Rb Leipzig

The deal includes an option for Champions League semi-finalists Leipzig to purchase Angelino permanently on a deal until 2025.

Leipzig signed the left-back on loan in January and he scored one goal and supplied five assists in 18 appearances for the club.

"I'm very happy that I'm staying in Leipzig and that we can continue our journey together," said Angelino.

"The first six months with RBL were great; I had a lot of playing time from the start, I like the way the coach and the team approach the game. We also had a strong season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

"I'm looking forward to the future and many more successful moments."

Leipzig sporting director Markus Krosche added: "Angel needed little time to get used to our game and found his way around our approach right from the start.

"He played a strong second half of the season and helped us achieve our goals at the Champions League level.

"We are therefore very happy he will now wear the RB Leipzig jersey for at least one more season."

City first signed Angelino in 2012 but sold him to PSV following loan spells at New York City, Girona, Mallorca and NAC Breda.

They triggered a buy-back clause in the PSV deal in July 2019 and he made 12 appearances before being loaned out to Leipzig.

Brobbey will join Nagelsmann's Leipzig on a free transfer at the end of the season after agreeing a four-year deal until 2025.

Eredivisie giants Ajax were determined to keep Brobbey, but the 19-year-old Dutch forward opted to leave for Leipzig.

Brobbey, who made his senior debut for Ajax in October, has scored twice in seven substitute appearances in Eredivisie this season, while he has netted as many goals during the 2020-21 Europa League campaign.

Nagelsmann compared Brobbey to in-form Inter forward Lukaku after being asked about the similarities between the two players.

"It is always very tough for a player, when you compare him to others as people start to grow expectations that are not good for a player at that age," Nagelsmann told reporters ahead of Sunday's showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt.

"In regards to his physique and the way he plays, he is similar to Romelu Lukaku. And we would be happy if he can manage to become a player with the same qualities. But to paint a picture for the fans, you can definitely say that he is similar to Lukaku. But it is a great wish of ours that he can develop himself in a similar way and that he will be able to become as important for the European football [as Lukaku].

"If that will be the case, then our scouting department has made a great decision. We will cross our fingers for that to happen. But please don't start saying that he will play just like Lukaku, because this won't be the case."

After Friday's announcement, Brobbey said: "RB Leipzig is a great club and is playing an amazing season. Julian Nagelsmann is a young and very good coach, who I can learn a lot from.

"The team is stable and gives off a strong feeling of unity. I'm looking forward to joining the team and of course want to play my part in helping the club be so successful."

Leipzig are second in the Bundesliga, two points adrift of leaders and defending champions Bayern Munich through 24 rounds.

But Nagelsmann is unwilling to discuss the title race, adding: "I have already mentioned that I do not want to talk about that so much. Last year, we were a bit closer to Bayern or maybe a bit further ahead and we still didn't manage to win the tile and eventually fell behind with a few points difference.

"For us it is about following through with the consistency that we currently have. There are still many games to be played, many points to get but also many points to lose in either direction. We don't gain a lot from just talking about it. We need to try to be the best possible opponent for all the teams we face.

"It is our aim to win every match. I also said on Wednesday after [Champions League fixture against] Liverpool that I find it disrespectful against many others to say that the championship will be decided on the third of April. There are still a few games to go. This would also imply that we will win every game that we come up against. But to do so we will have to go to our limits. It's not like we will win every game with ease and then say: 'It was nice of you to come for a visit. Goodbye and it was obvious that you'll lose'. There's a lot of work to be done with many narrow games. We have seen it against Freiburg where we took a lot of time to find our rhythm needed to win the game.

"Against [Borussia] Gladbach, it took us until the 93rd minute to win. We had a bit of luck against Berlin as well, but have solved it with dominance towards the end and scored the very important second goal. It is not a walk in the park for us. Therefore, it doesn't help us to talk about the aim at the end. We have to be successful from game to game and take them as they come. Now it is Frankfurt and then we will see what will happen at the end.

"Of course, we are happy when coaches or experts are honouring our success but we can't gain anything from that. It is important that we deserve to be where we are after the 34th matchday. Whatever it will be, we will take that into our holiday. In the middle of the season, it is a nice feeling but it doesn’t help us a lot at the moment."

Leipzig's 53 points from 24 games represents their best-ever return at this stage of a Bundesliga season. The club's previous best was 49 points, achieved in both 2016-17 and 2019-20.

Meanwhile, Leipzig have won six consecutive Bundesliga games for the first time since 2019. Their club record stands at eight wins in a row from September to December 2016.

Son faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured arm in Spurs' Premier League win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

With Harry Kane still absent due to a hamstring injury, Tottenham are without a recognised striker in the starting line-up to face Leipzig on Wednesday.

It appears Alli could move into a more advanced role, with Lucas up top and Steven Bergwijn also offering support along with Giovani Lo Celso.

Jose Mourinho has made two changes to his starting line-up for the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gedson Fernandes and Lo Celso coming into the side as Eric Dier drops to the bench 

Timo Werner will provide Leipzig's main attacking threat in a contest that will see Julian Nagelsmann become the youngest manager to take charge of a Champions League knockout match at the age of 32.

Ligue 1 was curtailed and a streamlined version of the Champions League knockout rounds took place in Lisbon in August, before a new season got under way.

There have still been plenty of performances to savour, though, and Stats Perform News has used Opta data to calculate a Team of the Year from the top five European leagues.

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi made the grade in 2020 but the same could not be said of Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while Kylian Mbappe earned a spot that his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar could not.

Supporters of Premier League clubs may not be rejoicing about the selections, which were made based solely on data.

Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico lead the way in LaLiga on goal difference and have two games in hand on nearest rivals Real Madrid. Diego Simeone's side owe much of their success to Oblak, who has kept 17 clean sheets in 33 LaLiga appearances this year – the most of any keeper in the division during the same period.

Right-back: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus)

Juve won a ninth straight Scudetto this year and Cuadrado has played an important role throughout 2020, creating 45 chances (including seven assists) for the Bianconeri in Serie A – only Paulo Dybala (56) supplied more key passes for the club.

Centre-back: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

Bayern Munich may be the dominant force in the Bundesliga, but Hummels has continued to show his worth since returning to Dortmund. He made the most interceptions (57) and completed the most passes (2,056) of any Bundesliga defender in 2020.

Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)

France international Upamecano is one of the hottest properties in European football and has been linked with a host of elite clubs. He shows great coolness in possession – as evidenced by him completing 24 of the 33 dribbles he attempted for a success rate of 73 per cent, the best of any Bundesliga defender to try at least 30.

Left-back: Theo Hernandez (Milan)

While Upamecano has established himself with Les Bleus, Hernandez's continued absence from the France set-up despite stellar showings for a resurgent Milan remains a source of much debate. The Rossoneri will end the year top of Serie A and Hernandez has been directly involved in 102 shots (46 chances created, 56 attempts on goal) in the league in 2020. That is more than any other defender in the same period.

Centre midfield: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

Kimmich's looping goal against Dortmund at the back end of last season was pivotal to Bayern retaining their German league title, which came as part of a treble. It has been the Germany international's distribution that has stood out this year, though. He completed an average of 75 passes per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga in 2020, the most of any midfielder in the competition to feature for at least 1,000 minutes.

Centre midfield: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

Madrid regained the title in LaLiga in 2020, with Kroos a central figure in Zinedine Zidane's midfield. Of all players who attempted at least 1,000 passes in the opposition half in the Spanish top flight this year, Kroos was the only one who had a completion rate higher than 90 per cent.

Right wing: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

This year may have proved to be terminal to Messi's tight relationship with Barcelona, and while he was not quite up to his previous goalscoring exploits he still proved massively influential in the final third. He was the only player in LaLiga in 2020 to both score at least 15 goals and register as many assists.

Attacking midfield: Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez (Atalanta)

His time with Atalanta may seemingly be coming to an end after a falling-out with Gian Piero Gasperini, but Gomez has been one of the club's most important players. He had more assists (12) and created more chances (81) in Serie A this year than any of his team-mates.

Left wing: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

PSG were crowned Ligue 1 champions despite the season being cut short in April, meaning they have played just 26 games this year. Mbappe only featured in 21 of those, but he was still directly involved in 24 goals (19 scored, five assisted) which was more than any other player in the competition in 2020.

Striker: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

It was no surprise to see Lewandowski named The Best FIFA Men's Player after an incredible campaign with Bayern. He scored 32 Bundesliga goals in 26 appearances this year and only five of them were spot-kicks. His tally of 27 non-penalty goals was the most of any player in the top five European leagues.

Reports suggest Rangnick is to be offered a unique role with the Rossoneri where he will combine the jobs of head coach and sporting director.

Such a restructure would leave no place for technical director Maldini or head coach Stefano Pioli, while Zvonimir Boban was sacked as chief football officer earlier this year as part of CEO Ivan Gazidis' shake-up of the hierarchy.

Last week, Rangnick – the former Stuttgart, Schalke and Leipzig boss who is now head of sport and development for Red Bull, the group which owns Leipzig – said he would need "a certain influence" to move to Milan and confirmed talks had taken place with the Serie A club prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maldini has taken a dim view of Rangnick's comments and delivered an extraordinary blast in an interview with Italian news agency ANSA.

"Having never talked to Rangnick, I don't understand on what basis his statements are based, also because I have never been told anything by the owner," he said.

"Some considerations in my opinion, however, must be made. The German coach in fact, speaking of a role with full managerial powers both in the sporting and technical areas, invades areas where professionals work with regular contracts.

"So, I would have some advice for him, before learning Italian he should review the general concepts of respect, as there are colleagues who, despite the many difficulties of the moment, are trying to finish the season in a very professional way, putting the good of Milan to their professional pride."

RB Leipzig head coach Nagelsmann was speaking a day after Hansi Flick announced he was set to leave Bayern at the end of the season.

Flick has been strongly tipped to take over as Germany national team coach with current boss Joachim Low stepping down after the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament.

Nagelsmann is among the leading contenders to succeed Flick at the Allianz Arena with former Bayern and Germany international Lothar Matthaus indicating he was a shoo-in for the job.

The 33-year-old has won 52, drawn 21 and lost 15 of his 88 matches in charge of Leipzig with a win percentage of 59.09.

But he has again stressed no discussions between himself and Bayern have taken place.

"There is simply nothing I can report," Nagelsmann told a media conference on Sunday ahead of Leipzig's Bundesliga clash with Cologne.

"I think it's totally wrong to then sit down and say what if, and maybe get yourself talked about somewhere and make yourself important on things that aren't there.

"I can't sit down and say, I'm going to break up with Lena Gercke [German model] tomorrow, because I've never dated her, for example.

"I'm sorry to say that there are no new developments compared to the last press conference. The same things apply that I said there.

"There are and were no discussions and no offer. That's why I don't know what Bayern's wish is. I have said I don't want to start a war with my employers - that's still the case."

Marcel Halstenberg restored parity early in the second half at Red Bull Arena, cancelling out Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's opener with a scrappy close-range finish.

That goal was enough for Leipzig to claim a 1-1 draw in the first Bundesliga match of 2023 following a 68-day mid-season break – the longest the competition has been halted for during a season since the 1996-97 campaign (69 days).

However, Bayern's players were unhappy Leipzig's equaliser was allowed to stand, with Joshua Kimmich claiming he had been dragged down by Andre Silva in the build-up, while Leon Goretzka also had previously had a goal disallowed for Matthijs de Ligt straying offside.

Those appeals fell on deaf ears, with the VAR not deeming the referee had made a clear error, and Nagelsmann said he was satisfied enough, even though he suggested Kimmich did not go down of his own accord.

He told reporters: "Kimmich won't fall on his own, but in the end I trust the referee."

Nagelsmann instead claimed his team must have done better to defend in the first place.

"I think we can resolve the situation more clearly beforehand, then this scene won't happen at all," he added.

The draw ended a 10-match winning run for Bayern in all competitions, but Nagelsmann was content enough to come away from his former club with a point.

"In the end, you have to take the result as it comes. It was a very wild game at times, but that's normal after such a long time," he told Sat1. 

"We did many things well and many things badly. We can improve certain things. We gave away good opportunities, so the point at the end was fair."

Hansi Flick has been hugely successful since taking charge at Bayern, but a strained relationship with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has led to speculation over his future beyond the current campaign.

Amid links to the upcoming vacancy with the Germany national team, Flick cryptically said after the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday: "I have a contract with Bayern but you always have thoughts about how the future looks and if everything is working wonderfully here."

Lothar Matthaus claimed while working for Sky Deutschland's coverage of the Champions League second leg that Bayern had already "talked a bit" to Nagelsmann about taking over, should Flick leave his current post.

However, speaking to the media on Wednesday, the Leipzig boss denied having held any such conversations with the reigning Bundesliga champions.

"There were and are no talks with Bayern. I have no idea where Lothar got this information from. This of course also applies to my advisors, there were also no talks," Nagelsmann said.

"I have not spoken to the club because there will be nothing to discuss. I still have a contract with RB until 2023."

Nagelsmann was speaking to preview second-placed Leipzig’s home game against his former employers Hoffenheim on Friday.

The game offers the hosts a chance to increase the pressure on table-topping Bayern in the title race; the gap stands at five points with six games to play in the season.

"We still need eight points for this to be the most successful season in the club’s history," Nagelsmann said ahead of the run-in.

"We have to win our games – it is that simple. We are focusing only on ourselves in order to get as many points as we can. Then we will see whether Bayern stumble or not. Normally, it wouldn't happen.

"If we finish in second then it was still an outstanding season. 

"We still have room to develop as a team and we have had a really consistent season even though we have so many young players in our ranks. We have been good, you've seen that already. If we can now go from good to great then we would be more than happy."

Nagelsmann has been rumoured as a possible replacement for Hansi Flick at Bundesliga rivals Bayern at the end of the season, while a report in Spain suggested new Barca president Joan Laporta wants him to take over from Ronald Koeman at Camp Nou.

However, the 33-year-old has made clear his indifference to such stories as he remains under contract with his current employers until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Leipzig were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool in midweek but remain in contention for the title in Germany, sitting just two points behind reigning champions Bayern after 24 games.

"I have a contract until 2023. It would be a bit much to say that it annoys me - I know how professional football works," Nagelsmann told the media ahead of Sunday's game with Eintracht Frankfurt.

"Apparently, I would've joined Tottenham, Real Madrid or Barcelona by now.

"There are great coaches at all of these clubs and they have a contract, just as I do. It is not annoying me, nor is it flattering me. It doesn't have any relevance for me. I'm only concentrating on [the game against] Eintracht Frankfurt, where we have to do a lot already.

"No matter what coaches you are talking about, whether it is Bayern or Barcelona, it would be disrespectful to talk about these clubs. It would be disrespectful, as all of those coaches are very successful and have a contract as well.

"From my perspective, it is a topic in the media. I understand that it is interesting, primarily for the fans, so I'm not upset. Neither am I saying that the question is disrespectful. All I'm saying is, that it would be disrespectful for me to talk about these topics."

Rather than be concerned over talk about his next move, Nagelsmann is focusing on making sure Leipzig collect maximum points from their two Bundesliga games before this month's international break.

After hosting fourth-placed Frankfurt, they travel to relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld next Friday.

"I have enough to do by analysing the game against Liverpool and by preparing the game on Sunday and next Friday. We want to get the six points before the international break," Nagelsmann said.

"Afterwards, we have to start preparing the upcoming games perfectly, to stay at the top for as long as possible."

The 32-year-old told the Independent he was approached by Madrid managing director Jose Angel Sanchez in 2018, at a time when the club were seeking a successor to Zinedine Zidane.

That job went to Julen Lopetegui, whose controversial appointment led to the incoming Madrid boss being ousted as Spain's head coach on the eve of the World Cup.

Lopetegui and Santiago Solari did not last, with their respective short stints in charge followed by the second coming of Zidane.

It could have been Nagelsmann in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu; however, the highly-rated young German decided the opportunity had come too early in his career.

He elected to stay with his club at the time, Hoffenheim, before moving on to Leipzig last year.

"It's normal if Real Madrid call you, you think about it," Nagelsmann said. "I was surprised at first, I weighed it up and I didn't feel comfortable with a decision to go there. I want to improve. If you go to Real Madrid, there's no time to improve as a manager. 

"You don't have a chance to be a better manager, you already have to be the best. I'm not the best now, but I can admit I want to be one of the best in future. If you go to Real Madrid or Barcelona, the fans, the media and the decision-makers don't give you the time to grow into that.

"They only want to see victories every game, titles, Champions League trophies. If you don't win, you can't say 'but I'm still young, I'm still developing'. It's not that easy in football to plan a career, because it is so unpredictable, but you have to try.

"The main thing is to make the right steps, not the biggest steps. Real Madrid is probably one of the highest steps you can take so I thought, 'You turn 31, go to Real and where to do you go from there?'."

He said the language barrier could also have been a problem, with Nagelsmann not a Spanish speaker.

He jumped at the Leipzig chance, however, and said that sparked a period when he was constantly linked with top jobs.

"The funny thing about that is, I signed a contract and then it felt like 10 minutes later, all the clubs were interested," he said. "It's like when you go to a disco and you are single, you'll never find a girl. Then when you go to the disco with your girlfriend, quite a few want you!"

Nagelsmann's Leipzig are set to face Jose Mourinho's Tottenham in the Champions League last 16, with the first leg in London next Wednesday.

The young German boss admits coaching in England holds plenty of appeal for the future.

"In the Premier League, there is no time slot for anything else. Football, football, football," he told the Independent. "But there are a few clubs that I watch closely and the Premier League is a goal for every manager."

The search for Low's successor is underway, and a poll by Germany's Sky Sport News broadcaster on Tuesday showed Liverpool manager Klopp would be a popular pick.

With over 7,000 votes counted, some 54.6 per cent selected Klopp as the right man for the job, with Ralf Rangnick next in line with a 15.4 per cent share.

Klopp's Liverpool are enduring a deep dip in the Premier League after last season's title triumph, and six successive defeats in the competition at Anfield have seen them slip to eighth place.

But Klopp has enjoyed huge success during his Liverpool reign, winning the Champions League in 2018-19 before the Reds ended a 30-year wait for the domestic title.

He was also highly successful during his time with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, where he twice won the Bundesliga.

Nagelsmann, whose RB Leipzig side face Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday, said: "Jurgen Klopp is an outstanding coach. But I think that both Liverpool and Jurgen are extremely satisfied with each other."

At the age of 33, Nagelsmann appears unlikely to fancy a switch from club management into the international game.

He has performed wonders with Leipzig since being appointed in 2019, achieving a Bundesliga win percentage of 58.62, with 34 victories and just seven defeats in 58 league games in charge.

If he sustains his early coaching performance, the Germany job may be one that Nagelsmann looks at in the future.

For now, he is keen to see how Low bows out, hoping a 15-year reign can end on a high note.

"First of all, it's sad news, but he is still in office," Nagelsmann said. "That's the most important thing: that he will continue and be on the touchline for this big tournament.

"He's had an extreme impact in German football and especially on the national team. He's had great success and defined an era with titles, a development and a second rebuild during his spell."

Nagelsmann pointed to Low bringing through different generations to form new Germany sides, and said he was optimistic the latest incarnation can be trophy contenders at the European Championship.

"I am sure of it, because we have a lot of talented players, which is also an achievement of his," Nagelsmann said. "It's thanks to him making difficult decisions during crucial moments.

"He has also been criticised for this but had a great career as the coach of the German national team nonetheless. I hope he will find a glorious end and then I'm keen on finding out where he will leave his footsteps next."

Germany great Lothar Matthaus backed former Schalke and Leipzig boss Rangnick, who is currently without a club, telling Sky Sport News: "He's free. He's someone who can build something."

The next Germany coach will be expected to lead the team at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, although the qualifying process is set to begin on Low's watch, with games against Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia coming up in late March.

Rudi Voller, the former Germany striker who went on to manage the team from 2000 to 2004, is thankful Low is being afforded the chance to go out on his own terms.

Voller said: "Jogi Low's decision deserves respect. He and his teams have given us great football in many tournaments and by winning the title at the 2014 World Cup, achieved great things for German sport.

"Now Jogi has the chance to go to the European Championship this summer and to achieve a wonderful conclusion. We will all keep our fingers crossed for him."

Mintzlaff revealed the decision to sanction Nagelsmann's departure took place after open and honest talks with the highly rated 33-year-old, who is nearing the end of his second season with Leipzig.

Leipzig head coach Nagelsmann is to become the new Bayern boss and has agreed a five-year contract beginning on July 1, both clubs confirmed on Tuesday.

Nagelsmann said he is leaving RB Leipzig for "a unique opportunity" at Bayern with "a heavy heart" but vowed he would give everything to finish on a high.

Discussing the announcement, Mintzlaff said: "There has been a lot of activity over the past few days regarding the role as head coach of FC Bayern Munich.

"Following this, Julian Nagelsmann approached us and expressed in open talks that it is a lifelong dream of his to become coach of FC Bayern, and that he would like to make the move to Munich if the opportunity presented itself after the end of this season.

"Julian has taken a fantastic path in Leipzig and developed the club very successfully.

"He has not only improved individual players but has also taken the team as a collective to the next level.

"We signed a long-term contract that did not originally include an exit scenario.

"However, Julian's strong desire to coach FC Bayern has led us to the decision that the door is open after intensive talks, provided certain prerequisites are met."

Following reports on Monday that Bayern and Nagelsmann had quickly agreed terms, a fee to release him from his RB Leipzig contract was said to be proving a sticking point.

An agreement has been now reached between the clubs that will reportedly make Nagelsmann the world's most expensive head coach.

The Athletic indicated Bayern will pay around €20million, while further reports suggest add-ons could take the total closer to €25m.

Mintzlaff confirmed the club had met their financial target during talks with Bayern.

He added: "In the negotiations with FC Bayern representatives, we have been successful in obtaining our financial goals.

"Now we have to tackle the remaining games of this season with Julian and his team so that we can make this the most successful campaign in our club's history." 

Bayern, who are on the verge of a ninth successive Bundesliga title, have agreed to terminate the contract of Hansi Flick, who informed the club he did not want to stay in charge beyond this season.

Nagelsmann has Leipzig on the brink of sealing second place in the Bundesliga, which would be their best finish.

There also remains a chance he will guide the club to their first major silverware, with Bayern already out of the DFB-Pokal ahead of Leipzig's semi-final against Werder Bremen on Friday.

The 33-year-old finished third in the top flight and reached the Champions League semi-finals with Leipzig last season – his first after joining from Hoffenheim.

But he revealed his new job was too difficult to turn down. As a boyhood Bayern fan from the Bavarian town of Landsberg am Lech, the Allianz Arena has long been touted as his dream destination.

Leipzig added that a statement regarding the successor to Nagelsmann would be made "soon".

Our latest dive into the data of 2019-20 sees us look at the best playmakers in Europe's top-five leagues before the season was called to a halt.

We've deliberately broadened our approach to what constitutes a playmaker here – Gerard Pique doesn't often appear as a number 10, unless Barca are in real trouble – as the idea is to offer a wider consideration of those players who generally use the ball better than most when in possession.

To that end, we've looked at 12 different metrics to come up with the top performers of the campaign, again from among those to make at least 10 league appearances.

While some stars are not exactly strange to see in the list below, there is a handful of more surprising names, too...

THE TOP PLAYMAKERS IN EUROPE'S TOP-FIVE LEAGUES 2019-20:

BUNDESLIGA:

Most successful passes: Sven Bender (1,766)
Highest passing accuracy: Axel Witsel(94.1 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Joshua Kimmich (873)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Axel Witsel (92.2)
Most passes ending in final third: Jadon Sancho (576)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Axel Witsel(88.4 per cent)
Most chances created: Christopher Nkunku(65)
Most big chances created: Thomas Muller (24)
Most assists: Thomas Muller (16)
Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller(15)
Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic (71)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Dennis Geiger (50 per cent)

LALIGA:

Most successful passes: Gerard Pique (1,688)
Highest passing accuracy: Toni Kroos (93.6 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Sergio Busquets (957)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Toni Kroos (92.4)
Most passes ending in final third: Lionel Messi(698)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Toni Kroos (90.3)
Most chances created: Jose Campana (58)
Most big chances created: Lionel Messi(22)
Most assists: Lionel Messi (12)
Most assists from open play: Portu and Lionel Messi (8)
Most crosses/corners successful: Jesus Navas(43)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Benat (55 per cent)

LIGUE 1:

Most successful passes: Marco Verratti (1,581)
Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (95.5 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Marco Verratti (956)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Thiago Silva (92.8 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Angel Di Maria (543)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Colin Dagba (86 per cent)
Most chances created: Dimitri Payet(87)
Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria(31)
Most assists: Angel Di Maria (14)
Most assists from open play: Angel Di Maria (10)
Most crosses/corners successful: Dimitri Payet(63)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Marco Verratti(54.6 per cent)

PREMIER LEAGUE:

Most successful passes: Virgil van Dijk(2,209)
Highest passing accuracy: John Stones (94 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Rodri(1,069)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: John Stones (93.9 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Kevin De Bruyne(740)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Ibrahim Amadou (93.3 per cent)
Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (96)
Most big chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (23)
Most assists: Kevin De Bruyne (16)
Most assists from open play: Kevin De Bruyne (14)
Most crosses/corners successful: Kevin De Bruyne (69)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Christian Atsu (47.1 per cent)

SERIE A:

Most successful passes: Fabian Ruiz (1,488)
Highest passing accuracy: Marlon Santos (94.1 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Fabian Ruiz(932)
Passing accuracy, opposition half: Eljif Elmas (91.5 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Luis Alberto (723)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Walace (89.7 per cent)
Most chances created: Luis Alberto (75)
Most big chances created: Luis Alberto (16)
Most assists: Luis Alberto (12)
Most assists from open play: Luis Albertoand Alejandro Gomez (9)
Most crosses/corners successful: Erick Pulgar (46)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Armando Izzo(54.6 per cent)

AND THE TOP 12:

Most successful passes: Virgil van Dijk (2,209)
Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (95.5 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Rodri (1,069)
Passing accuracy, opposition half: John Stones (93.9 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Kevin De Bruyne (740)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Ibrahim Amadou (93.3 per cent)
Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (96)
Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria (31)
Most assists: Thomas Mullerand Kevin De Bruyne (16)
Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller (15)
Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic(71)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10): Benat (55 per cent)

It was 1-0 at the break after Mohamed Salah netted the opener eight minutes into the friendly, with Liverpool making four substitutions before heading back out for the second 45 minutes, including Darwin replacing Roberto Firmino up front.

The former Benfica striker did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet, stepping up to the penalty spot and converting to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute.

Just three minutes later Darwin was the beneficiary after a turnover deep in the Leipzig defence, getting slipped through on goal by Trent Alexander-Arnold before finishing hard and low across the goalkeeper into the bottom-left corner.

He completed his hat-trick with a lunging tap-in from the edge of the six-yard box, getting on the end of a low cross from Harvey Elliott, before completing his rout with a fourth in stoppage time.

Speaking to the media after the win, Klopp said he was excited to see his side clicking in the second half with their near-£100million man, and that it is the best way to quell any chatter about his hefty purchase price.

"When we struggled a little bit, it was always after three minutes' break we played football again, then a deep breather and play football again," he said. "I wanted us to be a bit more hard with ourselves, go over that point – it's pre-season. 

"I think we did that in the second half, obviously. 'Hendo' came on, and [James Milner] – they both were lively. 

"Hendo all of a sudden as an eight, went in behind and we created chances. Then Mo gives Darwin the penalty and Darwin – Pandora's box was open. That'a of course a perfect night for him.

"We always think that if you pay a lot of money then the players feel no pressure or whatever – they are all completely normal human beings.

"If the first touch is not perfect then all of a sudden… this generation of players read social media, which is really not smart, but they do. All of a sudden you get in a rush and these kinds of things. 

"That's the best way obviously to stop all these discussions. He's a different striker to what we have or what we had, but he's a really good one."

Liverpool's next friendly will take place away against Salzburg next Wednesday.

Erling Haaland also broke another record as City produced an emphatic response to Lois Openda’s first-half double at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Substitute Julian Alvarez came off the bench to wrap up the fightback and secure top spot in Group G for Pep Guardiola’s formidable side.

Foden sparked the turnaround when he teed up Haaland early in the second half for the strike that saw the Norwegian become the fastest player to reach 40 goals in the competition, in just 35 appearances.

The England midfielder added a sublime second himself before further great footwork presented Alvarez with City’s third.

Both teams had gone into the game knowing their places in the last 16 were secure but, aside from the final group positions, there were also matters of pride to play for.

City were looking to protect an English record 18-game unbeaten run in European competition while Leipzig were keen to erase the memory of their 7-0 thrashing at the same venue last season.

The Bundesliga side started strongly and were keen to test City’s back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

City had an early let-off when Xavi Simons curled a low effort wide.

It was a warning that was not heeded as a simple long ball from goalkeeper Janis Blaswich caught out the home defence. Manuel Akanji clumsily allowed the ball to bounce in attempting to nudge Openda out of the way and paid the price as the Belgium forward broke free.

Openda, who also scored in Leipzig’s home clash with City last month, showed great composure as he raced into the area and buried a low shot past Ortega.

City almost found a quick equaliser as Ruben Dias headed over and Rico Lewis then did superbly to control a pass and beat a defender but he also cleared the crossbar.

City were exposed again by another ball from deep just after the half-hour. This time Dias was unable to cut out the pass and was beaten by Openda by the touchline.

Again Openda showed his pace and could not be stopped as he cut inside and rifled past Ortega.

Haaland tried to rescue the situation but blazed well over and then headed tamely at Blaswich.

Akanji’s poor showing continued as he caught David Raum with a late challenge but he escaped a booking.

City showed more determination after the break and pulled one back in the 54th minute, just seconds after Jeremy Doku and Alvarez were introduced in a double change for Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker.

Foden split the defence with a clever pass and Haaland raced through to finish powerfully.

Foden took centre stage to net the equaliser himself on 70 minutes, taking a sublime touch to take out a defender on the edge of the box and then cleverly rolling past Blaswich.

Leipzig were not done and on-loan Liverpool forward Fabio Carvalho thought he had put the visitors back ahead immediately after coming off the bench but his effort was ruled out for offside.

It was a moment they were to rue as Foden spun inside the area from a Doku pass and squared for Alvarez to tuck home three minutes from time.

The former Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig boss has been repeatedly linked with the San Siro post for months.

Reports in Italy have frequently portrayed the deal as being effectively done, but that does not tally with Rangnick's explanation.

Rangnick currently works behind the scenes with Leipzig, as well as other football clubs tied to Red Bull, in his role as the energy drinks merchant's head of sport and development.

Asked about the Milan job, Rangnick told German broadcaster MDR on Friday: "There is nothing to it.

"There were once loose enquiries. But such a statement has nothing to do with reality."

That may come as some surprise to former Milan chief football officer Zvonimir Boban, who claimed after his March exit from the club that a deal for Rangnick had been agreed last December.

Stefano Pioli is head coach of Milan, having been appointed in October after a difficult start to the season under previous boss Marco Giampaolo.

Stunned by lowly Mainz in midweek, Lucien Favre's side responded to the shock home defeat by ending Leipzig's 13-match unbeaten league run, keeping Timo Werner particularly quiet in his final home game before joining Chelsea.

Bayern Munich's dramatic collapse against Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday left them vulnerable at the summit, only for bitter rivals Dortmund to do them a favour.

After a cagey first half, Haaland stole the show, helping to create Jadon Sancho's opener before heading home the England winger's cross.

Haaland dispatched his 19th goal of the season across all competitions six minutes from time, though Alexander Sorloth beat Roman Burki at the second attempt to register a consolation for Leipzig, who remain two points behind Bayern after their nine-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga came to a halt.

Ligue 1 is the only major domestic league to allow fans to attend matches since football first resumed in Europe in May following the coronavirus-enforced stoppage.

However, with Germany having curtailed the spread of the virus, Leipzig have been given the green light to have crowds back in attendance for their home match against Mainz.

Leipzig will be able to have up to 8,500 fans in the stadium, after a location-specific agreement was reached with the city's health department. 

The decision comes following new measures being introduced in the Saxony region on Tuesday, though it is dependant on infection rates in the area staying low.

"It is great news for the team but above all for our fans," said Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann. 

"It's almost six months since the last game with supporters and we've always stressed how much we missed the fans and atmosphere."

Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga in 2019-20, while also reaching the Champions League semi-finals, going out to Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon.

Leipzig have signed Henrichs on a season-long loan deal with the option to buy the 23-year-old Germany international in 2021. 

However, Henrichs will not be eligible to represent quarter-finalists Leipzig in the Champions League when the tournament resumes in August. 

The full-back made 13 Ligue 1 appearances before the French season was cut short in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"I'm happy to be back in Germany after two interesting years in France. RB Leipzig are one of the most exciting clubs in Germany and even Europe and they have qualified for the Champions League again with a young side," Henrichs said.  

"The club is very ambitious and they have a clear way of playing football, which impressed me when I was playing for Leverkusen. After the French season was cancelled, I can't wait to get going after such a long break."

The German left Bayer Leverkusen for Monaco in 2018, penning a five-year contract, after featuring 76 times for his boyhood Bundesliga club.

Henrichs is Leipzig's second signing for the new season following Hwang Hee-chan's arrival from Austrian champions Salzburg.