Germany

Football supporters groups from around Europe have criticized attempts to liven up matches in empty stadiums by using artificial crowd noise, describing it as a rebuke to match-going fans.

The fans said that the recent return of football following the coronavirus stoppage, with matches behind closed doors, had shown that supporters were "the lifeblood of the game" and their contribution should be recognized by leagues and clubs.

Bayern Munich won a record eighth straight Bundesliga title on Tuesday, beating Werder Bremen 1-0. That wasn’t a surprise. What was a surprise was the record-breaking Alphonso Davies speed recorded during the match.

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Longtime U.S. men's national team member Fabian Johnson is seeking a move to MLS, according to a report.

Kristian Dyer of Sports Illustrated tweeted that Johnson, who plays for Borussia Monchengladbach of the Bundesliga, has been in contact with "multiple" MLS teams through his agent.

BERLIN — Borussia Dortmund substitute Erling Haaland headed a stoppage-time winner to give them a 1-0 victory at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday and keep their slim Bundesliga title hopes alive.

Norwegian Haaland scored with the last action of the game to lift second-placed Dortmund to 66 points, with leaders Bayern Munich on 70 before they host Borussia Moenchengladbach later. After the goal, BVB coach Lucien Favre pulled up with an apparenty injury while celebrating.

Third-placed RB Leipzig scored two quickfire goals through Dani Olmo immediately after Hoffenheim had a penalty award overturned by VAR in a remarkable opening 12 minutes on the way to a 2-0 victory on the road in the Bundesliga on Friday.

The win gave Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann a happy first return to the club where he began his coaching career as a 28-year-old. His side now have 62 points from 31 games, one behind Borussia Dortmund and eight off Bayern Munich who both play on Saturday.

VfL Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst scored with only eight minutes remaining to hand the visiting team a 1-0 win at Werder Bremen on Sunday and push their hosts closer towards relegation from the Bundesliga.

A return to form for the Dutch international ensured Wolfsburg moved up to sixth place, jumping above Hoffenheim, and putting themselves back in place to qualify for next season’s Europa League.

Bundesliga players and clubs are letting the world know they stand with George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The biggest soccer league currently in action amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Bundesliga has seen a number of statements in support of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, perhaps none more prominent than what happened before Borussia Dortmund hosted Hertha Berlin on Saturday. The teams took a knee in a dramatic show of solidarity on the 12th day of protests over the murder of Floyd. 

Leon Goretzka had already scored once, a well-taken strike from the edge of the box. With a chance to double his tally, he suddenly ducked out of the way of a header. 

It was, of course, the correct decision.

Goretzka dropped his head at the last second to allow Robert Lewandowski to head home his 30th goal of the Bundesliga campaign as Bayern Munich shook off an early deficit to score four straight on the way to a 4-2 victory at BayArena on Saturday.

BERLIN, June 5 (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Manuel Akanji were fined an unspecified amount by the German Football League (DFL) on Friday for failing to wear face masks during a visit from a hair dresser.

The DFL said both players had broken the health guidelines that have governed Bundesliga clubs and players since the league restarted amid the COVID-19 pandemic on May 16.

Six Dortmund players, including England international Sancho and Akanji, got their hair cut by the hairdresser who then asked some of them to take pictures with him.

It’s been a tale of two halves for Schalke 04 this season. 

The arrival of Jürgen Klopp protégé David Wagner was hailed as a progressive step forward after a disastrous 2018-19 campaign that saw the club flirt with relegation, and that excitement was thoroughly justified through 18 games as Schalke climbed as high as fifth in the Bundesliga.