Bayern Munich's long-term plan to replace Manuel Neuer may be advancing faster than anticipated. Reports from Germany suggest summer signing Jonas Urbig has 'surprised' club chiefs with his training levels, putting immediate pressure on the veteran No. 1 to maintain his high standards, with the younger goalkeeper expected to receive more playing time this season.

• Urbig exceeding expectations

  When Bayern signed Urbig in the summer of 2025, the move was widely viewed as a savvy investment for the future – a talented young German goalkeeper brought in to learn the ropes behind a legend. However, just months into his tenure, the 22-year-old has reportedly shattered those expectations. According to , Urbig has been a revelation at the Bavarian club, impressing the coaching staff and hierarchy with a level of performance that suggests he is ready for the biggest stage sooner rather than later. The report claims that Urbig has "surprised" the bosses with his maturity and quality in training, effectively forcing himself into the conversation as a genuine competitor rather than just an understudy. Sporting directors Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are believed to be delighted with the development, which validates their decision to bring him to Bavaria. While the plan was always for Urbig to challenge eventually, his rapid adaptation has accelerated the internal timeline regarding the club's goalkeeping succession.

  Despite his heroics on the training ground, match minutes have been hard to come by for the youngster, primarily due to the enduring fitness of the man in front of him. Urbig has made just four competitive appearances for the club this season – restricted to early DFB-Pokal rounds and two Bundesliga matches – but he has seemingly done enough behind closed doors to convince the staff he is ready for more.

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  Neuer responds to the challenge

  Far from shrinking in the face of this new threat, Neuer has responded in typical fashion. The 39-year-old, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, was criticised for his costly blunders in the Champions League defeat to Arsenal recently but is reportedly "shining" in training, pushed to new heights by the presence of a hungry rival. describes the situation as a high-level duel, with the veteran proving he still has the reflexes and aura that have defined his career as Bayern consider offering him a new contract extension.

  This dynamic creates a fascinating, if complex, situation for head coach Vincent Kompany. He now has two goalkeepers operating at an elite level: one a club icon fighting against time, the other a rising star impatient for his opportunity. The healthy competition is seen as a major positive for the squad, ensuring that complacency is impossible between the sticks as Bayern chase domestic and European glory.

• Succession plan in focus

  The emergence of Urbig complicates the narrative surrounding the captain's potential contract extension. Talks are expected to take place soon, but with his deputy looking "ready" now, the club must balance respect for their legend with the need to clear a pathway for his heir. The ghost of the Alexander Nubel situation – where a promised succession plan failed to materialise due to Neuer's dominance – still looms large at the club.

  However, the new signing appears to be a different proposition. His "surprise" impact suggests he has the temperament to handle the unique pressure of the Bayern goal. If he continues to impress, the club may find it difficult to justify blocking his path for another full season, potentially influencing their decision on how long to extend the current No. 1's stay.

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• AFP
  

  What comes next?

  For now, the battle remains on the training pitch, but every matchday selection will be scrutinised. Bayern face a busy winter schedule, and while Neuer remains the undisputed starter for now, Urbig is waiting in the wings, ready to step in at a moment's notice. The report suggests that Neuer will see out the calendar year, but Urbig may be given more playing time after the winter break as the club weigh up their options for the future.

Bayern Munich's long-term plan to replace Manuel Neuer may be advancing faster than anticipated. Reports from Germany suggest summer signing Jonas Urbig has 'surprised' club chiefs with his training levels, putting immediate pressure on the veteran No. 1 to maintain his high standards, with the younger goalkeeper expected to receive more playing time this season.

Urbig exceeding expectations

When Bayern signed Urbig in the summer of 2025, the move was widely viewed as a savvy investment for the future – a talented young German goalkeeper brought in to learn the ropes behind a legend. However, just months into his tenure, the 22-year-old has reportedly shattered those expectations. According to , Urbig has been a revelation at the Bavarian club, impressing the coaching staff and hierarchy with a level of performance that suggests he is ready for the biggest stage sooner rather than later. The report claims that Urbig has "surprised" the bosses with his maturity and quality in training, effectively forcing himself into the conversation as a genuine competitor rather than just an understudy. Sporting directors Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are believed to be delighted with the development, which validates their decision to bring him to Bavaria. While the plan was always for Urbig to challenge eventually, his rapid adaptation has accelerated the internal timeline regarding the club's goalkeeping succession.

Despite his heroics on the training ground, match minutes have been hard to come by for the youngster, primarily due to the enduring fitness of the man in front of him. Urbig has made just four competitive appearances for the club this season – restricted to early DFB-Pokal rounds and two Bundesliga matches – but he has seemingly done enough behind closed doors to convince the staff he is ready for more.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNeuer responds to the challenge

Far from shrinking in the face of this new threat, Neuer has responded in typical fashion. The 39-year-old, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, was criticised for his costly blunders in the Champions League defeat to Arsenal recently but is reportedly "shining" in training, pushed to new heights by the presence of a hungry rival. describes the situation as a high-level duel, with the veteran proving he still has the reflexes and aura that have defined his career as Bayern consider offering him a new contract extension.

This dynamic creates a fascinating, if complex, situation for head coach Vincent Kompany. He now has two goalkeepers operating at an elite level: one a club icon fighting against time, the other a rising star impatient for his opportunity. The healthy competition is seen as a major positive for the squad, ensuring that complacency is impossible between the sticks as Bayern chase domestic and European glory.

Succession plan in focus

The emergence of Urbig complicates the narrative surrounding the captain's potential contract extension. Talks are expected to take place soon, but with his deputy looking "ready" now, the club must balance respect for their legend with the need to clear a pathway for his heir. The ghost of the Alexander Nubel situation – where a promised succession plan failed to materialise due to Neuer's dominance – still looms large at the club.

However, the new signing appears to be a different proposition. His "surprise" impact suggests he has the temperament to handle the unique pressure of the Bayern goal. If he continues to impress, the club may find it difficult to justify blocking his path for another full season, potentially influencing their decision on how long to extend the current No. 1's stay.

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AFPWhat comes next?

For now, the battle remains on the training pitch, but every matchday selection will be scrutinised. Bayern face a busy winter schedule, and while Neuer remains the undisputed starter for now, Urbig is waiting in the wings, ready to step in at a moment's notice. The report suggests that Neuer will see out the calendar year, but Urbig may be given more playing time after the winter break as the club weigh up their options for the future.

How do you solve a problem like Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski?

On July 11, Major League Baseball promoted Misiorowski—a flamethrowing rookie with five starts to his name—from mere curiosity to unwitting sports celebrity. The commissioner’s office named the 23-year-old to the National League All-Star team, making him the least experienced All-Star in history and setting off a firestorm of controversy.

It's true that Misiorowski has the makings of a phenomenon, and his Brewers are on an 11-game winning streak. However, he still falls just short of the experience needed to credibly contend for Rookie of the Year at this time. He should get there soon—this column's cutoff is 31 innings (a 50-inning pace over 162 games). Misiorowski has pitched 25 2/3 innings and is in line to start against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.

In the meantime, a different Milwaukee youngster has seized the top spot in the NL pecking order since last month's check-in. Welcome to this edition of MLB Rookie Watch.

American League1. Jacob Wilson, shortstop, Athletics

He's still the boss after introducing himself on the national stage with a start in the All-Star Game. All three of his slash line numbers have nosedived since late June—and yet he still, with a .197/.246/.279 this month, remains second in the American League in batting average and 10th in offensive bWAR. He was hit on the wrist with a pitch against the Atlanta Braves on July 8, but it turned out, in his own words, to be "nothing serious." His biggest competition for Rookie of the Year may turn out to be…

2. Nick Kurtz, first baseman, Athletics

Wilson’s infield-mate, the white-hot Kurtz has raked to the tune of .329/.427/.776 since June 24 while Wilson has been hanging out around the Mendoza Line. It's his power stroke, however, that has put the AL on notice. His 18 home runs so far would put him on pace for 47 over 162 games, a threshold crossed only by Khris Davis (2018) among Athletics this century.

3. Noah Cameron, pitcher, Kansas City Royals

He may not be perennially unlucky Pirates hurler Paul Skenes, but he's not far off. Cameron is 4–4 with a 2.61 ERA, having received no-decisions in starts where he did not allow a run twice since the calendar turned to July. When he's on, he's on—ask the Pirates, who were overwhelmed by Cameron on July 7 to the tune of seven stellar innings. For that, he holds down his spot while (still-steady) Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez falls out.

Honorable Mention

Narváez; Roman Anthony, right fielder and designated hitter, Red Sox

National League1. Caleb Durbin, third baseman, Milwaukee Brewers

Along with Misiorowski, Durbin is a face of the unsinkable Brewers' in-season revival—a renaissance that has them in a dead heat with the Cubs in the NL Central race. In June, this column praised Durbin's unorthodox catalog of statistical accomplishments, like leading the NL in hit by pitches (he's still doing that) and leading NL rookies in win probability added (ditto). Now, thanks to a .373/.456/.542 tear, he's finding much more conventional success. It's getting to the point where Yankees fans are grousing about giving him up for two-time All-Star pitcher Devin Williams during the offseason.

2. Drake Baldwin, catcher, Atlanta Braves

Durbin has passed Baldwin in bWAR and in these rankings, though it should be noted that the Milwaukee fixture has done so in 61 more plate appearances. That's because the Braves remain stubbornly devoted to past All-Star Sean Murphy, who has rewarded his team's faith by slugging .774 since June 24. On Wednesday, David O'Brien of reported that Atlanta has "no intention of trading Murphy this month, despite much speculation to the contrary." This is probably good for a Braves team in observation mode, but bad for Baldwin's Rookie of the Year chances.

3. Yohel Pozo, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Making his first appearance in these rankings is Pozo as Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim (still a contender) returns to earth. Pozo is not clearing this column's hitting threshold (95 at-bats; he has 96) by much, but this is a fractured race and that .302/.327/.490 slash line is hard to ignore. He actually made his MLB debut in 2021, after a period of homelessness reported upon by Levi Weaver of at the time. Look for his profile to increase if the Cardinals remain in contention.

Honorable Mention

Agustin Ramirez, catcher and designated hitter, Miami Marlins; Hyeseong Kim, second baseman and center fielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Philadelphia Phillies were enjoying a 6-0 lead over the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning on Tuesday night when announcers Tom McCarthy and John Kruk took a bit of a detour. McCarthy offered an on-air birthday shoutout to his former high school basketball teammate, who apparently was a force on the offensive glass.

"He was a heck of a basketball player," McCarthy said. "Played at Rider and Monmouth. It's all because I missed a lot of shots and he cleaned them up."

"I don't want to say anything, but there's someone here in Chicago that does that a lot," Kruk chimed in.

This was an obvious reference to Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, who routinely has her game diminished by accusations that she has inflated rebound figures because she cleans up a lot of her misses. McCarthy predicted that they'd be getting some tweets about this particular exchange.

عقد دانييل فاركه مدرب ليدز يونايتد مؤتمراً صحفياً قبل لقاء ليفربول يوم السبت المقبل ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويحتل ليفربول المركز التاسع في جدول ترتيب الدوري الانجليزي ب22 نقطة، ويحتل ليدز يونايتد المركز السابع عشر برصيد 14 نقطة.

وسئل فاركه عن محمد صلاح الذي غاب عن التسجيل في آخر ست مباريات متتالية ويمكنه كسر هذه السلسلة بسهولة أمام ليدز يونايتد.

أقرأ أيضاً.. بعد جلوسه بديلا مع ليفربول.. تقارير تكشف عن الوجهة المحتملة لـ محمد صلاح

وقال مدرب ليدز يونايتد في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية: “آمل أن تستمر سلسلة جفاف صلاح عن التهديف لمباراة أخرى أكثر”.

وأضاف عن صلاح :”هو لاعب من الطراز العالمي بأرقام عالمية، عندما يمر بفترة صعبة هكذا يكون الأمر خطير للغاية فكلما زادت المباريات التي لا يسجل أو يصنع فيها أهداف، زادت احتمالية تسجيله أو صناعته”.

The All-Star break is behind us and the 2025 MLB season is heading for the home stretch. With 15 teams legitimately in contention for Wild Card spots, the race to the finish could get hectic, which might make this one of the most active trade deadlines in recent years.

Over the next few weeks contenders will attempt to position themselves for the stretch run by making deals to fill needs. What follows is a look at the five most glaring holes National League contenders have as we head toward the deadline.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Starting Pitcher

Despite a rash of injuries to their pitching staff, the Dodgers still look like a juggernaut capable of repeating as World Series champions. With Tyler Glasnow back, Blake Snell close to returning and Shohei Ohtani working himself back into shape, things are beginning to look much better for their starting rotation. But can they trust it? L.A.'s rotation pieces all have lengthy injury histories and there's a pretty good chance they don't remain healthy for the rest of the season. With a ton of organizational depth and a stock farm system, the Dodgers can aim high at the deadline.

Prices will be sky-high for good rotation pieces, but the Dodgers can pay whatever it takes to improve. If they want to become the first back-to-back World Series champions since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000, they should be willing to add to their rotation.

Philadelphia Phillies: Bullpen Help

The Phillies reached the break with a 1/2-game lead over the New York Mets for supremacy in the NL East, and those two teams should be slugging it out for the rest of the season. If Philadelphia wants to prevail, it must address its biggest weakness. The Phillies' bullpen currently ranks 23rd in ERA (4.38) and has blown 17 saves in 44 opportunities. None of the team's relievers has an fWAR of 1.0 or better. The team's revolving door at closer hasn't helped things.

There will be relievers aplenty to go around, but they won't be cheap. That said, after watching helplessly as the Mets scored 19 runs in the sixth inning or later during their NLDS series in 2024, the Phillies can't enter the postseason with a weak bullpen.

Chicago Cubs: Starting Pitcher

The Cubs have one of MLB's best offenses and come out of the break a game up on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. The team's starting rotation, which has a Justin Steele-sized hole. With Steele out for the year following elbow surgery, Chicago's rotation has had its ups and downs. Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga have been excellent, but the team's starters rank 18th in baseball in ERA (4.06) and have allowed the second-most home runs (84).

It's highly likely the Cubs only have Kyle Tucker for the next few months, as he's set to seek an enormous contract in free agency. While he's still in town and they have an elite offense, the franchise should go all-in. Netting a top-tier starting pitcher could be the difference between the Cubs making a run to the World Series or suffering an early exit in the postseason.

New York Mets: Center Fielder

Yes, the Mets could use another starting pitcher, but the rotation looks much healthier now, led by Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes. The real issue is the team's lack of production from center field. Tyrone Taylor has played 85 games in center and has an OPS of .580. There isn't a good option to replace him on the roster, so New York needs to go shopping.

Steve Cohen didn't give Juan Soto $765 million to have a flawed roster, the team's owner is almost certain to go all-in during his superstar's prime. There are a number of center fielders out there the Mets could make offers on, with Luis Robert and Cedric Mullins leading the list.

San Diego Padres: Catcher

While left field is also a major hole for the Friars, nothing is more pressing than San Diego finding a catcher that can hit. So far this season, Padres catchers have a combined WAR of -0.9, worst in baseball. The combination of Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado has been a flop, and something has to change at the position. General manager A.J. Preller is always looking to wheel and deal, and he'll earn his paycheck if he can find a reliable backstop.

Catchers who can hit are a rare commodity in baseball these days and finding one won't be cheap. But even a league-average catcher would be a massive improvement for the Padres at this point.

The home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte was robbed during MLB's All-Star break, reported early Thursday morning, per police.

Scottsdale-area authorities are investigating a "high-dollar residential burglary" that is believed to have happened Tuesday night, while Marte would have been away at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Per , no one was home when the incident occurred, and "numerous personal items and jewelry" were taken. An investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.

The incident is just the latest in a series of recent robberies involving well-known athletes across leagues, where players' homes have been repeatedly targeted while they are traveling for events or away games. Among those impacted are NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, as well as basketball bigwigs Luka Doncic and Bobby Portis.

In good news, the National League walked away from the All-Star Game with a win, during which Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning.

Earlier in June, the second baseman was also a victim of some pretty nasty trash talk from a fan who brought him to tears after invoking his late mother. But the D-Back handled it with class, and received a standing ovation at his first home game after.

MatériaMais Notícias

John Textor, sócio majoritário da SAF do Botafogo, citou dois jogos do Palmeiras em que teriam acontecido casos de corrupção: nas goleadas diante de Fortaleza e São Paulo, em 2022 e 2023, respectivamente.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

➡️ Aposte R$200 no Lance! Betting e fature mais de R$400 se o Internacional superar o Belgrano

Sem mostrar provas e afirmando que chegou à conclusão através de “especialistas e inteligência artificial”, o empresário acusa um grande esquema de manipulação de resultados, envolvendo jogadores e arbitragem. Palmeiras e São Paulo rebateram, repudiaram as afirmações e prometem acionar a Justiça.

➡️ Veja o posicionamento do Palmeiras

➡️ Veja o posicionamento do São Paulo

PALMEIRAS 4 X 0 FORTALEZA (03/11/2022)

O Palmeiras entrou em campo contra o Fortaleza já sabendo que era o campeão brasileiro de 2022. Antes de a bola rolar, o Internacional perdeu para o América-MG e ficou impossibilitado de alcançar o Verdão na pontuação.

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A partida contou com uma atuação de gala do Alviverde. Dudu foi o melhor em campo, marcando dois gols, Rony ampliou e Endrick balançou as redes pela primeira vez no Allianz Parque, além de começar como titular de forma inédita.

PALMEIRAS 5 X 0 SÃO PAULO (25/10/2023)

Em busca da reação no Brasileirão, o Palmeiras recebeu o São Paulo no Allianz Parque, fez 5 a 0 e poderia ter imposto uma goleada ainda maior.

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Somente no primeiro tempo, o Verdão abriu 3 a 0 contra o time treinado pelo então técnico Dorival Júnior. Breno Lopes anotou dois gols, e Piquerez ampliou. Na segunda etapa, Marcos Rocha balançou as redes, e o lateral uruguaio guardou mais um, em golaço com chute de longa distância.

FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS 4 x 0 FORTALEZA
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 35ª RODADA

Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data-Hora: 02/11/2022 – 21h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio (Fifa/GO)
Assistentes: Bruno Raphael Pires (Fifa/GO) e Bruno Boschilia (Fifa/PR)
VAR: Wagner Reway (PB)
Público/Renda: 29.104 torcedores/R$ 3.675.069,73
Cartões amarelos: Gustavo Scarpa e Danilo (PAL) Titi (FOR)
Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols: Rony (14’/1ºT) (1-0), Dudu (31’/1ºT) (2-0), Rony (2’/2ºT) (3-0), Endrick (18’/2ºT) (4-0)

PALMEIRAS:Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Danilo (Gabriel Menino, aos 20’/2ºT), Zé Rafael e Gustavo Scarpa (Bruno Tabata, aos 20’/2ºT); Dudu (Mayke, aos 37’/2ºT), Rony (López, aos 30’/2ºT) e Endrick (Merentiel, aos 30’/2ºT).Técnico:Abel Ferreira.

FORTALEZA: Fernando Miguel; Tinga, Brítez, Titi (Marcelo Benevenuto, no intervalo) e Juninho Capixaba; Lucas Sasha, Caio Alexandre (Zé Welison, aos 22’/2ºT) e Lucas Crispim (Fabrício Baiano, aos 22’/2ºT); Romarinho (Hércules, no intervalo), Thiago Galhardo (Romero, aos 13’/2ºT) e Robson. Técnico: Juan Pablo Vojvoda.

FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS 5 x 0 SÃO PAULO
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 29ª RODADA

Local:Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:25/10/2023 (quarta-feira), às 20 horas (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Raphael Claus (FIFA-SP)
Assistentes:Alex Ang Ribeiro (FIFA-SP) e Fabrini Bevilaqua Costa (FIFA-SP)
VAR:Daiane Caroline Muniz dos Santos (FIFA-SP)
Público e renda:32.618 pessoas e R$1.995.950,97
Cartões amarelos:Zé Rafael (20’/1ºT), Endrick (44’/1ºT) e Raphael Veiga (55’/1ºT) para o Palmeiras; Lucas Beraldo (25’/1ºT), Rafinha (aos 47’/1ºT e aos 16’/2ºT) e Wellington Rato (34’/2ºT) para o São Paulo
Cartões vermelhos:Rafinha (aos 16’/2ºT, após receber o segundo amarelo)
Gols:Breno Lopes (16’/1ºT) (1-0), Breno Lopes (26’/1ºT) (2-0), Joaquin Piquerez (52’/2ºT) (3-0), Marcos Rocha (39’/2ºT) (4-0) e Piquerez (42’/2ºT) (5-0)

PALMEIRAS:Weverton; Luan, Gustavo Gómez e Murilo; Mayke (Marcos Rocha, aos 22’/2ºT), Zé Rafael, Richard Ríos (Fabinho, aos 22’/2ºT) e Joaquin Piquerez; Raphael Veiga (Artur, aos 27’/2ºT), Breno Lopes (Luis Guilherme, aos 34’/2ºT) e Endrick (Rony, aos 27’/2ºT).Técnico:Abel Ferreira

SÃO PAULO:Rafael; Rafinha, Diego Costa, Lucas Beraldo e Caio Paulista; Alisson (Nathan, aos 18’/2ºT), Gabriel Neves (Rodrigo Nestor, aos 35’/1ºT), James Rodriguez (Jhegson Méndez, no intervalo) e Michel Araújo; Lucas (Wellington Rato, aos 40’/1ºT) e David (Luciano, aos 18’/2ªT).Técnico:Dorival Júnior

Tudo sobre

BotafogoFortalezaJohn TextorPalmeirasSão Paulo