The Audi Summer Tour kicked off in the Korean island of Jeju with Bayern Munich taking on Jeju SK FC. The Bavarians fielded a lot of young players for a large portion of the match and the 2-1 lead is a result of the Bayern youth's hard work. While a few of the first team players came on later in the game, they could not affect the scoreboard despite some good chances. Here are the match awards from this hard fought game although it was a friendly on paper.
The Brazilian was a live wire for Jeju. Aiás was not only a finishing threat, but also had the skill to set up one of his teammates. Jeju's goal came off some sheer brilliance from the Brazilian forward. His rainbow flick near the goal line completely flummoxed Kim Min-jae. He found his partner Chang-Min Lee who pulled back his marker in the very last moment to drift into open ***** e. That was all Jeju needed to equalize. It was a brilliant goal from the setup by Aiás to the finish by Lee. Aiás was also the joint highest dribbler of the game with Bayern's Guido Della Rovere.
The Bayern backline suffered from poor communication. Dayot Upamecano did not travel for the tour and is on an extended holiday after France's deep run in the World Cup. The Frenchman's absence along with Jonathan Tah starting on the bench exposed the lack of leadership and co-ordination in the defense. The duo of Hiroki Itō and Kim Min-jae should have done better being the seniors on the pitch. While Jeju's goal was brilliant, there were gaps in the box throughout the first half that could have led to more goals conceded.
João Palhinha was often rushing to break up play or screen the backline. He made two crucial tackles and was the primary physical presence for Bayern in their own third of the pitch. The Portuguese international's reading of the game allowed him to shield his defenders and the passing lanes in between. His ***** ist to Bastian ***** omo's winning goal came from an interception due to his positioning. A good game for Palhinha and maybe under Vincent Kompany can become a crucial sub in Champions League knockouts.
The young midfielder showed once again why he is Bayern's present and future in midfield. His technical ability is supreme, there is always a diagonal pass ready to precisely find his teammate across the pitch. His time at left-back last season further honed his defensive skills and that has improved his game in the middle. Bischof can really throw a tackle if he needs to. This is despite Bischof coming off as a typical technical player, who might prefer to let a defender or a CDM do the dirty work. With two tackles and just three passes misplaced, the 21 year-old is the best box-to-box midfielder under Kompany at the moment. Additionally, Bischof is miles ahead of Joshua Kimmich with his corner kicks which will be a welcome change in that direction.

#jeju #bischof #brazilian #palhinha

Bayern Munich was rumored to have interest in a few defenders during the summer, but nothing material emerged when it came to center-backs.
As it stands, the Bavarians seem content to go into the season with Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Kim Min-jae, and Hiroki Itō as the quartet in central defense.
"We're talking about competition, which I like and which is something I've personally experienced. I played in the same roles as Minjae, Upamecano, and Tah. The most important thing is proving yourself on the pitch. I have to compliment Minjae: the way he presents himself, the way he performs on the pitch – and the fact that he doesn't talk. He always has the right answer in every situation: his performances have always been top-notch for us. For me, it's important to see him deliver the way he does. And accordingly, the others have to deliver as well. That's what I want in every position, not just at center-back," Kompany said (as captured by iMiaSanMia).
As of now, Upamecano and Tah seem to be far clear of Kim and Itō, but there could be an opportunity for more playing time if Kompany opts to use his bench more to keep players healthy and fresh. Maybe, Kim and Itō will get ample chances to prove themselves along the way this season — something that might benefit the club.
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#upamecano #something #important

Warren Zaire-Emery could be a good option for Bayern Munich, but the Bavarian giants currently have no room for him in their squad.
Bayern legend Willy Sagnol believes the German champions should target another French talent in the form of Zaire-Emery.
Bayern have a rich history of signing French players, including Franck Ribery, Bixente Lizarazu and Sagnol himself, while Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano are currently part of the club's squad.
After progressing through the youth ranks at PSG, Zaire-Emery has established himself as a key player under Luis Enrique.
The 20-year-old has already made 183 appearances for the French champions, scoring 11 goals, while also earning 13 caps for the France national team.

#bayern #squad

According to a report from Sport Bild journalists Christian Falk and Heiko Niedderer (as captured by iMiaSanMia), Bayern Munich is eyeing VfB Stuttgart center-back Finn Jeltsch as a defensive option for the future:
Stuttgart centre-back Finn Jeltsch (20) is a player Bayern have on their list for the future. Bayern believe they're well equipped at centre-back at the moment, but Jeltsch would be a candidate for when a spot opens up in the position in the coming windows.
This is not the first report linking Bayern Munich to Jeltsch, who is riding a bit of a heat wave at the moment. The 20-year-old is also rumored to be on Jürgen Klopp's radar for the German national team.
Jeltsch was a stabilizing force on what — at times — was a very shaky backline for Die Schwaben. Undoubtedly, Jeltsch is talented, but he does need some time to develop and make his game more well-rounded. With Dayot Upamecano (27, contract through 2030), Jonathan Tah (30, contract through 2029), Kim Min-jae (29, contract through 2028), and Hiroki Itō (27, contract through 2028) as the four current options at center-back, there is no room for Jeltsch at the moment, but that does not mean that Bayern Munich will not look at the VfB Stuttgart defender in 2027 or 2028.
Will Jeltsch still be at VfB Stuttgart by then?

#finn #report #center

Bayern Munich set off for their pre-season tour of Asia on Saturday without several high-profile first-team players.
As previously agreed, World Cup semi-finalists Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise didn't travel, as they are still on vacation.
Alphonso Davies, Jamal Musiala, new signing Ismael Saibari, Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl were also absent, having remained in Munich to continue their respective recovery programmes.
Meanwhile, the available German World Cup participants, including captain Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich, were part of the travelling squad.
Bayern have also taken several highly-rated academy prospects, including 16-year-old striker Bastian ***** omo, 16-year-old centre-back Filip Pavic, 19-year-old midfielder Guido Della Rovere, 17-year-old winger Maycon Cardozo and 19-year-old midfielder Felipe Chavez.

#year #bayern #munich #harry

Real Madrid also got a share of the glory as Spain won the FIFA World Cup 2026, as one of their players, Marc Cucurella, was also present in the winning side. The Merengue club had signed the fullback just before the start of the top international competition, and he remained a key part of Luis de la Fuente's team throughout the tournament.
Other established Los Blancos stars also had a good World Cup, as they shone for their respective national teams. This is especially true for Kylian Mbappe, who remained the leader of France's attack, and won the Golden Boot with his 10 goals in the competition. Similarly, Jude Bellingham also starred for England, scoring 7 goals for the Three Lions.
As Diario AS has reported, all of these three players have been named in the FIFA World Cup Best XI, a starting lineup of the best players in the competition selected by fans' votes. The full list of players selected is as follows:
Goalkeeper: Vozinha (Cape Verde)
Defenders: Porro (Spain), Lisandro (Argentina), Upamecano (France), Cucurella (Spain)

#spain #cucurella

The back injury that France's centre-back William Saliba (25) had been carrying since the later stages of the domestic season finally caught up with him as he was forced off during the first half of les Bleus' semi-final defeat to Spain.
Arsenal defender Saliba had been playing through the pain in order to help the Gunners to win their first ****** le since 2004 and, while the injury had been kept largely under wraps, once the domestic season was over it became the main concern for France ahead of Deschamps' squad announcement.
The national team's staff have largely managed Saliba's back problem well, resting him in friendlies and against Norway in the final group match and dispensing him from much of France's training sessions.
Saliba's performances throughout the tournament alongside Dayot Upamecano had been excellent, despite his showing some signs of discomfort on the poor pitch of the MetLife stadium against Sweden in the round of 32. The Premier League defender's ****** ured showings were a big reason why France had conceded only two goals (one of them in the Norway match) leading up to the semi-final.
However, with France 1-0 down following Spain's successful penalty, Saliba kicked the ball away and slowly lowered himself to the ground on the half-hour mark, saying that his back had gone. He was helped off the pitch looking understandably upset and was replaced by Maxence Lacroix. The Crystal Palace defender put in a good performance considering the difficult circumstances of his entry into the match, but could do nothing to prevent les Bleus' defeat.

France's dream of a third straight World Cup final is over after a 2-0 loss to Spain in Tuesday's semi-final. Dayot Upamecano played the full 90 minutes in Dallas, while Michael Olise lasted 72 minutes as the Bayern duo were unable to prevent defeat.
Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty put Spain ahead after 22 minutes. Pedro Porro then doubled the advantage just before the hour. France struggled to find their flow in attack and create any meaningful chances.
However, the World Cup isn't over for Les Bleus, who will play the third-place play-off in Miami on Saturday (23:00 CEST) against the loser of Wednesday's second semi-final between England and Argentina.
Follow FC Bayern's players at World Cup 2026

Spain dominated France in Dallas to win 2-0 and reach their first World Cup final since 2010, and will face either England or Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday.
BBC Sport's Neil Johnston ******* ses how the players performed on Tuesday - and you can see how readers rated them at the bottom of the page too.
Mike Maignan: Guessed the right way for Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty but beaten for pace and power. Also guilty of some poor distribution. 5
Jules Kounde: Struggled at times with his passing. France have looked so solid at the back at this World Cup but they came undone in what some might say was their first serious test. 5
Dayot Upamecano: Has been huge for France in the USA and made a significant block to deny Fabian Ruiz at 1-0. However, it was all to no avail. 5

30’ — Injury substitution for France. William Saliba down with apparent non-contact injury. Maxence Lacroix on in in his stead.
23’ — GOOOOOAL! Spain strike! Mikel Oyarzabal makes no mistake from the spot. France in an early hole.
20’ — Penalty Spain! Lucas Digne receives in the box by heading it to himself, then turning around to whip it. Unfortunately he only catches Lamine Yamal and conceded an early penalty for Spain!
Lineups are out!
France: Maignan; Koundé – Upamecano – Saliba – Digne; Tchouaméni – Rabiot; Dembélé – Olise – Barcola; Mbappé

In one of the most insane streaks in all of sports, Bayern Munich will — once again — be watching the World Cup semifinals and waiting to see if the club’s crazy streak of having at least one player in every World Cup final since 1982 will continue.
With Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano representing France and Harry Kane as part of England’s team, the Bavarians probably feel pretty good about their chances.
France will play Spain later today, while England takes on Argentina on Wednesday. iMiaSanMia compiled the participation data:
Bayern have always had at least one player in every World Cup final since 1982:
– 1982 final: Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Wolfgang Dremmler

As we enter the business end of the 2026 World Cup with only four nations remaining, the first of the semi-final ties sees France take on Spain. Both powerhouses of the European game were rightfully amongst the bookies' favourites before the tournament got going.
France have been arguably the standard setters in the World Cup to date, blending defensive solidity with high-octane attacking football. Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has been one of their shining lights alongside William Saliba in the back four.
Moving into the middle third, former Borussia Mönchengladbach talent Manu Koné has deputised for Aurelien Tchouameni. Bayern Munich's Michael Olise continues to pull the strings from a central position, while ex-BVB star Ousmane Dembélé compliments Kylian Mbappé nicely.
Spain, by contrast, have been a fraction underwhelming in an attacking sense. Nonetheless, they continue to march forth with their strong defensive discipline proving to be the backbone of their success – they leaked their only goal to Belgium thus far.
Although their talisman Lamine Yamal has been quiet by his lofty standards, the winger showed signs of improvement in their quarter final success. Meanwhile, former Dortmund man Mikel Merino continues to deliver game-defining goals off the bench as of late.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé trained with the rest of the group after experiencing some physical problems during France's win against Morocco in the FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals. Mbappé completed the training session and will be ready to face Spain in the Semifinals next Tuesday.
The French striker has been leading France during the tournament, so having him healthy and ready to go will be crucial for coach Didier Deschamps.
Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba couldn't train with their teammates, so it will be interesting to see if they are able to recover in time for Tuesday's match. Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni remains 'doubtful' for Tuesday's game and he's missed France's last two matches with a thigh injury that has been problematic for him and the French national team.

Clement Turpin will referee England vs Norway in the World Cup, with the respected Frenchman having recently taken charge of the Three Lions’ 4-2 win over Croatia.
Turpin officiated England’s opening game of the tournament and has been the man in the middle for Paraguay’s draw with Australia and Colombia’s win over Ghana in the round of 32.
The French official once riled Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel three years ago during his time as Bayern Munich boss.
Indeed, Tuchel branded Turpin “Grade E” after receiving two yellow cards in the German club's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City in 2023.
Tuchel was especially upset after Turpin brandished five yellow cards in the first half at Allianz Arena, while also handing Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano a straight red card as the last man for a challenge on Erling Haaland, though the French defender survived after VAR reversed the call due to offside.

France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the first of this year’s World Cup quarterfinals. Here are four players who stood out from the match.
Without an official rooting interest, we will use this **** e — customarily reserved for a Bayern or Germany opponent of the day — to recognize the top effort on the losing team’s side.
In this case it could only be Bounou. A penalty save, a fingertip deflection, and more key interventions kept France from pasting his team in the first half. As it was, the inevitability could not be denied, but Bounou put it off for as long as he could.
We’ll forgive Upamecano for slicing that clearance that almost could have ended up in his own net. The Bayern Munich center-back was a defensive beast, providing a sense of stability against a Morocco attack that, in fairness, barely tried to **** ert itself outside of the odd transition. When they did try to send a ball in behind, Upamecano was there to charge it down and snuff out the chance.
The Bayern man was also highly involved in the build-up, even making 17 touches in the attacking third.

Get French Football News spoke to former Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne about some of the French-related World Cup storylines that have caught his eye, ranging from the Paraguayan gamesmanship that France faced last week to the impression made by Monaco forward Forarin Balogun.
From a French point of view you will always be **** ociated with Thierry Henry’s handball. You’ve previously said that your issue isn’t so much with him as with the referee who missed it. I’m interested to know what you thought of Paraguay’s performance/attitude against France. Do you think they went too far or was it a case of good for them for getting away with all they did, because of a weak referee?
They aren’t as good as France, so had to find a way to get under their skin to try and put them off their game. The French are the best side in the competition, so you have to find a way to put them off their game, so you can look to take advantage. Paraguay went for a physical route at times, but ultimately France had too much for them. It’s up to the referee to control the players and manage the game as well.
As a former centre back you’re very well placed to judge. How highly do you rate William Saliba’s and Dayot Upamecano’s performances so far? Which other team’s defences have impressed you and why?
They are excellent defenders. We see Saliba week in week out in the Premier League and he is one of the best in the league. Upamecano is also a very good defender, both defending and also with the ball. I would say Spain have defended really well as, like the French, the centre backs can both defend well, and also use the ball well.

Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has emphatically shut down the intense speculation surrounding Michael Olise’s future, delivering a defiant message to the ******* embled media regarding Real Madrid’s aggressive pursuit of his teammate.
The defender’s comments came in the mixed zone following France’s gritty 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup Round of 16, where he directly addressed the constant rumours surrounding the 24-year-old winger’s future.
When asked by Sky Sport Germany’s Kerry Hau about the potential transfer of Olise to Real Madrid this summer, Upamecano broke into a knowing smile before leaning into the microphone to declare twice: “He’s staying, he’s staying!”
The statement serves as a direct rebuttal to the narrative being built in the Spanish capital, where club president Florentino Perez has identified Olise as his next great ‘Galactico.’
Upamecano not worried about Olise’s future. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

It’s not all about the World Cup—there have also been other news stories worth highlighting.
In a recent interview, the Real Sociedad captain admitted that he has no intention of leaving the club of his life, despite rumors linking him with Barcelona.
Following Nagelsmann’s departure, Germany is looking for a new national team manager, and the leadership of the German Football Federation is already heading to the United States to speak in person with Jürgen Klopp, who, for now, would be willing to listen to the proposal.
At this point, there is little doubt that Bayern’s French star will continue wearing the Bavarian club’s colors, but if there were any remaining doubts, Upamecano made sure to put them to rest.
Despite the World Cup, the transfer market never stops, and the latest name on the table is Trevoh Chalobah, who is being linked with a move to strengthen Como’s squad.

World Cup favourites France face Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. With France on fire after an outstanding performance vs. Sweden in the last round, most people expect them to get a big win over the South Americans.
But Paraguay have built up the reputation of the surprise team of the tournament - they've beaten Türkiye and Germany in order to fight for a place in the quarter-finals now.
Bayern Munich's superstars Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano have become key players for Didier Deschamps' France side and Olise especially has transformed into one of the most important players for the super squad from Western Europe. Everytime he plays, he receives Ballon d'Or shouts - and deservedly so.
With just about an hour to go until kick-off, here are the confirmed lineups of both teams:
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan - Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne - Koné, Rabiot - Dembélé, Olise, Barcola - Mbappé

France face Sweden on Tuesday at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium for their 2026 FIFA World Cup last-32. After winning Group I with three consecutive wins against Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0) and Norway (4-1), Les Bleusare the overwhelming favourites against Graham Potter's side, although Adrien Rabiot is adamant his teammates won't let their guard down.
Didier Deschamps, who has returned to the France camp after attending his motehr's funeral on Friday, has announced that Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram will miss out. Fenerbahçe's N'Golo Kanté is also a doubt, but the pair was not expected to start anyway.
Compared to Friday's win, Deschamps is understood to make some changes. After being rested against Norway, ***** nal's William Saliba is set to get his spot back alongside Dayot Upamecano. Aston Villa's Lucas Digne is expected to get the nod ahead of Théo Hernandez, who conceded a penalty against Norway.
The left side of Frace's frightening attack is set to be tweaked too with the introduction of Bradley Barcola at the expense of Désiré Doué. Should they win against Sweden, Les Bleus will face Paraguay on July 4th.
Mike Maignan; Lucas Digne, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé; Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni; Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé; Kylian Mbappé. (L'Éq)

France face Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday evening in the World Cup last 32, beginning their knockout campaign as overwhelming favourites.
Didier Deschamps' side topped Group I with maximum points, scoring ten goals and conceding just two across victories over Senegal, Iraq and Norway. The two-time world champions, with Deschamps confirmed to be stepping down at the end of the tournament, are widely regarded as genuine contenders for the trophy this summer.
William Saliba is expected to return to the starting lineup. The ***** nal centre-back was rested against Norway as a precautionary measure for a back issue that has affected him throughout the closing stages of the club season, but Deschamps has no concerns about his availability for the knockout stage.
Saliba's reintroduction restores France's first-choice centre-back pairing alongside Dayot Upamecano, considered by some within the squad to be the strongest defensive partnership available to Deschamps this summer.
Deschamps has no other injury concerns to manage. Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot continue as the double pivot that has controlled tempo throughout the group stage, screening the back four and allowing the more advanced players freedom to operate.

France's World Cup clash with Iraq, played on Monday evening local time, has been suspended until further notice due to adverse weather conditions.
After a first half that saw France lead 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé, the match in Philadelphia was interrupted by severe weather in the area.
The start of the second half has been delayed by at least 15 minutes due to the conditions, with it still unclear when play will resume.
Heavy rain began after 35 minutes, with fans taking shelter as authorities issued a thunderstorm warning, and an update on resumption is still awaited.
Bayern Munich duo Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise both started for France, with Olise providing the ***** ist for Mbappé's opening goal.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing, and it hasn’t even been a week since the opening match yet there’s plenty of highlights being talked about. The first five days were packed with non-stop football action, and I don’t know where to start.
Whether it’s the chaotic opening match between Mexico and South Africa, the South Koreans mounting a comeback and winning, the heroic Australians beating Türkiye 2-0, Germany and Sweden both winning by five goals or more, or Ivory Coast winning with a 90th minute goal, this tournament has everything.
Anyways, after the previous matchday saw numerous goals but somehow ended up in four draws, today’s set of matches certainly did better than the last. While a win is in no way a foregone conclusion, you can expect goals and nail-biting moments to keep you on the edge of your seat!
In the 25th minute, Senegal played a through ball forward to Nicolas Jackson who beat Dayot Upamecano for pace and shot at the near post. The ball ricocheted off the post and bounced off the feet of a diving Mike Maignan in the French goal and out for a corner.
The last time these two teams faced was the 2002 World Cup in Korea and ******* an, with Senegal securing a historic victory over the then defending European and World Champions. Could the unthinkable happen?

There are two big questions for France going into their FIFA World Cup opener against Senegal on Tuesday night.
The first pertains to who will start on the left wing. Marcus Thuram started there against the Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up, however, it was Désiré Doué who started against Northern Ireland. He struggled and there have been reports that Bradley Barcola may be preferred to his Paris Saint-Germain teammate. However, L’Équipe understands that it will be Doué who gets the nod.
With Michael Olise being pushed out to the right, Ousmane Dembélé will likely start in the No.10 role. The second question mark pertains to the fitness of William Saliba. The ****** nal defender continues to contend with a back injury but is expected to start for Les Bleus against Senegal.
Mike Maignan; Théo Hernandez, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé; Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni; Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise; Kylian Mbappé. (L’Éq)
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Bayern Munich star Michael Olise sees a lot of Dayot Upamecano.
The twosome spends a lot of time together at Bayern Munich, of course, but they also play together for France and are neighbors in Bavaria.
Clearly, Olise see both sides of Upamecano — the humble, nice guy off the field and the physical warrior on the pitch.
“Dayot is my neighbor. He’s a very good guy, very nice off the pitch. On the pitch, it’s different. He’s aggressive, a leader, always wants to win. I’m happy to be playing with him at Bayern and here,” said Olise (as captured by iMiaSanMia).
As they did for Bayern Munich, Olise and Upamecano will play big roles for France in the World Cup. The French are one of the favorites and will be well-equipped in the attack and on the backline. Clearly, Olise and Upamecano will play big roles in how France performs in North America.