How Bayern Munich Grew into the Super Club of German Football

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - February 21, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their second goal REUTERS/Michael Dalder
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - February 21, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their second goal REUTERS/Michael Dalder
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How Bayern Munich Grew into the Super Club of German Football

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - February 21, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their second goal REUTERS/Michael Dalder
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v SC Paderborn - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - February 21, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their second goal REUTERS/Michael Dalder

Bayern Munich can complete only the second treble in their proud history by beating Paris Saint Germain in Sunday's Champions League final to underline their status as Germany's super club.

Bayern have cruised to the Lisbon final, scoring 42 goals in their Champions League matches.

In all competitions, they are on a 20-game winning streak stretching back to early February.

"FC Bayern is a global football club that has an obligation to play at the top internationally. That is our focus," said Bayern board member Oliver Kahn.

Since the turn of the century, Bayern have made the knock-out stages of the Champions League 19 times, reaching five finals and winning two of them, in 2001 and 2013.

In that time, they have won the Bundesliga 15 times.

Bayern last failed to win the German league in 2011/12, when Jurgen Klopp led Dortmund to the second of back-to-back titles.

They responded in 2012/13 with the first treble in club history - Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League titles - which they can repeat Sunday.

Such is their grip on German football that Dortmund, Bundesliga runners-up for the last two seasons, have given up promising to end Bayern's domination.

"We don't have to say anything more about Bayern Munich, because their opponents will no longer be beaten but destroyed," grumbled Dortmund chief execurive Hans-Joachim Watzke in the wake of the 8-2 quarter-final drubbing of Barcelona.

Bayern are Germany's richest club, with a turnover for 2018/9 of 750.4 million euros ($883 million) and an operating profit of 146.1 million euros.

The 2020 Deloitte Football Money League estimates that Bayern are the fourth richest club in Europe, behind Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United, AFP reported.

Building revenue has been a central element of club strategy under former president Uli Hoeness and current chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Hoeness, a former Bayern and Germany striker, was at the helm for 40 years, interrupted by a brief stint in jail after being convicted of tax fraud in 2013.

He resisted selling stakes in the club to outside investors.

Main sponsors Audi, Adidas and Allianz, all companies with their headquarters in Bavaria, hold 8.33 percent each. The remaining 75 percent is owned by club supporters.

Through a transfer policy of cherry-picking - sometimes ruthlessly - from other German clubs and adding affordable foreign imports, Bayern have dominated the Bundesliga since the 1970s.

After Dortmund routed Bayern 5-2 in the 2012 German Cup final, the losers took note.

Bayern bought Dortmund's rising star Mario Goetze in 2013.

They then added the striker who scored a hat-trick in the final Robert Lewandowski in 2014 and centre back Mats Hummels in 2016, as their Dortmund contracts expired.

They have already signed rising Germany stars goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel, on a free transfer, from Schalke and Leroy Sane from Manchester City for next season.

Bayern players are expected to show the same self-confidence exuded in the club's Bavarian motto 'Mia San Mia', meaning "We are who we are".

Head coach Hansi Flick, another former Bayern player, replaced Niko Kovac in November and has brought order and clarity.

"What sets him apart is his calm, level-headedness and his work with the coaching team," AFP quoted Bayern captain Manuel Neuer as saying.

"He showed that not only in the Bundesliga and the Cup, but also in the Champions League."

Even when the personnel change, Bayern roll on.

Rummenigge is grooming former club captain and Germany goalkeeper Kahn as his replacement.

Former Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer has replaced Hoeness as club president.

Hoeness may be gone but his presence will still be felt for years to come.

"I would be stupid if I didn't get his advice from time to time," said Hainer.



Morocco Refer AFCON Champions Senegal to CAF and FIFA

 Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
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Morocco Refer AFCON Champions Senegal to CAF and FIFA

 Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)

The Moroccan Football Federation said Monday it has formally referred to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters protesting a penalty to Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Senegal's protest in added time of normal play during Sunday night's clash in Rabat led to the match being paused for nearly 20 minutes as the players walked off the pitch in anger.

Some Senegalese fans at the opposite end of the stadium threw chairs and other objects and attempted to get onto the field of play.

The AFCON hosts' football federation said these acts "had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players' performance", with Morocco then missing the penalty that could have granted them their first African title in 50 years.

The federation said "it will resort to legal procedures" with CAF, the tournament's organizing body, and FIFA "in order to rule on the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field"... "as well as on the events that accompanied this decision".

It said the referee's decision to grant the Atlas Lions a penalty was "deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists".

FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned "some Senegal players" for the "unacceptable scenes".

Senegal scored the game's only goal just four minutes into extra time after the players returned to the pitch following an appeal from star forward Sadio Mane.

Several Moroccan media outlets on Monday criticized Senegal for a lack of fair play and unsporting behavior.


Man City Announce Signing of Defender Marc Guehi

Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
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Man City Announce Signing of Defender Marc Guehi

Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

England defender Marc Guehi has signed for Manchester City from Crystal Palace on a five-and-a-half year contract, the Premier League club announced on Monday, AFP reported.

City stepped up their pursuit of Guehi in a deal reportedly worth £20 million ($27 million) after suffering an acute injury crisis at centre-half and confirmation of the move had been widely expected.


Djokovic Reaches 100th Australian Open Match Win in Hunt for 25th Grand Slam

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
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Djokovic Reaches 100th Australian Open Match Win in Hunt for 25th Grand Slam

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Novak Djokovic began his ​hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over unseeded Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the Australian Open first round on Monday, the Serb easing pre-tournament concerns about his fitness with a sparkling display.

Doubts had been raised about Djokovic's preparedness for the major he has won a record 10 times after the 38-year-old skipped the Adelaide tune-up event and cut short practice on Sunday, but he had no trouble sealing his 100th ‌match win at ‌Melbourne Park, Reuters reported.

The flawless performance means Djokovic has reached ‌a ⁠century ​of match ‌wins in three of the four Grand Slams, with 95 at the US Open.

"What can I say? I like the sound of it - centurion is pretty nice, it's a nice feeling to be a centurion," Djokovic said as a montage of his greatest Melbourne moments on Rod Laver Arena played out on the big screen.

"History-making is great motivation, particularly in the last five to 10 years of my career. ⁠Once I got myself into a position to eventually make history, I was even more inspired to ‌play the best tennis, and that's what I've done.

"I ‍was very fortunate early on in ‍my career to encounter people who taught me and guided me to ‍play the long shot, not burn out too quickly, to take care of my body and mind and try to have as long a career as possible.

"I'm blessed to be playing at this level and another win here tonight is a dream come true."

A ​potentially tricky start against first-time opponent Martinez turned into a routine workout when Djokovic seized control with a break and never loosened ⁠his grip under the bright lights of the main showcourt to take the opening set.

Despite last playing in November when he claimed his 101st career title in Athens, Djokovic barely missed a beat as he let rip a fiery crosscourt winner en route to breaking early and wrapping up the second set.

While the spotlight has largely swung toward reigning Melbourne champion Jannik Sinner and world number one Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic reminded the duo of his threat with some sublime tennis to power through the third set and prevail at his favourite hunting ground.

"It's definitely my favourite court, a court that has given me so much," added Djokovic, who will ‌hope to return when he takes on Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.

"I always try to give back and I hope you enjoyed the tennis."