Sebastien Haller says being back on the field and scoring goals for Borussia Dortmund "is all a bonus" following his recovery from cancer.
The Ivory Coast international scored twice in Saturday's 6-1 win over Koln to help Dortmund leapfrog Bayern Munich, who travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Despite playing football at elite level just three months after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer, Haller has come in for criticism for his lack of goals.
Prior to his brace against Koln, the 28-year-old had scored just once in 12 appearances, but he is glad to now be playing his part.
"I'm happy to be here and playing at all. It's all a bonus to me," Haller, who joined Dortmund from Ajax in July, told Sport1.
"If you think after just a few weeks everything that happened in the six months before is forgotten, that would be a big mistake."
Even without scoring, Haller still played an important role for Dortmund in terms of his build-up play, with his return to the side coinciding with a 10-game winning streak.
Dortmund's sporting director Sebastian Kehl said: "These goals will give him a boost.
"What has been surfacing in the last few weeks is not justified after everything the boy has been through. His work has paid off and he feels the support of the whole club."
Marco Reus also scored twice in Dortmund's win against Koln to overtake Michael Zorc as the club's outright all-time record scorer in the professional era with 161 goals.
Long-serving midfielder Reus has spent 11 seasons in Dortmund's first team and reiterated he intends to see out his career at the Westfalenstadion.
"I have said it in the past weeks, months, years that I would like to end my career here," said Reus, whose current contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
"I feel really good. We are in talks [over a new deal]. Everything else will become clear in the coming weeks."
Havertz and Schlotterbeck withdraw from Germany squad
Kai Havertz and Nico Schlotterbeck have withdrawn from Germany's squad for Tuesday's friendly with Belgium.
Both players started Saturday's 2-0 win over Peru, but the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed on Sunday they have now returned to their clubs.
Chelsea attacker Havertz is ruled out of the Belgium match through illness, while Borussia Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck has a thigh injury.
Germany head coach Hansi Flick has decided against calling up any replacements for the friendly at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
Belgium, who beat Sweden 3-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday, will be without Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois due to a minor strain injury.
President of Brazilian FA confirms Ancelotti interest
The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has confirmed an interest in appointing Carlo Ancelotti as the next head coach of the national side.
Brazil are yet to name a permanent successor to Tite, who left following a quarter-final exit at the World Cup in Qatar, with the role likely to be filled at the end of the season.
Ancelotti remains contracted with Real Madrid until the completion of the 2023-24 season, but the Italian has been heavily touted to take the reins of the South American giants, with players among those talking up the possibility.
Ednaldo Rodrigues admitted he was the favourite among supporters and players, while acknowledging he was the confederation's main target.
"Ancelotti is unanimously respected among players. Not only Ronaldo Nazario or Vinicius Jr but all those that have played for him," he told Reuters.
"I really admire him for his honesty in the way he works and how constant his work is. He needs no introductions. He is really a top coach who he has several achievements, and we hope he can have even more.
"Ancelotti is not only the players' favourite, but it seems the fans' too. Everywhere I go in Brazil, in every stadium, he is the first name the supporters ask me about.
"They talk about him in a very affectionate way, in recognition of the exemplary work he has done in his career.
"Let's have faith in God, wait for the appropriate time and we'll see if we can make it happen as we look for the new coach of the Brazilian national team."
However, despite the abundance of praise and appeal of hiring Ancelotti, Rodrigues made it clear no formal approach has taken place and called for patience in the hunt for a new boss.
"We will be very ethical in our approach and respect the contracts that are in place. We also greatly respect the work that is done by any coach and his club to get there and make any kind of approach, it would be a lack of respect for the president of the clubs in question," he added.
"Therefore, we have the patience to wait for the right moment so that we can hold these conversations.
"Nothing is really defined yet to say the name [of the next coach] for sure, but it's within this line, you understand? We need a coach who has the players' respect and admiration."
Bayern 'really couldn't help' Nagelsmann leak, will 'let Tuchel be Tuchel'
Bayern Munich are adamant they were not at fault as Thomas Tuchel's appointment was reported before previous head coach Julian Nagelsmann had been sacked.
Nagelsmann was said to have learned of his departure through the media while skiing in Austria this week.
The news first broke on Thursday but was not made official for another 24 hours, by which point Tuchel had formally agreed to take the Bayern job.
However, Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic appeared on SPORT1's STAHLWERK Doppelpass on Sunday and defended the club's position.
"We met [with Tuchel] on Tuesday, had a very good conversation," Salihamidzic said. "And on Wednesday and Thursday, we negotiated with Thomas' managers.
"On Thursday evening, we learned that the information had been leaked by a third party. We really couldn't help it.
"I don't know who that was [behind the leak] – certainly from the other side. We behaved fairly. As fair as you can be in this business.
"The first person we called on Thursday was Julian Nagelsmann. You don't share such a decision on the phone. That's why we met the next day at Sabener Strasse. We waited until there was a commitment from Thomas Tuchel."
Indeed, although the leak looked "bad", the Bayern chief explained why it was not possible to dismiss Nagelsmann before putting a deal in place with Tuchel.
"It came out before Thomas Tuchel agreed, so I wouldn't have been able to call Julian yet," Salihamidzic said.
"I couldn't have told him, 'we're talking to Thomas now, but if he doesn't want to, you'll go ahead'.
"Of course, it's bad that this comes out beforehand, but that's not our fault."
Now, Bayern are looking forward to a future with Tuchel, even if he has had strained relationships with bosses at Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Disputes have often centred around transfer business, but the Bundesliga champions are ready to back Tuchel.
"With Julian Nagelsmann, we entered the transfer market together and discussed everything. We will do the same with Thomas Tuchel," Salihamidzic said.
"The coach's ideas are important, he has to transfer them to the team. We have let Julian be Julian and will also let Thomas Tuchel be Thomas Tuchel."
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