Daily Schmankerl: The aftermath of Bayern Munich vs. Manchester United; Casemiro eyeing Bayern move in January?; Thilo Kehrer leaving West Ham?; Manuel Neuer confident he’ll start at Euros; Jadon Sancho-Raphinha swap incoming?; + MORE!

Die Folgen: Bayern’s 1-0 victory over United (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich set off to England in hopes of putting together a better effort against Manchester United in the Champions League than it did last weekend during an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

Mission accomplished on that front, as the Bavarians took down the Red Devils 1-0, but the match was yet another odd effort from Bayern Munich. One that was devoid of excitement and showed that the squad’s attack still has a long way to go.

Here are some quick hitters on the match:

• Tuchel went chalk with his lineup and offered no rotation — as expected:

• Where is the attacking flair with this squad?
• The two teams spent time trading periods of dominance in the first half. Bayern Munich was markedly better than it was over the weekend against Eintracht Frankfurt, especially defensively.
• Dayot Upamecano was really good and Kim Min-jae redeemed himself. I don’t want to say they totally redeemed themselves for a terrible showing last Saturday, but it was the exact kind of response you would expect to see from the two center-backs, who both have an immense amount of pride.
• We saw glimpses of the vast potential of Alphonso Davies. It was not his best effort, but hopefully he can string together some of those glimpses to put together a full 90 minutes of steady play soon enough.
• We are getting close to officially saying that Leroy Sané is in a slump, aren’t we? Something is up. Whether he is indecisive or just not confident, the Germany international just looks off. It is no surprise that Harry Kane’s goal-scoring drought has coincided with Sané’s downturn in form.
• I like that Harry Kane can play a deeper role, but I’d much rather see him in the box scoring goals — like what was seemingly intended when Bayern Munich acquired him over the summer.
• Kane needs to move more and make sharper runs in the final third. It is hard to criticize him because he has been so good this season, but his off-the-ball movement in the final third can leave a lot to be desired at times.
• Finally, the 70th minute yielded a Bayern Munich goal when Kane slid Kingsley Coman (who had a strong game) a pass. Coman perfectly timed is run and deposited the ball nicely into the back of the net. Bayern Munich’s attack did seem a little more organized when Thomas Müller entered the match in the 67th minute for Jamal Musiala. It just seems like it might be time for Tuchel to experiment with playing the veteran a little more.
• This Manchester United team is just not that good — and they still gave Bayern Munich a tough time.
• Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka were not terrific as a pairing, but they got the job done. The duo has taken a lot of heat, so it was a “just get the job done” type of scenario — much like the defenders were in. While the center-backs were better than the midfielders, both showed improvement over Saturday’s losing effort.
• Overall, Bayern Munich won and did what they needed to do, but the squad’s attacking mindset seems off-kilter. The Bavarians are not going to win games 1-0 over the likes of Manchester City or Real Madrid — the German club’s primary competitors in the Champions League this season. The attack must get better...and quickly. How that happens is the big question, especially if Tuchel is refusing to change his own mindset.

If you missed our Initial Analysis, Match Awards, Observations, or Postgame Podcast give them a look and/or a listen:

Casemiro wants Bayern move? (The Peoples Person)

Could Manchester United defensive midfielder Casemiro want to transfer to Bayern Munich? According to one Brazilian journo, that is the case:

A shock report from Brazilian media suggests Casemiro wants to move to Bayern Munich just as Manchester United prepare to face the German giants in a pivotal Champions League match.

Jorge Nicola, a Brazilian journalist speaking on his YouTube channel, reveals sources close to Casemiro have indicated they see a “great desire” in the midfielder to switch Manchester for Bavaria. The 31-year old is set to lead his country for the first time in a major tournament (Copa America 2024) this summer and will be desperate to be in as strong form as possible in preparation.

Unfortunately, the Brazilian captain has struggled at the centre of Erik ten Hag’s team this season, often cutting a forlorn and isolated figure at the base of an imbalanced midfield unit. While the structural issues in Ten Hag’s tactical set-up are at fault, so too is Casemiro, who has displayed a shockingly low level at times.

Casemiro was ruled out with a serious hamstring injury at the beginning of November, after having returned from international duty with an impairment. The expected timeline of his return was placed after in the new year, meaning the midfielder would likely miss the crucial Christmas run-in.

Casemiro would certainly bring “an edge” to the position, but, at 31-years-old, he appears to have lose a step, which does not bode well for the next few years.

If you want to believe it, there were rumors last season that Thomas Tuchel wanted the Brazilian for Bayern Munich.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Postgame Show — Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 Bayern Munich (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich went out and got walloped 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt that was powered by a completely erratic and dysfunctional first half that set the tone for the entire match.

When it comes down to it, though, Eintracht Frankfurt was better prepared, more energetic, and simply wanted it more than the Bavarians.

It was disappointing to say the least, so let’s get right to it! Here is what we have on tap for this episode:

• A look at Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI...who was (surprisingly) in and out.
• A rundown of the substitutes and scoring.
• Why is Bayern Munich making odd adjustments to play against teams it is better than?
• The backline was a disaster.
• Some common themes whenever the attack struggle (and why it could be bad if Leroy Sané is slumping).
• Some thoughts and analysis on what is all means moving forward.

Kehrer back to Germany? (@Plettigoal)

West Ham defender and frequent German national team selection Thilo Kehrer could be headed back to Germany — and Eintracht Frankfurt might be ready to give him a new home:

Thilo #Kehrer, open to leave West Ham in winter as he’s not playing in the Premier League. Many clubs inquired about him. His management is sounding out the market / #WHUFC

➡️ @Eintracht is very interested confirmed - first via @BILD_Eintracht✔️

➡️ But: #SGE has more candidates on their list …

Kehrer, he’s in top shape and ready to play. His current contract is valid until 2026.

@berger_pj | @SkySportDE

Donnarumma to Juve in swap deal? (TuttoJuve via 90Min.com)

Could embattled Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma head back to Italy in a swap deal with Juventus? Wojciech Szczęsny is said to be the player headed back to PSG:

Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to Juventus in exchange for their own stopper, Wojciech Szczesny.

That seems doubtful eh?

Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 3, Episode 22 (Bavarian Football Works)

It feels like an eternity since Bayern Munich has played because of last weekend’s cancellation against Union Berlin, but now the Bavarians are set to be back in action (check out our Preview Show) against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Just because the game was not played, does not mean that the news has stopped. Bayern Munich had another eventful week, which ensure that there is plenty to discuss. Let’s take a look at what is on tap for this week’s episode:

• The Snow Day effect hits Bayern Munich!
• Bayern Munich’s decision to stay home for winter training camp.
• Taking a look at Bayern Munich’s big signing of Granada attacker Bryan Zaragoza and what it might mean for the team’s roster.
• Are we witnessing the fall of FC Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski?

Neuer confident he will be in peak form — and starting — at the Euro 2024 tourney (@iMiaSanMia)

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer thinks he has a good shot to be the starter for Germany at the Euro next summer:

On his chances of being in goal at the Euros: “My chances are good. My contact with Julian Nagelsmann is very good. We are constantly in communication. He’s also very happy that things started so well for me. And I’m happy to have the chance to play another tournament”

On whether he would go to the Euros as #2: “I haven’t thought about that yet. The most important thing for me now is to come back.”

Sancho-Raphinha swap being discussed? (Sport via 90Min.com)

Could there be a deal being discussed between Manchester United and FC Barcelona for Jadon Sancho and Raphinha? At least one report speculates about it:

Manchester United have proposed a straight swap deal that would send winger Jadon Sancho to Barcelona in exchange for Brazil international Raphinha.

However, Mundo Deportivo (via 90Min.com) says there will not be any deal involving an exchange of the two players:

Barcelona will not entertain any attempt by Manchester United to try and swap Jadon Sancho for Raphinha. Sancho is not of interest to Barca, while they currently consider Raphinha ‘untouchable’.

Bayern Munich boss was rumored to have interest in Raphinha, while the club has always kept on eye on Sancho. It seems doubtful that either player will ever wear a Bayern Munich kit though.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 6, Episode 22 (Bavarian Football Works)

So Bayern Munich have just been thrashed by Eintracht Frankfurt and the mood around the team is rather grim. The final group stage game of the Champions League is coming up, and while top spot in the group is secure, the team needs to show a good performance in order to recover from a 5-1 loss. Ironically, Erik ten Hag’s United team require the same, setting up a game between two sides beset by problems.

In this episode, INNN and Samrin discuss the following:

• Why can’t Bayern Munich play good football under Thomas Tuchel?
• A question of talent — how much does Bayern have? How much does the coach need?
• The long string of poor performances under Tuchel discussed.
• Comparing the arguments in favor of Tuchel to the arguments for Carlo Ancelotti and Niko Kovac.
• The problem of “leadership” and Tuchel’s alienation of leaders.
• What would it take for Tuchel to get sacked at this point?
• Should there be rotation versus Manchester United?
• What happens if Tuchel has another disappointing game?
• Where should Bayern Munich go from here?