In pursuit of a eighth successive Bundesliga win at the weekend, Bayern Munich trusted in youth.
They went 1-0 up against Borussia Monchengladbach, fifth in the table, thanks to Joshua Zirkzee, the Dutch teenager. It was Zirkzee’s fourth Bayern goal, scored 26 minutes into his third-Bundesliga start.
Monchengladbach had equalised by half-time and the chase for the three points that would keep Bayern on their smooth course to an eighth successive Bundesliga title turned attritional.
Manager Hansi Flick looked to his bench, and readied another teenager, Alphonso Davies.
Once the first three substitutions had been made, Bayern had fielded 10 players aged 25 or under. They sealed the 2-1, eventually, thanks to Leon Goretzka’s goal with four minutes remaining.
The result means Bayern can confirm they are champions once again with victory on Tuesday at Werder Bremen, because they go into this, the 32nd future of the 34-match season seven points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
The line-up of Flick’s team at the weekend also stimulates the thought that Bayern’s under-25s might well have been among the top two teams in Germany this season, were they given their own shot at the top division.
Against Monchengladbach, Zirkzee, leading the attack, and Michael Cuisance, the 20-year-old Frenchman operating just behind, partly owed their places in the starting XI to two major absences because of suspension.
Robert Lewandowski was on Saturday deprived of the opportunity, thanks to an accumulation of yellow cards, to add to his towering tally of 30 league goals so far.
Thomas Muller, who has set up more of those Lewandowski goals than anybody, was also suspended.
Muller is 30, Lewandowski 31 and along with Jerome Boateng, 31, David Alaba, 27, and Manuel Neuer, 34, they have been leaders through most of this long period of domestic dominance.
They were all alarmed by how close Dortmund pushed Bayern in 2018-19, the title clinched by the defending champions only on the last day.
They recognised a genuine crisis in late October, just before Niko Kovac was relieved of his job as manager.
Boateng and Muller would be forgiven for learning to watch their backs: they were told last year they were no longer in Joachim Low’s national team plans, the Germany manager citing a need to rejuvenate his squad.
But Flick has been good for the older warriors. He has overseen an uptick in the form of Boateng and Muller, and watched Lewandowski, a prolific striker for a decade, turn more potent than ever.
Bayern’s directors applauded Flick for that, and for his work with younger players, like Davies, by making him not just the post-Kovac caretaker but the man in charge for the longer-term, when Bayern expect to add even more talent to their strong cast of under 25s.
Which was the issue Muller addressed in an interview last week, after Bayern had secured their place in the German Cup final.
Suffice to report that, amid the expectant self-congratulation over another Bundesliga crown, and a possible Treble – Bayern will go confidently into the rest of the Champions League, assuming it restarts as planned in August – Muller’s comments have ignited controversy.
The veteran had been asked about possible new signings. Like Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen’s gifted 21-year-old who remains on the Bayern radar, although they are not the only potential suitors.
Or Leroy Sane, of Manchester City, in whom Bayern have scarcely disguised their interest for well over a year.
Muller replied: “I always want us to sign the best players. But it is a bit of a paradox, all this talk of new players coming in at the same as time the need to save on salaries.”
Bayern’s economy, though much the strongest in Germany, has been affected by the coronavirus crisis and the club have forecast that there will be constraints on the wage bill.
Muller was then told sharply by Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, that the comments had not been well received. “We sat down and talked about it,” according to Salihamidzic. “I told Thomas it wasn’t right.” Muller, added Salihamidzic, had “understood because he’s a very, very intelligent young man, as well as a very intelligent player.”
Muller might most appreciate the “young man” part of that statement.
Bayern are not ready to replace him with a more youthful model, not on his brilliant recent form.
Muller is preparing to collect his ninth winner’s medal for Bayern in the Bundesliga, perhaps a sixth German Cup in their colours and maybe a second Champions League crown – all before he turns 31.
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Muguruza's singles career in stats
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)
Wins / losses 293 / 149
The%20Sandman
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE squad
Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)
Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)
The specs: 2019 Audi A8
Price From Dh390,000
Engine 3.0L V6 turbo
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 345hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy, combined 7.5L / 100km
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The%20specs
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Quick%20facts
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900