Football news

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso reacted to the 0-3 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League final two weeks after the game.

"At the moment it hurts. It is very painful. Such games should not be forgotten. But I feel that this will be more useful for my development as a coach than winning a treble," CNN Sports quoted Alonso as saying.

Last season, Bayer won the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

The transfer of Ukrainian defender of Arsenal London Oleksandr Zinchenko to Bayern Munich has become unlikely.

According to NowArsenal, the German grandee has revised its priorities for the team's set-up on the left flank of the defense, and it was not in favor of the 27-year-old footballer.

At the moment, Bayern are primarily focused on keeping their left-flank defender Alfonso Davies, who has recently been linked with a possible departure to Real Madrid.

The backup option in this situation for the Munich club is the acquisition of Italian Milan and France defender Theo Hernandez.

And only if Bayern fail to reach an agreement with Davies and fail to acquire Hernandez, the club will turn their eyes towards Zinchenko.

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz said that now is not the time to discuss his future.

"Everyone knows that I have a contract with Bayer Leverkusen. Now is not the time to talk about it. I am having a great time in Leverkusen, I feel good. Right now, I am completely and utterly focused on the 2024 European Championship. Everything else is irrelevant," the Spanish online edition Mundo Deportivo quoted Wirtz as saying.

Bayern Munich board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned the team's new head coach Vincent Kompany that he must fight for titles from the start.

- "I wish him all the success in the world, because if you don't win a title with Bayern Munich in a year, then a year is too long. I think he has the right philosophy. I asked Pep Guardiola, who coached him for quite a long time. He said: "I am convinced that Vincent is a great coach". You have to remember that Bayern plays attacking and dominant football. And Kompany is a supporter of this philosophy," the former Bayern executive told Bild newspaper.

Manchester United are not the only contenders for Real Madrid's Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

According to Fichajes, Bayern Munich and Spanish side Betis are also interested in the 25-year-old goalkeeper. German grand in the face of Lunin sees a future replacement for 38-year-old Manuel Neuer.

Earlier it was reported that Manchester United and Real Madrid were to start negotiations on a possible transfer of Lunin immediately after the Champions League final.

Lunin's current contract with Real Madrid runs until the summer of next year, and the goalkeeper has not yet signed a new agreement with the Madrid club.

The departure of German defender Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund is a done deal, Bild reports.

The player's current contract with the Bumblebees expires at the end of June. The 35-year-old had deteriorated relations with the team's head coach Edin Terzic. At the end of the season, the club's board of directors was faced with the question of whether to choose Terzic or Hummels.

As a result, the Borussia management offered Terzic a new contract.

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos shared his thoughts after winning the sixth Champions League title. The German midfielder also commented on his decision to retire.

"What is the difference between Real Madrid and others? We don't lose finals.

I made this decision because I want to be with my family, but I will miss this team every day of my life. I wanted it to end this way. I could never have imagined that I would win so many," Madrid Xtra quoted Kroos as saying.

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham shared his emotions after the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final.

"I held on until I was in front of my parents. I was very shocked. Then I saw my younger brother, for whom I try to be a role model. I cannot put it into words. This is the best night of my life," the BBC quoted Jude as saying.

Borussia Dortmund striker Jaydon Sancho has spoken about how he feels about the team after a few months with them.

"I am grateful to the team and the staff for welcoming me back. It's very nice. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to make new friends. I'm very dependent on trust, but it's hard for me to trust people. I think when you grow up in South London, you are taught that a team is a big family. That's why I feel a strong connection to Dortmund," CNN quoted Sancho as saying.

Bayern Munich midfielder Jozua Kimmich has spoken about the appointment of the club's head coach Vincent Kompany.

"I have known him as a player for a long time. But I can't judge him as a coach yet. Of course, this is also important for our future. But first of all, I am interested in the club's opinion. I am glad that we have a coach now. But I can only judge after the first training session and the first few weeks," Kimmich said at the press conference.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Royce has spoken about what the Dortmund club means to him.

"Borussia Dortmund means everything to me. 12 years at the club must mean something. You don't just stay at a club for the name or the money. You have to feel comfortable, be in a good environment and have great teammates.

The fans also play a huge role. To leave is to know that you won't find the same thing anywhere else, so you think twice or three times before making that decision.

It's largely thanks to the fans that I've stayed here for so long, but also because I've always felt welcome here - that's an important factor," Royce was quoted as saying by the UEFA official website.

Arsenal's Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Zinchenko could become Bayern's first new recruit in the summer off-season, reports Daily Mail.

According to the source, Bayern's new coach Vincent Kompany is set to invite Oleksandr Zinchenko, who rarely featured in the Londoners' starting line-up in the spring part of the season, to join his team. Thus, the 38-year-old hopes to get a player who can potentially replace Alfonso Davis. Real Madrid is now actively interested in the Canadian. Earlier, the media reported that the "Royal Club" managed to reach a compromise on the signing of Alfonso Davis.

We would like to add that Oleksandr Zinchenko joined Arsenal in the summer of 2022. During this time, he played 68 matches and scored 2 goals.