TRANSFER TALK: CRITICISM ADDS WEIGHT TO NICO SCHLOTTERBECK 'S LOOMING DORTMUND EXIT
Nico Schlotterbeck publicly blasted his Dortmund teammates for "playing carelessly" after their 2-2 draw, escalating concerns about the team's mentality and the defender's own uncertain future.
Borussia Dortmund needs to calm things down after Nico Schlotterbeck publicly criticised his teammates before their Sunday game against Freiburg.
Schlotterbeck didn't hold back, blasting substitutes Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi for losing every ball and other teammates for playing carelessly in their disappointing 2-2 draw with Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League.
This performance raised questions about the team's mentality. Schlotterbeck mentioned that players were playing their own game and not finishing the match properly.
Finishing the match comes down to quality. It’s just not good enough when you don’t finish the match and then allow a throw-in that isn’t cleared, making it 2-2, Schlotterbeck said.
Sporting director Sebastian Kehl and coach Niko Kovac also spoke harshly to the team, but Schlotterbeck’s words carry extra weight because there are questions about his future with the club.
League leader Bayern Munich plays Mainz on Sunday. It doesn't look good for Mainz, who are currently last in the standings. They haven't won a Bundesliga game since September and lost again last weekend under interim coach Benjamin Hoffmann. Bayern has been on fire, winning all but one game.
Leipzig, Bayern’s closest competitor, plays Union Berlin on Friday. The home fans are likely to protest due to the visitors' connection to an energy drink company.
Bayer Leverkusen will host Cologne on Saturday for the Rhine derby.
Bayern star Harry Kane, who subbed in and scored a hat trick against Stuttgart last weekend, will want to add to his 17 goals in 13 league games.
Bayern’s new favourite, Lennart Karl, 17, scored a great goal in their 3-1 Champions League win against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.
Leipzig’s Yan Diomande scored a hat trick in their 6-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, becoming the second youngest player ever to do this in the Bundesliga at 19 years old. Only Walter Bechtold, who was 18 when he scored a hat trick for Frankfurt in 1965, was younger.
Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick may miss the derby due to an ankle injury he got during the 2-2 draw against Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Dortmund also has injury problems, with Waldemar Anton and Aaron Anselmino both injured in the draw against Bodø/Glimt.
Bayern, however, had good news. Alphonso Davies played against Sporting after being out for nine months with a serious knee injury.
EXCLUSIVE: AJAX AND SCHALKE LAUNCH BIDS FOR OUT-OF-CONTRACT RANGERS MIDFIELDER BAILEY RICE NOW
Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice is a top target for Ajax and Schalke. Get the latest on his contract status and potential summer exit.
Ajax and Schalke are chasing Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice, with both clubs working to seal a deal for the 19-year-old, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Rangers just wrapped up a training camp in Spain, gearing up for a crucial five-game stretch to go for the league title after the split earlier this month. Their run-in starts with Motherwell at home on Sunday, then a massive trip to face league leaders Hearts at Tynecastle next weekend.
After that comes the season’s final Old Firm showdown against Celtic at Parkhead on May 10, before closing out with Hibernian and Falkirk, who are the lowest-ranked teams in the split, having finished fifth and sixth.
This summer looks set for big changes at Rangers, and Rice is right at the centre of it. Romano reported on X that both Ajax and Schalke want to sign Rice as a free agent. The young Scottish midfielder is out of contract this summer. Talks over a new deal with Rangers haven’t worked out, so he’s weighing up his next move. Schalke reportedly already made him a personal offer, and Premier League side Aston Villa had also been linked with him earlier this year.
Rice has barely featured for Rangers this season after suffering a serious training injury that needed surgery; he’s only played a handful of minutes.
As for the rest of the squad, Rangers look set for another overhaul. After a busy transfer window last summer and more signings in January, things don’t seem to be slowing down. Manager Rohl has made do with what he has, but the club’s owners, the 49ers, are ready to back a ‘major recruitment drive’ this summer. Their aim? Knock Celtic off the top and keep Hearts from breaking up the Old Firm grip on Scottish football.
Nobody knows just how many players could come in yet, but it’s clear the owners are serious about shaking things up at Ibrox.
CARLO ANCELOTTI ISSUES TWO-MONTH WORLD CUP ULTIMATUM TO SANTOS STAR NEYMAR
Carlo Ancelotti confirms Neymar has two months to prove his fitness for the 2026 World Cup. Read the full Selecao update.
Everyone’s talking about Neymar again as the 2026 World Cup edges closer. It’s the same old debate: does he still have a spot with Brazil? But this time there’s real hope on the table. Carlo Ancelotti’s left the door open for Neymar to make the cut. Even though Neymar hasn’t made the latest squads, he’s obviously still on the minds of the Selecao coaches.
Here’s the situation: Neymar's been battling injuries since he tore his ACL. He missed the season’s first 10 games after knee surgery last December. He got back on the field, but fitness issues and a suspension meant he still watched from the sidelines quite a bit. Still, Ancelotti isn’t ruling him out. In an interview with L’Equipe, Ancelotti emphasised Neymar’s reputation but also made something very clear: if Neymar wants the World Cup, he needs to earn it.
Talent isn't a question; nobody doubts Neymar’s skill. What matters for Ancelotti is being fit. No exceptions, no matter how big the star. “Neymar can come back. I’ve said it before, and it’s simple: only physically ready players get called up,” Ancelotti said flat-out. “His recovery from the knee injury is going well; he’s scoring again. He just needs to keep pushing and get fitter. He’s headed in the right direction.”
With 79 goals in 128 matches, Neymar has shaped Brazil’s football history. Ancelotti gets that fans want to see Neymar try one more time for the one trophy he’s never won. “Neymar belongs to Brazil’s football story. He’s hugely talented, so obviously people hope he’ll help us win the next World Cup. Right now, he’s under assessment not just by the CBF but by me, too. He’s got two months left to show he has what it takes for the World Cup,” Ancelotti said.
Neymar’s chance to prove himself is coming fast, with big matches for Santos ahead. He’s expected to start this Saturday when they face Atlético-MG at Vila Belmiro. If Neymar stays healthy and sharp, that final World Cup dream is still alive.