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Days after revealing their romantic reunion, Alisha Lehmann and Douglas Luiz gave gaming enthusiasts an amusing glimpse of their life at home.

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Douglas Luiz plays marathon Call of Duty sessionGirlfriend Lehmann tells him to finish playingPair reunited after year-long splitGetty & Twitch.tv/DGoficial6WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian took advantage of a free midweek to engage with fans on Twitch over a game of . But as any gamer knows, times can slip away quickly when you are engrossed in the game and after two-and-a-half hours of action, Lehmann appeared to tell boyfriend and fellow Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz it was time to wrap it up.

AdvertisementTwitch.tv/DGoficial6WHAT DOUGLAS LUIZ SAID

Douglas Luiz was lamenting a defeat when Lehmann reminded him how late it was. Suddenly switching from Portuguese to English the Brazilian insisted: "I'm going now. I'm finished now." He then asked Lehmann to say goodnight to his viewers.

The pair shared a brief kiss before Lehmann won the day and Douglas Luiz finally logged off.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The clip serves as further confirmation that Douglas Luiz and Lehmann are back together. The Swiss international's glamourous New Years Day social media posts hinted heavily that pair were back together after their split in November 2022.

Lehmann had also popped up earlier in the evening while Douglas Luiz was gaming away, saying a quick hello to those following his adventures.

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WHAT NEXT FOR DOUGLAS LUIZ AND ALISHA LEHMANN?

Both of Villa's glamour couple are gearing up to face Everton this weekend. Douglas Luiz will be looking to keep Villa's surprise Premier League title charge going at Goodison Park on Sunday. Lehmann, meanwhile will face the Toffees in the FA Women's Cup fourth round on Saturday.

Reintegrating the striker back into the squad might have made sense from a sporting point of view, but would have been hard for many fans to forgive

It was the hardest decision Manchester United have had to make for a long time and they sure took their time making it. After much deliberation, they have finally made their call: Mason Greenwood is leaving the club.

It has been the elephant in the room ever since the striker was arrested in January 2022 in relation to images and audio released in a social media post. The post sent shivers down the spine of anyone who saw it.

"To everyone who wants to know what Mason Greenwood actually does to me," read the post, accompanied by highly-distressing audio. There were also images of a woman, showing blood running from her lips down her neck and further images of bruising on her body.

Greenwood was arrested that evening and immediately suspended by United, albeit on full pay, barred from playing for the club or training until more information became available. It was the biggest story of that day and many people saw the images and listened to the audio.

In the eyes of many, both Manchester United fans, supporters of other teams and people with no interest in football, that should have been the end of Greenwood's career with the club, there and then. Regardless of the legal ramifications, there was no way back for a player who had allegedly shown such disregard for the consent of the woman and allegedly assaulted her.

GettyUnenviable decision to make

When all charges against Greenwood were dropped in February by the Crown Prosecution Service due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new evidence, United had an unenviable decision to make. There was no legal reason why they could not bring Greenwood back.

Before he was suspended, the striker looked to be on his way to becoming one of the best footballers in England. His talent and his proven record made him a potential asset to United on the pitch. They are ultimately a football team in a highly-competitive environment and these things matter to the people who run the club.

But to their millions of fans around the world, from Manchester to Malaysia, they represent far more. And Greenwood was already a stain on their image. For many United fans, some of whom GOAL have spoken to outside Old Trafford, this issue was a red line. If Greenwood returned, they would simply stop supporting the club.

A powerful statement from a group called Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return summed up the feelings of many supporters, female and male alike. "The situation is clear – taking Greenwood back legitimises and normalises sexual assault and domestic abuse," the statement read. "It tells other players, and the men and boys that look up to them, that abusing women is acceptable, without consequence, and won't affect you or derail your career.

"It also tells us, as women, that we don't matter. It tells female Manchester United employees that their employer is happy to make them work alongside an abuser, and tells hundreds of thousands of female fans that supporting the team we love involves supporting men who abuse women like us."

AdvertisementGETTYSign of disrespect to victims

Even though Greenwood no longer had any legal proceedings against him, in the eyes of many people, allowing him back would be a sign of disrespect to any victim of domestic abuse or sexual violence.

One in four women worldwide will have experienced domestic or sexual violence in their lifetime, according to a 2022 study by the Lancet Medical Journal. There are many male victims of sexual abuse too. According to Rape Crisis, one in 18 men in England and Wales have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult.

Any victim of sexual assault would likely be triggered if Greenwood resumed playing for United. Many people would struggle to celebrate if he scored a goal. United would also, rightly or wrongly, be seen as a club that protects and forgives abusers.

Greenwood claims that he did not do the things he was accused of and United concluded in their statement "the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged".

However, Greenwood has never denied that he was the man in the audio and has not been able to offer an adequate explanation for it. He also admitted, "I fully accept I made mistakes in my relationship, and I take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post."

Getty ImagesAudio easy to access and hard to ignore

That social media post will remain online forever, accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Anyone who sees the images or listens to the audio will not be able to forget them in a hurry and will make their own conclusions.

If Greenwood had been reintegrated, how would parents have explained to their United-supporting children why he had been absent for so long? How would they have reacted if, in a year or two, Greenwood had rebuilt his career and they wanted to get his name on their back of their shirt?

Footballers did not ask to be role models to children and the sport's history, indeed United's history, is full of characters who have not always acted as role models should, to put it lightly.

But most footballers are happy to accept the upsides of their status in the form of astronomic salaries. They must, therefore, accept the fact that they are held to a higher standard than workers in most industries. So must their clubs.

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Getty ImagesOpen to questions of hypocrisy

On a cynical level, many footballers have been accused of crimes against women and been able to rebuild their careers. Down the line, United may have another uncomfortable decision to make about another player in their squad.

Antony, the £85-million ($108m) signing from Ajax, has been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife. She has previously filed a report in Brazil alleging that Antony had subjected her to "domestic violence, threat and bodily injury", and according to media reports is set to file a report against him in England. Antony has always maintained his innocence and in June he released a statement on Instagram denying any wrongdoing.

Club legend Ryan Giggs was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, occasioning actual bodily harm, and of assaulting her sister in 2020. Giggs, who denied the charges against him, was summoned to court to face a trial in August 2022, when jurors failed to reach a verdict. He was due a retrial, but it was abandoned when the charges against him were withdrawn in July of this year.

Giggs remains an idol to fans and his name is still chanted at matches. So too is that of the late George Best, who admitted to beating his former wife, Alex. Best has a statue outside Old Trafford.

The stance United have taken with Greenwood could now lead to them confronting these issues. They will inevitably be accused of hypocrisy.

The Brazilian starboy mostly drives cars gifted to him by Real Madrid.

Vini Jr.'s rise to the top of world football has been a meteoric one. The Real Madrid superstar overcame his struggles in the Spanish capital during his first three years to become the most important part of Los Blancos' offensive machine over the last two seasons.

In the past two seasons, Vini has had 86 goal contributions (45 goals and 41 assists), helping Real Madrid win all six possible trophies, scoring the only goal in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League Final against Liverpool.

As a result of his consistent performances, the 23-year-old is set to be awarded a bumper contract with a pay rise that will see him become one of the highest-earning players in the Real Madrid squad.

Although he is currently one of the five lowest-paid players on the roster, it hasn't stopped the blistering Brazilian from having an awesome car collection.

GOAL takes a look at which vehicles Real Madrid's new #7 owns.

BMW i4 M50 | €80,000 / $87,782 / £69,010

The BMW i4 M50 is the first fully-electric top-of-the-range car that the company presents. Real Madrid have partnered with BMW to provide cars of their choice to all the first-team players, the staff, and the coach, with Vini opting for the M50. With a maximum horsepower of 536, the BMW i4 M50 can reach from 0-60 mph (100 kmph) in just 3.7 seconds and offers a top speed of 210 kmph (130 mph).

AdvertisementAudi A7 Sportback 50 TDI quattro | €81,000 / $88,910 / £69,907

Thanks to Real Madrid's former association with Audi, who were the team's car sponsors for 18 years before they switched to BMW, Vini owns a couple of high-end Audis, one of them being the Audi A7 Sportback 50 TDI quattro. Valued at €81,000 ($88,910 / £69,907), this particular sedan type blends a sporty Audi's outstanding performance with a distinctive look. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph (62 mph) in less than six seconds and features a 335 horsepower V6 engine. Additionally, the inside is quite dazzling and includes some of Audi's renowned opulent features.

Audi Q8 50 TDI quattro | €88,000 / $97,100 / £75,966

The Audi Q8 50 TDI Quattro, yet again, is a car that Vni Jr. owns due to Real Madrid's former association with Audi. More of an SUV, Vini's Q8 is more of an SUV. It takes just 7.1 seconds for the car to reach speeds of 100 kmph (62 mph), a testament to its stunning 3.0 TDI engine which has 286 hp. Its top speed is 233 kmph (145 mph).

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Audi e-tron Sportback 55 quattro | €99,000 / $109,103 / £85,462

The final car in Vini Jr's collection is the Audi e-tron Sportback 55 Quattro, which is the fastest car in Vini's garage. Many would argue that because it has a 402 horsepower engine, an SUV-like appearance, a conventional grille, and LED headlights, it is superior to the Audi A7. One of the newest electric vehicles actually makes the concept seem desirable because it is strong, quick, and can charge to 80% in 30 minutes. With a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph), the car accelerates from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in approximately 4 seconds. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that this ride is perhaps Vini Jr.'s favourite due to its ability to clock 100 kmph in just 4 seconds, resembling the player's sheer pace and acceleration.

Napoli could part ways with manager Walter Mazzarri before the club's Champions League clash against Barcelona on Wednesday.

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Napoli could sack Mazzarri before Barcelona clashWon just five times in 16 games under MazzarriSlovakia coach Calzona tipped to be next managerWHAT HAPPENED?

Since taking charge of the club in November from Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri managed to guide Napoli to just five wins in 16 matches across all competitions. On Saturday, the reigning Serie A champions scored a late goal to hold Genoa to a 1-1 draw.

Now journalist reports that the club are "seriously considering" sacking Mazzarri and the Italian coach's exit could even come before they take on Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash on Wednesday.

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The journalist further claims that The Blues have already contacted Slovakia national team coach Francesco Calzona who is likely to replace the Italian coach at the helm. Calzona, who had formerly worked at Napoli as an assistant to Maurizio Sarri and Luciano Spalletti, would then manage the Italian side and The Falcons simultaneously.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jose Mourinho was strongly linked with the Napoli job after he parted ways with AS Roma last month, although the move never materialised. Some reports suggested that the Portuguese coach was supposed to meet club president Aurelio De Laurentiis to discuss a potential move.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

It remains to be seen if Mazzarri will sit on the bench for the club's upcoming European clash against the Catalan giants. After facing the reigning Spanish champions, the Blues will take on Cagliari in the Serie A on February 25.

With Sunday's Gold Cup final set to renew the biggest rivalry in Concacaf, Goal selects the players who have been the tournament standouts

The Gold Cup final that Mexico and U.S. national team fans were hoping for is finally here, and Sunday's final will be an opportunity for players from both teams to cap the strong tournaments they have already put together.

The United States has won all five of its matches at the Gold Cup, allowing just one goal along the way while scoring a tournament-best 15. Gregg Berhalter's squad has helped ease the fears generated by two pre-Gold Cup defeats to Jamaica and Venezuela, though struggles against Curacao in the quarterfinals rekindled some of the concerns about whether the Americans have the quality to defeat Mexico in the final.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing for El Tri either, with Tata Martino's squad needing a penalty shootout to hold off Costa Rica in the quarterfinals and overtime to eliminate Haiti in the semifinals.

Despite those difficult matches, Mexico has shown the individual quality expected when the Gold Cup began, with some familiar faces shining, and some new ones impressing.

The same can be said for the USMNT, which has had some relatively new faces step up into prominent roles and enjoy breakout tournaments.

Which American and Mexican players have enjoyed the best Gold Cups so far? Here are Goal's selections for the combined USA-Mexico Gold Cup XI:

Guillermo Ochoa | Mexico | GoalkeeperWithout a doubt the El Tri No. 1, Ochoa helped Mexico to the final with a save to win a shootout against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals. Though he’s 33 years old, Ochoa hasn’t dropped a bit from his form in the 2014 World Cup and has his sights set on a third World Cup as the starter in 2022. His Gold Cup campaign indicates he’s up to it.AdvertisementGetty ImagesLuis 'Chaka' Rodriguez | Mexico | Right Back“Chaka” may not be a perfect fullback, but he does what he needs to do in Tata Martino’s system. He gets forward to join the attack, scoring in a pre-tournament friendly and coming close in the tournament proper, and also defends well enough to avoid catastrophe. While Fernando Navarro also is available this tournament, it’s clear why Martino has stuck with Rodriguez as his first choice at right back.Getty ImagesAaron Long | USA | Center BackOne of the breakout stars of the Gold Cup for the United States, Long overcame a hamstring injury suffered a month before the Gold Cup to help anchor a U.S. defense that has allowed just one goal in six matches. Long's one-on-one defensive ability, range, and attacking quality as a threat to score on set pieces make him the ideal well-rounded defender. What makes Long's emergence even more impressive is that the 26-year-old hadn't even received his first national team cap until last October.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Patrick SmithWalker Zimmerman | USA | Center Back

One of the surprises of the Gold Cup, Zimmerman beat out Matt Miazga for the starting role in central defense and took full advantage, providing a perfect complement to Aaron Long. His aerial prowess and increasing confidence on the ball have helped him adapt to Gregg Berhalter's system. His growth as a player at LAFC playing for Bob Bradley is clear, and the United States hasn't allowed a goal at the Gold Cup with Zimmerman on the field.

The midfielder scored the only goal of the game at the Vitality Stadium as the Norway international once again spurned multiple chances

Manchester City moved back to within a point of Premier League leaders Liverpool as they secured their second successive 1-0 win of the week, this time on the road at Bournemouth thanks to yet another goal from in-form midfielder Phil Foden.

City scored the only goal of the game just after the 20 minute mark, as Foden finished coolly after Erling Haaland saw his shot saved. The Norway international had a game to forget, in truth, as he again missed a number of chances to give City some breathing space on the south coast.

Bournemouth were bold and brave in the second half as they attempted to snatch a point, but the defending champions held firm and subsequently avoided a potential banana skin.

GOAL rates City's players from the Vitality Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (7/10):

Made a superb early save to deny Kerkez and saved well from Solanke's close-range header in the second half. Never wilted under the home side's aggressive positioning in attack, and kept his sheet clean.

Manuel Akanji (5/10)

Beaten a couple of times down the right and could be more adventurous when he has the ball, to give City another option in attack.

John Stones (6/10):

Pushed forward repeatedly, even winning a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half. Bournemouth did seem to wise up to those runs in the second half, but a strong showing.

Ruben Dias (6/10):

Made a vital clearance to deny Tavernier and kept his defence well-organised against Bournemouth's second-half pressure.

Nathan Ake (7/10):

So composed on the ball. Slipped before Tavernier saw his effort cleared, but some really strong one-on-one defending otherwise. City's best defender on the day.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Rodri (6/10):

Constantly scanning and keeps City ticking. Had to do more defensive work than he would have expected in the second half, but did so with a minimum of fuss.

Mateo Kovacic (6/10):

Very good at relieving pressure by shielding and winning free-kicks, but his positioning often left something to be desired, as he consistently pushed up, leaving Rodri as the sole anchor in midfield. Subbed late.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

Deployed, unusually, on the left flank. Mostly peripheral prior to his substitution after the hour, as he was replaced by Doku.

Getty ImagesAttack

Bernardo Silva (6/10):

Some beautiful touches and a curling effort that flew just wide, while he repeatedly tried to free Haaland of Bournemouth's marking, to varying degrees of success.

Erling Haaland (4/10):

Sent clean through by Foden early on but blazed wide, before his next shot was saved and converted by his England team-mate. Guardiola will surely be concerned that he had more than one opportunity when one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but simply couldn't find the back of the net. A poor showing by his standards and his substitution only confirms as much.

Phil Foden (8/10):

Opened the scoring as he followed in and finished after Haaland saw a shot saved. A poacher's effort. Constantly linked with Bernardo and Haaland, and looked City's most dangerous player every time they attacked.

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GettySubs & Manager

Jeremy Doku (6/10):

On for the ineffective Nunes. Mucked in defensively, even if he didn't really affect the game in the final third.

Julian Alvarez (6/10):

On for Haaland. Barely touched the ball.

Kevin De Bruyne (5/10):

On for Kovacic to help see the game out. Did not have enough time to weave his usual magic, but was booked for kicking the ball away.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

A bizarre choice to play Nunes on the left didn't work, but City got over the line despite inviting plenty of pressure in the second half. He will know they are capable of so much more.

United States women's national team captain Lindsey Horan has demanded more "in all aspects" in an honest assessment of Monday's shock loss to Mexico.

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USWNT suffered shock loss to Mexico on MondayU.S. now faces a tougher Gold Cup routeHoran delivers honest assessment of defeatWHAT HAPPENED?

The USWNT was deservedly beaten on Monday in a result that saw La Tri qualify for the knockout rounds of the Gold Cup in first place in Group A. A mistake from veteran Becky Sauerbrunn allowed Lizbeth Ovalle to break the deadlock shortly before half time and Mayra Pelayo put the cherry on the cake with an outstanding strike in stoppage time.

AdvertisementWHAT HORAN SAID

Speaking to reporters after the game, Horan said: "First off, Mexico played a really good game so we don't want to take anything away from that. But we were not on point today. We need to be better all aspects of the game. I could go into so many details but I think just across the board we need to be better."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

By qualifying in second place in Group A, the USWNT can now expect a tougher Gold Cup quarter-final. Horan and her team had already secured a place in the last eight before facing Mexico but the shock loss means the U.S.'s route to the success will be trickier.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Mexico's win on Monday was just its second-ever against the USWNT and its first since 2010. Meanwhile, the U.S.'s incredible unbeaten record against CONCACAF opponents was broken, this its first loss on home soil to a team from the same confederation since 2000.

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The new home kit will debut January 18 in the Under 18s friendly between Italy and Spain

Almost a year after announcing the new partnership, adidas has unveiled its first Italy kits since the 1970s. The Three Stripes have replaced PUMA, who had produced the Azzurri’s kits for almost two decades, with a wide-ranging deal that covers the men’s, women’s, youth, futsal, beach soccer and e-sports teams.

For the first home and away shirts of this new era – as well as the launch campaign – adidas has gone on a symbolic journey to the heart of Italian identity.

adidas

Both of the new shirts are inspired by marble, a motif chosen as “a natural, geographical and cultural element that represents Italy.” For the home kit, the marble design covers the blue shirt in a tonal pattern. Other detailing across the shirt – including Tricolore details on the shoulders, a thin stripe in the colours of the Italian flag down each side and the word ‘Italia’ on the neck – is also inspired by Italian culture.

adidas

The marbled design is even more overt on the away shirt, which blends an “off-white” base with navy blue and gold veining across the shirt. It also features the same Italian detailing, and the same adidas technical features, as the home shirt. The font used for the ‘Italia’ badge is the same as that used for players’ names and numbers on both jerseys and is drawn from Roman engravings, continuing the marble theme.

To launch the designs, adidas and the Italian Football Federation have released “The Search – La Ricerca.” Featuring Italian legends such as Alessandro Del Piero, Martina Rosucci and Gianluigi Donnarumma alongside artist Blanco, the campaign tells the story of the search for what it means to be Italian and the role of the Azzurri jersey in Italy’s national identity.

adidas

Announcing the home and away shirts – and the start of the new partnership – adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden described the kits as “quintessentially Italian and elegant while staying true to the iconic heritage of the Azzurri.” Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina echoed this sentiment, adding, “For 113 years, the Italian national football team has represented a symbol of values and style around the world, our football kit is a national heritage that goes beyond sport, because it transmits feelings that unite people of different ages, sexes and social backgrounds.”

adidas

The adidas-designed home shirt will make its debut during Italy Under 18s fixture against Spain on January 18, the first time that a youth team has launched a new jersey before the main national squad.

Italy 23 kits price & how to buy

The adidas and Italy 23 kit collection is available to buy now from the adidas web store. Here's a closer look at some of the items available:

Italy 23 Home kit

Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

Personalise your Italy jersey with a player's name and number, or choose your own.

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Available in XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL and 3XL.

Personalise your Italy jersey with a player's name and number, or choose your own.

Available in 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

Personalise your Italy jersey with a player's name and number, or choose your own.

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Available in 7-8Y, 9-10Y, 11-12Y, 13-14Y and 15-16Y.

Personalise your Italy jersey with a player's name and number, or choose your own.

Lionel Messi will not be rejoining Barcelona in a stunning loan transfer, with Barcelona reportedly having other priorities for the January window.

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Argentine will not be involved in playoffsReturn to European football speculated onLa Liga giants have not explored dealWHAT HAPPENED?

There has been talk of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner retracing steps to Camp Nou as current employers Inter Miami will not be involved in the MLS playoffs. With it now impossible for the Florida-based outfit to reach the postseason, Messi will see his debut campaign in the United States come to a close on October 21.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He will have World Cup qualifiers with Argentina to come in November, but a lengthy break will then be hit through to the 2024 season getting underway in America. Messi could have found more competitive action by returning to Europe on a short-term loan.

DID YOU KNOW?

reports that no deal will be done with Barcelona as La Liga's champions continue to work on a tight budget. Even if Messi agreed to a low salary, La Liga would calculate his wage to be much higher – as they did with summer signing Joao Felix.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Barca are also eager to get Vitor Roque registered in January, with there already a deal in place with Athletico Paranaense for the 18-year-old Brazilian forward. No consideration has been given to signing Messi, meaning that he will return to pre-season training with Inter Miami in January – while the David Beckham co-owned outfit could also look to line up a series of friendlies over the winter.

The Bavarians are one of the favourites to win the competition after landing the England captain while the Red Devils are a mess on and off the pitch

Bayern Munich versus Manchester United was once a classic Champions League fixture. The two giants had never met in the European Cup era, but then played each other 11 times in the space of 16 years.

The most famous meeting is, of course, the 1999 Champions League final at Camp Nou when United turned a 1-0 defeat into a 2-1 win in the space of three minutes. But the 2009-10 quarter-final tie was also epic, with Bayern coming from behind in both legs to eventually go through through on away goals. The Bavarians also prevailed in the quarter-finals in 2000-01 and at the same stage in 2013-14, when David Moyes' United briefly led against Pep Guardiola's Bayern before a quick-fire turnaround.

However, Wednesday's match at the Allianz Arena is the first meeting between these European juggernauts in nine years. And the reason for the long gap is not down to chance. Bayern have reached the Champions League quarter-finals in each of the last 10 years, including four semi-finals and one final (which they won). United, however, have only reached the last eight once since then, and have failed to even qualify for the competition on four occasions. While the Red Devils last won a Premier League title in 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson's final year in charge, Bayern have won the last 11 Bundesliga crowns.

The two clubs' contrasting fortunes are no coincidence. While United have been run in a shambolic manner since Ferguson retired, Bayern are arguably the best run club in Europe. And it was thanks to their management that they were able to beat United to the biggest signing of the summer: Harry Kane.

The England captain was United's No.1 target towards the end of last season as he approached the final year of his contract with Tottenham. They had their reasons for not going through with it in the end, though, and have instead taken a punt on their long-term future by signing Rasmus Hojlund instead, as well as strengthening their squad in other areas.

But after making a woeful start to the season, losing three of their first five Premier League games for the first time ever as well as being afflicted by a never-ending list of off-field problems, the fact United missed out on Kane should give the club a pause for thought. A decade ago they would have done whatever it took to sign one of the best players in the world. Had Ferguson still been in charge and different owners at the helm, they would have pulled out all of the stops to sign Kane. They would have done what Bayern did.

They fact they did not, and that Kane did not push for a move to Old Trafford, shows how far they have fallen in comparison to the Bavarians. Not long ago United considered Bayern their equals, but now they are in almost a different league…

Getty ImagesKane's United preference

It was an open secret that Erik ten Hag was desperate to sign Kane to provide the finishing touches to the exciting project he was building last season. When United drew 2-2 at Tottenham in April, with Kane setting up Son Heung-min's late equaliser, Ten Hag was directly asked whether he wanted to sign the striker for United.

Although he avoided naming Kane, his response was telling:"Everyone knows, it’s not a secret that over the whole season we have had a shortage of No.9s. With fewer players we have to cover many games, so we definitely need players in the frontline who strengthen the squad."

Kane, who tried to join Manchester City in 2021, had already made it clear that he wanted to finally leave Tottenham in pursuit of trophies and was not going to sign a new deal with Spurs when his contract ran out in 2024. Spurs were running out of time to make money on their star player and risked losing him for free. This was United's time to strike, and they had two factors in their favour: Kane was keen to stay in England and break Alan Shearer's Premier League scoring record.

There were also family reasons behind him staying in England over moving abroad, with his wife Kate pregnant with their fourth child. Ultimately the family factor did not prevent him from signing for Bayern, but the fact Kane's family have initially opted to remain in London over relocating to Munich suggests they would have preferred to stay in England.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGlazer and Arnold resist move

Although Ten Hag was all in on Kane, his superiors were less certain. According to United chief executive Richard Arnold and co-owner Joel Glazer had their reservations about about what would have been a very costly move for a player who turned 30 in July.

The club's scouts were also resistant to signing Kane, while sporting director John Murtough was wary of getting into a back-and-forth with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who is regarded as the toughest negotiator in football. United had been stung by their long and futile pursuit of Frenkie De Jong from Barcelona the previous summer and they wanted to get their business done early and focus on a realistic target.

As early as mid-June, they abandoned their pursuit of Kane and focused on getting Hojlund, who was 10 years younger and, at first glance, a cheaper option as Atalanta were always going to be easier to negotiate with than Tottenham.

But United still ended up paying £64 milion ($79m) plus an additional £8m for a player with just one season in Europe's top five leagues. Levy, as expected, forced his hand in negotiations with Bayern and drove the price for Kane up to £86m ($106m) plus add-ons, taking the total fee to just shy of £100m ($123m).

In the end, it was a difference of about £25m ($30m) between signing the potential of Hojlund or the world-class, proven quality and experience of Kane. United got no advantage in doing their business early either, as Hojlund arrived with a back injury and could not make his debut until almost a month after completing his signing.

Ten Hag deemed him not ready to complete 90 minutes against Brighton on Saturday, provoking the fury of the Old Trafford crowd when he took the striker off for Anthony Martial. Kane, meanwhile, made his Bayern debut the very next day after sealing his move and has scored four goals in four Bundesliga appearances so far.

GettyKane gave off RVP vibes

United's reservations about Kane's age and price tag were understandable, especially when you consider his history of ankle injuries. He may have only had two or three years in peak condition and then left for little or no resale value after taking huge wages. There was also concern that signing Kane, who reportedly has a salary of more than £400,000 ($495,000) per week, would upset United's wage structure and cause tension with other players.

But Kane would have been worth it. One of Ferguson's last acts as United boss was to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal in the summer of 2012. The Dutchman was 28 at the time and cost £24m ($29m), a huge fee at the time for a player also with one year left on his contract.

But he was also the best striker in the Premier League then and had been top scorer the previous season. United knew exactly what they were getting and Van Persie fired them to the title with 26 goals, again collecting the Golden Boot. To tell the truth. it was his only good season with United as his previous injury problems then came back to haunt him.

But no one at the club regrets signing Van Persie and no one would have regretted signing Kane. There must be plenty of regrets, though, about paying £85m ($105m) for Antony, who has only scored four Premier League goals for United and may never play for the club after facing serious accusations from three women.

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(C)Getty ImagesBayern put in the hard yards

Bayern certainly felt Kane was worth the money and they do not normally pay over the odds for players. Former president Uli Hoeness used to describe the international transfer market as "madness", and their three previous biggest signings were Lucas Hernandez for €80m ($85m) in 2019, Matthijs De Ligt for €67m ($71m) in 2022 and Leroy Sane for €60m ($64m) in 2020.

But, given the German champions had played most of the previous season without a centre-forward, they were prepared to break with their usual tendencies to get Kane. They began their pursuit before the end of last season, with coach Thomas Tuchel flying to London to meet with Kane at his house.

Bayern directors also flew to London to hold face-to-face talks with Levy over the summer and were flexible with the chairman's demands after making an initial bid of £70m ($86m) which Tottenham rejected. Their determination meant they beat Real Madrid's bid of £60m ($74m) as well as an undisclosed offer from Paris Saint-Germain and a bid from unnamed club from Saudi Arabia. United, however, never tabled an offer for Kane.

Tuchel, who has a way with words, could not hide his satisfaction when discussing the transfer on the eve of the clash with United. “It’s a big thing, we took the skipper of England out of England,” said the Bayern coach. "Anyone looking for a No. 9 would’ve been happy to have Harry in the team. He makes the team better and gives you what you want from a nine. I’m not sure what’s going on at other clubs, but we’re more than happy that he finally took the decision and came to make us better."