For folks fortunate enough to be able to take an extra day or two off around the Christmas holiday, Wednesday provided plenty of soccer for the American sports fan with $5 to spare for an ESPN+ subscription. With beIN Sports providing free Ligue 1 coverage and ESPN+ streaming the Carabao Cup, DFB Pokal and Serie A, it was difficult to figure out which matches to watch.
Robert Lewandowski was named Best FIFA Men’s Player on Thursday. On Saturday he was back doing what he does best: score goals. The Bayern Munich striker bagged a brace in a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen to help his side retake first place in the Bundesliga on Saturday. But he was extremely lucky to score both goals and hand Leverkusen its first loss of the season.
It was only a matter of time, and the time came for young Youssoufa Moukoko on Friday. On the last Bundesliga match day of 2020, Moukoko became the youngest Bundesliga goal scorer ever, providing a stunning finish in the 60th minute against Union Berlin at the tender age of 16 years and 28 days.
RB Leipzig made the first daring move of the winter transfer window on Thursday with the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai from Red Bull Salzburg. The Szoboszlai transfer fee is rumored to have been priced around $25 million with the Hungarian agreeing to a five-year contract.
Dominik Szoboszlai today flying back to Salzburg with his family and his agent @esterhazymatyas after signing as new RB Leipzig player.
The crazy pandemic times we live in now didn't seem to affect Europe's transfer market this summer, although it extended the window until Oct. 5. Teams spent more than $3 billion strengthening their squads for the 2020-21 season, while others didn't spend a dollar. But, as always, team directors, agents,and players enjoyed a game of chess.
Gareth Bale - Loan
Real Madrid to Tottenham
Due to the scheduling havoc wreaked by COVID-19 and the resulting extension of the 2019-20 season, the summer transfer was extended until Oct. 5, but when does the January transfer window 2021 open? It’s been a wild ride, but some semblance of normality has returned to European football with the January transfer window set to open on Saturday, Jan. 2 and close on Monday, Feb. 1.
Has the January transfer window changed?
Manchester United have been handed a tough draw in the Europa League last 32 knockout stage where they will face current Spanish league leaders Real Sociedad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side finished third in their Champions League group and dropped into the second tier competition after last week's defeat by RB Leipzig. The clash with Sociedad will see United come up against former Manchester City favorite David Silva, now back in his homeland where he has inspired Sociedad to their excellent start to the domestic season.
Jamaican Leon Bailey scored twice to steer unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen to a 4-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Sunday and take over the lead in the Bundesliga for the first time in six years.
Bailey first struck after four minutes, thundering in a shot from outside the box and from a tight angle past keeper Oliver Baumann.
Leon Bailey hit this beautifully pic.twitter.com/ttlv7cxNl3