Bayern Munich Trio Set to Return Ahead of Key Game in Title Race at Leverkusen

 South Korea's defender #04 Kim Min-jae takes part in a practice session in Lusail, north of Doha on February 5, 2024, on the eve of their Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal football match against Jordan. (AFP)
South Korea's defender #04 Kim Min-jae takes part in a practice session in Lusail, north of Doha on February 5, 2024, on the eve of their Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal football match against Jordan. (AFP)
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Bayern Munich Trio Set to Return Ahead of Key Game in Title Race at Leverkusen

 South Korea's defender #04 Kim Min-jae takes part in a practice session in Lusail, north of Doha on February 5, 2024, on the eve of their Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal football match against Jordan. (AFP)
South Korea's defender #04 Kim Min-jae takes part in a practice session in Lusail, north of Doha on February 5, 2024, on the eve of their Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semifinal football match against Jordan. (AFP)

Bayern Munich is set to welcome back three players to its squad to play at title rival Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains an injury doubt.

Bayern is two points behind league leader Leverkusen, which is unbeaten in 30 games in all competitions this season.

This game is “the moment to put the cards on the table” in the title race, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said Friday, adding that he expects Leverkusen will get support from “neutral fans” across Germany who are keen to see Bayern's 11-year run of league titles come to an end.

Tuchel said he plans to have central defender Kim Min-jae back after he reached the Asian Cup semifinals with South Korea, and that defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Joshua Kimmich are expected to be in the squad after recovering from injuries.

Upamecano has been out with a hamstring injury and Kimmich with shoulder problems since both were hurt in Bayern's 1-0 win over Union Berlin on Jan. 24. Tuchel recalled how Upamecano returned from another injury last year and scored the opening goal in a statement win over Borussia Dortmund.

Tuchel said a decision would be taken on Neuer's fitness after training Friday after the goalkeeper missed training earlier this week with an unspecified problem. Backup Sven Ullreich would step in if Neuer can't play, Tuchel added.

Forwards Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry remain out with injury as does left back Alphonso Davies, who strained a knee ligament in last week's 3-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.