in attack from the middle of the park or out wide.

It also shows in the dribbling technician's play that he held Brazil icon Ronaldinho in high regard growing up:

Any team that signs Havertz will have to present a clear step up in prospects for a player who's sure to be highly coveted, with the Premier League in particular showing strong interest.

Bayern Munich will allow interim manager Hansi Flick to see out the season rather than let another coach take over before the end.

That's according to Goal's Kerry Hau and Spox, who noted the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag and Thomas Tuchel have all been linked with the position. The latter two are employed by Ajax and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, while Pochettino recently became available after he was let go by Tottenham Hotspur.

Interim manager Flick has done a fine job since Niko Kovac was sacked, winning four of four matches with a total scoreline of 16-0.

That marks the best start any Bayern coach has ever had:

The last win was a 6-0 demolition of Red Star Belgrade on the road in the UEFA Champions League, which secured the top spot in Group B with one match left to play. In the Bundesliga, Bayern chase leaders Borussia Monchengladbach by a single point.

Flick appears popular with the players, and Thomas Muller explained how his clear vision has brought stability to the squad:

With things going Bayern's way again, it makes sense to stick with what is working. It would not be logical for the Bavarians to rush into any decision, and instead, they can do their homework and figure out the right person for the job.

Pochettino remains the most likely candidate, and per Hau and Spox, he's expected to take a break from coaching until at least summer. That timeline would line up perfectly with Bayern's.  

The Bavarians would run the risk of losing him to another club willing to work faster, however. Writing for the Mirror, Stan Collymore implored Manchester United to move for the tactician now:

Flick could earn the job for himself during the rest of the 2019-20 campaign, especially if his strong work in Europe continues. Bayern have fallen short in the Champions League since their title in the 2012-13 campaign, but if Flick were to change that, one would have to assume he would become favourite for the job.

Philippe Coutinho has discussed the changes made by interim Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick in recent weeks and welcomed the opportunity to play more with Thomas Muller. 

The Brazilian scored his first goal for the club since September in Bayern's 4-0 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday (U.S. only):

"I tried to repay [Flick's] faith in me," Coutinho said to TZ (h/t Goal's Chris Burton).

The playmaker said Flick has made "mainly tactical" changes to Bayern's approach, largely relating to organised pressing of the opposition to disrupt their rhythm.

Coutinho said he and his team-mates "didn't expect it to be so successful so quickly," but "from the very start, we understood what he wants from us and how he ticks, both on the pitch and in the changing room."

Flick has taken temporary charge of the side after Niko Kovac was sacked following Bayern's 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt on November 2.

The interim coach has enjoyed a strong start in the weeks since:

Forbes' Bundesliga writer Manuel Veth praised Flick's setup of the side on Saturday, while DAZN's Cristian Nyari could also see a difference in the team from their time under Kovac:

Kovac won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal with Bayern last season, but his side weren't especially convincing. At one stage, they were nine points behind Borussia Dortmund.

This season, Kovac had begun transitioning away from using Muller, who had started a combined total of just six Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League matches under him before he was sacked.

Muller has started all three of Flick's games, and Coutinho is happy to play alongside the German:

"I've always said I can play with Thomas.

"He's a great player and someone who's very important for Bayern. He's got everything, talent and experience, which makes him an essential part of the team.

"I've got my strengths and he's got his—the only thing that matters is combining them together for Bayern."

The 30-year-old isn't quite the force he once was. He's only scored 35 goals since the start of the 2016-17 season, having netted 32 in 2015-16 alone.

However, he has justified Flick's decision to return him to the starting lineup, contributing a brace of assists in each of his last two games.

On Saturday, Muller starting meant Coutinho was moved onto the left.

The 27-year-old isn't a winger and so does not provide a great deal of width from such positions, but because of the quality of his delivery and his ability to cut inside and shoot from distance, he can still be a threat from those areas.

Bayern's revival has left them just one point off the top of the Bundesliga, and if Flick can get Coutinho and Muller firing on all cylinders behind Robert Lewandowski, the Bavarians could still run away with the title.

Jadon Sancho has reportedly been left "feeling humiliated, scapegoated and unprotected" by Borussia Dortmund after recent reprimands from the club's hierarchy.

According to David Ornstein in The Athletic, as well as being dropped and fined for returning late from international duty back in October, Sancho was particularly irked by being substituted in the 36th minute of Dortmund's recent 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich, which manager Lucien Favre said was due to a performance that was "not good enough."

Ornstein added the 19-year-old's camp deemed the Bayern substitution "disgraceful," and they are aware of keen interest in the winger from Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid ahead of a likely exit from Dortmund in the summer of 2020. 

In Friday's 3-3 draw at home against Paderborn in the Bundesliga, BVB's first game since they were thrashed by Bayern, Sancho's form did not appear to have been affected by his dissatisfaction.

He engineered Dortmund's comeback from 3-0 down at half-time, scoring in the 47th minute and setting up Marco Reus for his stoppage-time equaliser:

The England international now has four goals and six assists in 10 league games in 2019-20 to add to the 14 assists and 12 goals he registered last term.

Sancho is not only one of the most exciting young players in Europe, he is arguably Dortmund's most important player.

As such, it is baffling that the club's leaders have opted to publicly chastise him recently.

Favre and sporting director Michael Zorc both publicly criticised the teenager when he returned late from England duty, and per Ornstein, club chiefs have twice asked Sancho's representatives if he will look to move in January.

All Dortmund appear to be achieving is to push one of their star assets, who signed a new contract in August, closer to the exit door and encourage his high-profile suitors.

After drawing with Paderborn, Dortmund are now sixth in the German top flight and visit Hertha Berlin in their next league game.

Before that, they face a crucial UEFA Champions League Group F clash against Barcelona on Wednesday at the Camp Nou.