Joshua Kimmich insists Bayern Munich will want to "send a message" in their final Champions League group game against Inter, despite it being a dead rubber.
Bayern secured top spot in Group C last week with a 3-0 win at Barcelona, while Inter confirmed second place prior to that with a 4-0 victory at home to Viktoria Plzen.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the clash at the Allianz Arena, Kimmich emphasised the importance for the Bundesliga side to maintain their recent high standards, even with nothing riding on the outcome of the game.
"The coach has addressed it already," he said. "We need to send a message to ourselves and our opponents. We want to play freely and have fun out on the pitch, like we have [been doing] lately. We want to win the game in order to send a message."
Bayern are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions (W8 D1) but despite being on course to win all six of their games in a tough Champions League group, Kimmich believes they cannot be considered favourites to go all the way until the competition resumes next year.
"In February, March and April, it will be decided who the favourites are," he said. "We are proud that we won our group, a very difficult group. It's remarkable that we topped it before the final matchday."
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann admitted he will look to partially rotate his team against Inter, with this one of four games they still have to play before breaking for the World Cup in less than two weeks.
"We will rotate," he said. "How many changes we make depends on how things go today and tomorrow. We won't take any risks, after all, the last few weeks have been very intense."
The former RB Leipzig boss added the game will come too soon for the likes of Leroy Sane, Lucas Hernandez, Thomas Muller, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Neuer, though did add the goalkeeper - who has not played since the 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund on October 8 - could be back for the weekend, putting to rest concerns Neuer might not make the World Cup.
"We're hoping Manu will return this weekend," he said. "He had no issues during and after training today. We will need to wait and see."
England call would be realisation of childhood dream for Spurs’ Ashleigh Neville
Tottenham full-back Ashleigh Neville will forever be proud of fulfilling one lifelong goal but has not yet given up hope of achieving a dream England call-up.
It was only four years ago that Neville quit her teaching job in Birmingham to concentrate fully on football after Spurs’ promotion to the Women’s Super League.
Fast forward to the present and Neville has become one of the division’s most consistent performers, despite playing across numerous positions and amid a rollercoaster period for Tottenham.
Neville played a key role in Spurs’ fifth-place finish in 2022 but still missed out on Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the Euros and, while her club battled relegation last season, the 30-year-old’s performances remained excellent.
Wiegman acknowledged 12 months ago that Neville was doing a “really good job”, but the emergence of Chelsea’s Niamh Charles alongside system tweaks and forward Rachel Daly being used as a makeshift left-back has meant she remains uncapped.
Nevertheless, Neville is full of pride at being in her fifth season as a full-time professional and relishing life under new Tottenham boss Robert Vilahamn.
“I always wanted to play for England,” Neville told the PA news agency ahead of next week’s north London derby with Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“That was kind of my dream when I was a kid, but I never thought I would play professional football when I was a young girl because it wasn’t possible back then.
“I am obviously proud of where I have come from and where I’m at.
“Since Robert’s come in, it has probably been the most consistent I have been as a player looking back at stats and games.
“If that call-up comes, it comes, and it would be nice to play for my country, but we have a great team so I can’t really fault the (England) girls for what they do.
“I am just happy at Spurs and that’s where my head and focus is at, but if that call comes then great.”
Neville impressed during Tottenham’s battle to stay in the WSL last season, scoring three times and providing two assists while playing in both full-back positions or further forward under ex-boss Rehanne Skinner.
Vilahamn’s arrival this summer has resulted in a shift of philosophy, with Spurs eager to dominate possession and attack at every opportunity.
It helped Vilahamn make a flying start, but sixth-placed Tottenham suffered a chastening second defeat of the season before the international break when they went down 7-0 at Manchester City.
Neville said: “We spoke at the end of the game and a few people were disheartened, which I understand because no one likes losing and especially not when it’s 7-0, but I said in the huddle this won’t define our season.
“It is one game out of the eight we’ve played and we’ve had a really good start. We can’t sit on it. We have to park it and move on and that’s what the girls are ready to do.”
View this post on InstagramLife does not get any easier for Spurs with Manchester United coming up at home on Sunday before two fixtures with Arsenal next week.
The second date with Arsenal on Saturday, December 16 will take place at the men’s 62,850-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“When I first came here, this match wasn’t necessarily a big thing for the women’s team,” Neville reflected.
“I think we have come a long way since then.
“I can remember the first game we played with Arsenal (in 2019), we lost 10-0 and then the season before last we got a draw and had a close game.
“So it will be a really good game and I love the north London derby. They are a battle, but I am all about putting in a big tackle and playing in front of a big crowd so it’s great for the game.
“All the girls believe. People say we’re the underdogs, but I don’t look at us like that. We are just as good as Arsenal.”
Abdallah Sima on target as Rangers beat Hearts again
Rangers beat Hearts for the third time in six weeks with a first-half goal from Abdallah Sima at Tynecastle.
After a cinch Premiership defeat at Ibrox and a loss against the Light Blues in the Viaplay Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, Steven Naismith’s side again came up short against Rangers.
Having scored twice in the 2-0 home win over St Mirren on Sunday, Brighton loanee Sima struck again in the 34th minute to take the three points back to Govan.
With Celtic beating Hibernian 4-1 at Parkhead, Rangers are still eight points behind the leaders having played a game less with Philippe Clement extending his unbeaten run since taking over as boss to 11 matches.
The third-placed Jambos went into the game with four straight home league wins for the first time for five years but will have to start another run.
There was a familiar name on the Hearts bench as former Scotland number one Craig Gordon returned after almost a year having recovered from breaking his leg against Dundee United on Christmas Eve.
The 40-year-old instantly put pressure on the club’s other Scotland keeper Zander Clark, who also has hopes of making Euro 2024 and he had a mixed evening.
Craig Halkett and Barrie McKay also returned from lengthy spells out while Nathaniel Atkinson and Kyosuke Tagawa were reinstated to the starting line-up as Yutaro Oda and Liam Boyce dropped out altogether.
For the visitors left-back Ridvan Yilmaz took over from Borna Barisic, missing altogether, with Brazilian striker Danilo in for Cyriel Dessers.
In the 11th minute Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland blasted a shot over the bar on the break after Yilmaz had carelessly lost possession leaving the Rangers rearguard exposed.
Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence limped off in the 17th minute to be replaced by Jose Cifuentes.
In the 25th minute, as Hearts drove their way into the Rangers box, Shankland’s shot from 12 yards was parried by keeper Jack Butland with Alex Cochrane’s shot from the rebound blocked by the body of James Tavernier.
Danilo had the ball in the Hearts net from eight yards just before the half-hour mark but was offside.
However, when Tavernier broke out of defence and split the Jambos backline with a well-weighted pass, Sima sped clear and when Clark rushed out from his goal, he slipped the ball past him for his 12th goal of the season.
Minutes later, Todd Cantwell lobbed the ball just over the bar from close range and then Clark stuck his foot out to deny Danilo from just a few yards.
Atkinson and Jorge Grant were replaced by Oda and Kenneth Vargas at the start of the second half but it was Rangers who reasserted.
In the 51st minute Tavernier’s curling free-kick into the Hearts box was dropped by Clark but Danilo’s shot was blocked by Tagawa and the home side escaped again, as they did minutes later when Yilmaz’s angled-drive flew wide of the far post.
Clark parried a long-distance drive from John Lundstram and Yilmaz fired the rebound high over the bar, before Kemar Roofe and Dujon Sterling took over from Danilo and Yilmaz.
Just before that, Butland made a fantastic save from Vargas’ powerful left-footed drive, which raised Jambo hopes.
In the 79th minute Clark made a fine stop with his foot after Sima had been set up by Roofe but the offside flag was up.
Rangers had to do some stout defending in the closing stages as Hearts went all out but they kept the door closed to keep on Celtic’s coat tails.
UEFA to investigate ACL injuries in women’s football
UEFA has launched a new initiative to investigate and better understand anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the women’s game.
A number of high-profile players have suffered ACL injuries in recent seasons, including England pair Beth Mead and Leah Williamson and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas.
The new plan from the European governing body is a recommendation from its recently-established health expert panel.
A group compromising internationally-renowned experts and researchers has been set up to look into the high prevalence of such injuries in women’s football.
One of the group’s first steps has been to create an awareness questionnaire open to all individuals affected by ACL issues, including players, coaches, physicians, physiotherapists and parents.
It aims to produce a consensus for an ACL injury prevention and management plan by summer 2024.
UEFA chief medical officer Zoran Bahtijarevic said: “Addressing the prevalence of ACL injuries in women’s football is crucial for the wellbeing of athletes and the advancement of the sport.
“UEFA’s proactive step in establishing a panel of experts reflects a commitment to understanding and reducing these injuries in the future.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
