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USMNT youngster Malik Tillman has admitted his future is out of his hands amid reports that he will leave Bayern Munich.

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Tillman says future not up to himUSMNT starlet on loan at PSVDutch club can buy from BayernWHAT HAPPENED?

Tillman is a graduate of Bayern's youth system and is currently on loan at Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven. The midfielder has enjoyed a superb start to the season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in eight league matches. PSV reportedly have a purchase option of around $13 million (£12m) hat can be activated at the end of the season, meaning Tillman might not have much of a say when it comes to his future.

AdvertisementWHAT TILLMAN SAID

The 21-year-old told reporter Marco Timmer: "I don't know what happens after this season.That depends on PSV and Bayern.If PSV activates the purchase option, I don't think I have much to say about it.Then I play at a high level at PSV, I want to get better, and ultimately take a step up again."

TILLMAN HAPPY AT PSV

Indeed, Tillman made it clear that he is happy and settled in Eindhoven. "I have really enjoyed my time at PSV from day one. It was the right move for me after Rangers FC. The trainer, the team and the attacking style of play suit me. We also play in the Champions League and that was a very important condition for me. I have only positive feelings about PSV. I want to develop further in Eindhoven and who knows what will be possible next."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Tillman has certainly benefited from joining PSV, reflected by his continuing involvement with the USMNT. His performances have contributed to his side's 12-game-winning start to the Eredivisie season, and he looks to be in a good position to be included in Gregg Berhalter's squad for the Copa America next summer.

As the Premier League enters the busy Christmas period, we take a look at the best individual performers during the first half of the season

Alisson | Liverpool

The most commanding goalkeeper in the Premier League this season and one of the best impact signings made in Premier League history. It’s a close-run thing between Alisson and his Brazilian colleague Ederson at Manchester City. They are practically neck-and-neck in terms of their out-and-out goalkeeping skills as well as having the ball at their feet. However Alisson shines when it comes to clean sheets and goals conceded. He may have been expensive but is one of the big reasons behind Liverpool’s surge to the top of the table.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCesar Azpilicueta | Chelsea

His standout performance of the campaign came against Manchester City, when Chelsea snapped Pep Guardiola’s long unbeaten run. He is a long-time Stamford Bridge favourite and has made the switch back to right-back with minimal fuss under Maurizio Sarri having played centre-back under Antonio Conte. Azpilicueta is one of only 10 outfield players to have featured in every minute of this Premier League campaign so far.

Getty ImagesVirgil van Dijk | Liverpool

Last season Jurgen Klopp opted to take no signings over the wrong one, delaying Liverpool’s pursuit for a centre-back until January when they knew they’d have another chance at making Virgil van Dijk the world’s most expensive defender. It’s paid off in a big way. Van Dijk has along the way become arguably the best defender in the world on form this year, helping Liverpool to the top of the league with his command of the back four.

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Getty ImagesAymeric Laporte | Manchester City

Like Van Dijk, Laporte is another January recruit who has become absolutely integral in the way that his side plays. Guardiola’s preference for a left-footed centre-back has seen Laporte deployed as a key component in how Manchester City set about creating chances. He is ready-made for English football due to his strength and physique. Furthermore, no player in the Premier League has won more matches or played more passes to this point than the French centre-back.

It's gotten ugly in the Six as the Italy international forward has had enough with Toronto FC's style of play

MLS is, and has been, a league of stars. It's just the way that things are designed due to the league's salary cap. On most teams, there will be a few players in a different tax bracket than their team-mates, and getting those players firing is often the difference between success and failure in this league.

Toronto FC are very much a team built on stars. They're the league's highest spenders, an ambitious club that has always created shockwaves by signing big names. Right now, though, they're the Eastern Conference bottom-feeders and one of their big-money stars let loose after another damning loss this weekend.

It was a tough week for Toronto FC, but a good one for a potential Supporters' Shield favorite in FC Cincinnati. Luciano Acosta and co. continue to cook, making statement after statement by squeaking out close wins.

Those two teams, Cincy and TFC, are clear winners and losers, respectively. Here's a look at the other big takeaways from a chaotic MLS weekend:

WINNER: FC Cincinnati

A bit of a rehash from our midweek picks but, after a Hell is Real derby win over the Columbus Crew, Cincy deserve it.

Last season, FC Cincinnati was good at turning losses into draws, and this season they're turning draws into wins. It happened again this weekend against the Crew when Roman Celentano made a heroic save in second-half stoppage time to seal the 3-2 win.

Luciano Acosta, perhaps the MVP frontrunner, was at his best in this one, scoring two of the goals. Acosta is a player that can win you games on his own, and there will be plenty of times he does just that this season.

That win is their eighth in eight at home, as the club has turned their home field into a legitimate fortress. That's always a good start for a Supporters' Shield winner, and Cincy certainly has all the makings of that based on what we've seen.

Superstar attackers, good goalkeeping and, perhaps soon, a shiny DP striker after the big-money sale of Brenner. That last part is what's most interesting: this team can still get better. It feels like they will, too, as they somehow haven't looked as good as they did for stretches last season, despite their stellar record so far.

Up next are a series of road games that will serve as a real test of their credentials. Survive that and the trophy talk can really begin.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Bob Bradley and Toronto FC

There are plenty of things to say about Toronto FC's disaster of a season, but star winger Federico Bernardeschi is the one that has said it best, so we'll let him take the lead here.

“Sincerely, this team, this city, the fans, everybody don't deserve this, and I think maybe we need to change something," the Italian said. "We need to [have] a little bit more tactics. We need an idea of how we play because this is the real problem for me. It's impossible to play like this when we play without [an] idea. This is the big problem for me.”

He continued: "We lose every game. We tie, we lose, we tie, we lose. Sometimes we win. But I can't believe this sincerely. This is no good for the young players. They need to get better, no? And grow up with an idea of football, and the players with personality, they need to help, help us to understand and follow the idea of football. But we need the idea of football. This is the real situation.”

Yikes! You never want to hear one of your star player questioning just about everything the club is doing, do you? Well, that's exactly what Bernardeschi did, taking aim after TFC's 1-0 loss to Austin FC.

It's an unflattering description of life under Bob Bradley, to say the least. Bradley is an American soccer legend, no doubt, but there's also no doubt about the fact that TFC have been very, very bad this season. They're last in the Eastern Conference, struggling with injuries, form and, apparently tactics. It's all a big mess.

Is the clock ticking on Bradley? It's hard to be sure. He'll likely be given a chance to turn things around. However, as Bernardeschi said, something has to change. We'll have to wait and see what that is.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Bradley Carnell

When just about everything imaginable goes to plan, you have to give credit to the one who made the plan. Bradley Carnell and St. Louis City SC beat the snot out of Sporting KC, kickstarting their new rivalry with a 4-0 win at CITYPARK. It was a one-sided beatdown, and a statement from MLS' newest team.

"Happy that the boys responded in a certain way that they took this almost personal," said Carnell. "They took it personal; what it means to St Louis and what it means to every individual who works for this club."

There are plenty that will earn praise from this one, including goalscorers Indiana Vassilev, Nicholas Gioacchini and Eduard Lowen, but we're using this section to give Carnell his flowers. The South African coach hasn't been perfect, but he's been pretty close to it when it comes to establishing an identity for this club.

He's tweaked his tactics, for sure, in recent weeks after some rough results, but his best work has been in getting players to buy into an overall idea of what this team is and could be. Just watch his postgame speech to get an idea of what Carnell has built so quickly:

After floundering a bit after their fantastic start, St. Louis find themselves third in the West. If Carnell can keep them there, it'll be one of the better expansion performances we've seen.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: LA Galaxy

The Galaxy simply can't stay out of these columns, can they? Another week, another capitulation and, somehow, this may have been the worst of them all. A close game, a catastrophic Jonathan Bond error and then, 10 minutes later, a 3-0 D.C. United lead from nothing. It was a totally preventable disaster, much like this LA Galaxy season.

This game, in many ways, was a summary of this season, one that started off the rails and has somehow gotten worse by the week. Even when they look good, which they did for large stretches of this one, they find a way to throw it all away in the most ridiculous way.

With no signings incoming due to their summer transfer ban, there isn't much to look forward to for the Galaxy, which is a sad state for a team that is arguably MLS' biggest.

A quick shoutout to D.C. United, though, as Wayne Rooney has them playing some pretty good soccer. They've gotten 14 points from their last seven, beating the teams they're supposed to beat along the way. And, unfortunately for the Galaxy, right now, they're a team that pretty much everyone else in the league will see as a team they're supposed to beat.

The Red Devils have made a splash this summer by signing Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund – but is this their best ever window?

Have Manchester United won this summer's transfer window? They certainly have addressed every area of the squad which needed attention after landing Mason Mount and Andre Onana, with Rasmus Hojlund's move from Atalanta effectively a done deal.

For the second summer in a row, the club have chosen to generously back Erik ten Hag, giving the Dutch manager around £170 million ($216m) to spend after last year's club-record £211m ($268m) outlay. And unlike last year and previous summers, when the club have been scrambling to sign players on deadline day, they have got their business done nice and early, allowing them to properly prepare for the coming season.

Only time will tell whether the money has been well spent. But with the benefit of hindsight, GOAL has gone through the archives and come up with United's best ever transfer windows, taking cost, trophies won and longevity into account…

Getty 10Summer 2001 – Two marquee arrivals but one big departure

Despite winning three consecutive titles, United were not prepared to stand still. Having been on the verge of signing Ruud van Nistelrooy the previous summer until a knee injury wrecked the move, United completed a £19m (£24) move for the Dutch striker.

As if landing the prolific forward wasn't enough, they then made Juan Sebastian Veron their record signing for £28m ($35m). Where United went wrong that summer was to sell Jaap Stam – albeit for a tidy £16m ($20m) – and to replace him with the 35-year-old Laurent Blanc.

United lost the title the next season to Arsenal, painfully surrendering their crown after defeat by the Gunners at Old Trafford. But they reclaimed it the following season and Van Nistelrooy, who had also had a stunning first campaign, finished as top scorer with 25 goals. Veron was inconsistent but also played his part in winning back the title, scoring in the 2-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Argentine had an ultimately unsuccessful two years at United and was sold to Chelsea for £14m ($18m) in the summer of 2003 but Van Nistelrooy remains one of the club's greatest ever strikers, scoring 150 goals in his five seasons.

AdvertisementGetty9Summer 1996 – Squad planning for the future

United had hoped to sign Alan Shearer this summer but the England striker ultimately wanted to go back to boyhood club Newcastle, United's main rivals at the time. The Red Devils saved £15m ($19m) by missing out on Shearer and instead bought a number of relatively unknown foreign players.

Karel Poborsky was the most famous after scoring a stunning chip in Euro 1996, while Jordi Cruyff was best known for being the son of legendary player Johan. But the most successful signings were the two Norwegians, Ronny Johnsen and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who cost a combined £2.7m ($3.4m)

Johnsen was a defensive pillar for five seasons and was remarkably consistent, the perfect partner for Jaap Stam. And Solskjaer spent 11 years with United, scoring 126 goals, including perhaps the most important in the club's history, snatching victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.

Getty 8Summer 1995 – You can win things with kids (and Cantona)

At the time, it seemed like madness. United had just lost the league title to Blackburn and been beaten in the FA Cup final to Everton yet the club made no signings at all. And they decided to sell three senior players, Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince.

The season got off to an awful start as a remarkably young and inexperienced side were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa on the opening day, prompting Alan Hansen to infamously remarking "You'll win nothing with kids."

Ferguson, however, had a plan. He knew his wonderful generation of young players were just approaching maturity and that Eric Cantona would soon return from his long ban for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan.

The Frenchman announced his comeback with a penalty against Liverpool and duly inspired United to a league-and-FA Cup double, helped by David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, who had all just come of age.

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Getty 7Winter 2006 – Unknown but brilliant defensive additions

After a quiet summer transfer window in which they had signed Edwin van der Sar and Park Ji-sung, United went into the market again in the winter. They signed two relatively unknown defenders, Spartak Moscow's Nemanja Vidic and Monaco's Patrice Evra, for a combined £12m ($15m). Neither arrival stirred up any great excitement among fans and they did not get off to the finest of starts.

Evra's debut was the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City while Vidic played in the demoralising 3-0 defeat at Chelsea which saw the Blues clinch the title. But these first few months helped the players adapt to their new surroundings and when the new season began, they had already settled and they hit the ground running.

Vidic and Evra formed part of United's defence for the next eight years, winning practically every trophy imaginable (only the FA Cup evaded their grasp). Signing them up for so little was a fine piece of business.

How are the continent’s five Qatar-bound stars stacking up ahead of Friday’s draw?

Getty ImagesWorld Cup draw

Following the pulsating—if controversial—conclusion to Africa’s World Cup qualifying campaign, the identities of the continent’s five sides for Qatar are known.

On Friday evening, they’ll learn their opponents for the opening round of the 2022 when the World Cup group stage draw is conducted in Doha.

Ahead of the draw, here’s our Power Ranking of the five sides set to represent the continent at the global high table.

AdvertisementGetty Images5. Tunisia

Unimpressive at the recent Africa Cup of Nations—although they did eliminate Nigeria—Tunisia arguably had the most straightforward playoff draw after being pitted against a Mali side who had never before qualified for the World Cup.

The Carthage Eagles have extensive World Cup pedigree—they’ve qualified successfully for five of the last seven tournaments—but they’re yet to reach the knockout stages for the first time.

The likes of Wahbi Khazri and Youssef Msakni give them a cutting edge, although failure to score home or away against Mali (it was an own goal away that saw them through) isn’t particularly encouraging.

Backpage4. Ghana

The Black Stars are riding high after eliminating fierce regional rivals Nigeria in their playoff, in a triumph that has gone a long way to banishing the memory of their miserable Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The transformation in the side has been sublime since that disastrous elimination by Comoros in Cameroon, and suddenly there’s optimism around the camp again.

Thomas Partey’s role in the midfield will give Ghana hope against any opposition, even if the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Felix Afena-Gyan and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku are still at the early stages of their international career.

If the Black Stars can convince Tariq Lamptey and Callum Hudson-Odoi to sign up before Qatar, they could be a dark horse.

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Getty Images3. Cameroon

The decision to replace head coach Toni Conceicao with Rigobert Song looked to have cost Cameroon during the playoffs, with the Indomitable Lions having fallen at home to Algeria in the first leg.

They made amends with a stunning victory in Blida in the second leg—the first time the Fennecs have lost at the venue—with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting winning the match in 90 minutes before Karl Toko Ekambi netted the late, late winner in extra time.

Of course, they have World Cup pedigree—no one has qualified more often—and they’ll be massively buoyed after eliminating both Algeria and the Ivory Coast during qualification.

Marcus Rashford features prominently on the list of potential replacements for Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.

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Mbappe departure frees up significant fundsPSG see Rashford as similar style of playerForward long-admired by French championsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The reports that PSG sporting director Luis Campos is a long-time admirer of the Manchester United forward and held talks with Rashford two years ago about the possibility of a move to the French capital. Budget restrictions prevented a move but Mbappe's forthcoming exit, confirmed earlier this week, frees up a large amount of PSG's budget despite losing their prized asset for free.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Rashford link is a fascinating one and one that makes sense on a number of levels. From a tactical viewpoint the England man provides the same ability to attack from the right-hand side of a three-man frontline. From a profile perspective, while impossible to match the box office appeal of Mbappe, Rashford's arrival would provide some glamour and intrigue.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Rashford penned a new deal at Old Trafford last summer after a stellar season. Speculation about the player's future was seemingly ended by the extension that runs until 2028. An approach from PSG would trigger a major decision for new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who has taken charge of the club's recruitment strategy.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MARCUS RASHFORD?

While Paris and the Parc des Princes may be calling, it's the gritty surroundings of Kenilworth Road that is of more pressing concern for Rashford as United's recent mini-revival gets a test from a sparky Luton Town side on Sunday afternoon.

ESPNcricinfo assesses Essex’s prospects for 2015

Alan Gardner31-Mar-2015Last season
In:
Out: Ben Foakes (Surrey), Sajid Mahmood, Tom Craddock (both released), Tim Phillips (retired), Tymal Mills (Sussex)
Overseas: Jesse Ryder, Shaun Tait (T20)2014 in a nutshell
It was the usual cocktail of promise, frustration and near misses for regular visitors to Chelmsford. A rousing charge down the final straight, in which Essex won six Championship games out of seven, was not quite enough to secure promotion, although they gained the dubious distinction of having achieved the highest points total without going up since the creation of two divisions. In all competitions, Essex won 22 times, behind only Warwickshire – but two home defeats, both to Warwickshire, in the quarter-finals of the T20 Blast and Royal London Cup left behind a sense of what might have been. Injuries were a problem, leading to chances for several young players, but while Jesse Ryder established himself as a local hero, Tymal Mills faded from England prospect to ex-Essex boy.2015 prospects
The squad again looks strong, though Mills and Ben Foakes are the latest young talents to move on and Essex will have to cope with the absence of Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate at the IPL for the first six weeks of the season. Ryder is due to return and Essex will hope his seam-bowling remains as effective – he was their leading Championship wicket-taker in 2014 – while Shaun Tait will provide a more explosive option in T20. Should Graham Napier, David Masters and Reece Topley avoid the problems that limited their 2014 involvement then promotion ought to be within their compass; coach Paul Grayson would dearly love a trophy to prove that there is substance to back up the perennial hype at Essex. Power brokers
After seven years in charge, Grayson’s authority is only occasionally questioned around New Writtle Street – he seems to have weathered a stormy period that whipped up at the start of 2013 – but Essex’s habit of falling short is troubling. Grayson has two captains to work with in trying to land a prize or two this year: the evergreen James Foster in Championship cricket, where he led the run-scoring once again; and Ryan ten Doeschate in the T20 and 50-over competitions.Key player
Ryder may never play for New Zealand again – another comeback with the A side was aborted last year – but Essex fans will be the richer. After settling in quickly, he signed a two-year contract at the end of 2014, news that was greeted by rapturous applause at an autumnal ECG. His powerful strokeplay can win matches in all formats; he only averaged 37.05 in the Championship, so there should be more to come. Also proved an unexpectedly wily seamer capable of taking the new ball.Bright young thing
Nick Browne broke into the first XI during the second half of last season and, against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, became the first Essex batsman to hit unbeaten hundreds in both innings of a Championship match. A tall left-hander with a physique and stance reminiscent of Marcus Trescothick – if not the range of attacking strokes – Browne’s tally of three centuries, from nine matches, was more than any of his team-mates. Could be the sort of remorseless run-getting opener Essex have lacked since Alastair Cook graduated to bigger things.ESPNcricinfo verdict
As ever, Essex ought to be in the mix for Championship promotion, should be one of the strongest T20 sides around and could be a good bet for the 50-over cup as well. Youth will be given its head but cynics will start wondering which club cap it will be wearing a year or two down the line. It’s time to break the cycle. No batsman has passed 1000 first-class runs in a season since 2009 but, if that statistic is erased, they have the bowling to prosper.Bet365 odds
LV= Championship Div 2 7-2, NatWest Blast 12-1, Royal London Cup 12-1

Thursday's draw has thrown together some blockbuster ties – which are you looking forward to the most?

Only a few weeks to go now until that famous music is back in our lives, and Champions League fever has hit new heights after Thursday's group stage draw.

Two of the best strikers on the planet will return to their former clubs after massive summer transfers, as Robert Lewandowski and Barcelona will face his former club, Bayern Munich.

Erling Haaland, meanwhile, will also return to his old stomping ground as a member of Manchester City, who were drawn with Borussia Dortmund.

Barca and Bayern find themselves in one of the tougher groups, with Italian giants Inter also drawn into Group C.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain also have a fascinating draw as they've been paired with Juventus, Benfica and minnows Maccabi Haifa.

Check out the full draw below…

Getty/GOALGROUP A

Team

Country

Ajax

Netherlands

Liverpool

England

Napoli

Italy

Rangers

Scotland

In a group that promises amazing atmospheres at all four grounds, Liverpool taking on Rangers in a 'Battle of Britain' catches the eye immediately.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGROUP B

Team

Country

Porto

Portugal

Atletico Madrid

Spain

Bayer Leverkusen

Germany

Club Brugge

Belgium

Diego Simeone and Atletico will be happy with their draw as the Spanish side should be favourites to win the group. The race for second, and third, will be interesting, though.

Getty/GOALGROUP C

Team

Country

Bayern Munich

Germany

Barcelona

Spain

Inter

Italy

Viktoria Plzen

Czech Republic

The 'Group of Death', Robert Lewandowski won't have to wait long to return to Bayern. But don't overlook Inter, who could certainly push for one of the top two spots in the group.

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Getty ImagesGROUP D

Team

Country

Eintracht Frankfurt

Germany

Tottenham

England

Sporting C.P.

Portugal

Marseille

France

Antonio Conte and Spurs will be thrilled, as they have been matched with the Europa League winners, Eintracht Frankfurt, rather than one of the giants in Pot One. All four teams will have realistic hope of advancing, though.

How to watch Dortmund against Eintracht Frankfurt in Bundesliga in the US, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Borussia Dortmund will be looking to keep breathing down the neck of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich when they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.

💻 Watch Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt live on ESPN+ today!

Trailing the Bavarians by just two points, Edin Terzic's men had to settle for a 3-3 draw at Stuttgart the last time out, as BVB were not able to take advantage of Bayern dropping points as well.

On the other hand, Frankfurt remained two points off sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen after the 1-1 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach that extended the Eagles' winless run to 11 games in all competitions.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

GOALKick-off timeGame:Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht FrankfurtDate:April 22, 2023Kick-off:12:30pm EDTVenue:Signal Iduna Park

The Bundesliga game between Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt is scheduled for April 22, 2023, at the Signal Iduna Park football stadium in Dortmund, Germany.

It will kick off at 12:30pm EDT in the US.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow to watch Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt online – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & streaming options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.N/AESPN+

In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on ESPN+.

(C)Getty ImagesTeam news & squadsDortmund team news

Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck are all doubtful, but Sule and Hummels may be passed fit enough to start at the heart of the defence.

However, Thomas Meunier, Mateu Morey and Julian Duranville remain unavailable, and Edin Terzic is likely to stick to his front line with Sebastien Haller at the forefront.

Dortmund possible XI: Kobel; Ryerson, Sule, Hummels, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Can, Brandt; Malen, Haller, Adeyemi

Position Players

GoalkeepersKobel, Lotka, Meyer, UnbehaunDefendersSchlotterbeck, Sule, Hummels, Coulibaly, Papadopoulos, Guerreiro, Rothe, Schulz, Ryerson, Wofl, PasslackMidfieldersOzcan, Can, Kamara, Bellingham, Dahoud, Brandt, Reyna, Reus, Gurpuz, Adeyemi, Malen, Bynoe-GittensForwardsHaller, Moukoko, ModesteEintracht Frankfurt team news

Kristijan Jakic, Philipp Max, Hrvoje Smolcic, Almamy Toure and Jesper Lindstrom have all missed the trip with injuries.

Meanwhile, Evan Ndicka is expected to return from a muscle strain.

Mario Gotze is back from a ban, and would replace Rafael Borre in the XI, to face his former club.

Eintracht Frankfurt possible XI: Trapp; Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka; Buta, Rode, Sow, Lenz; Kamada, Gotze; Kolo Muani

Position Players

GoalkeepersTrapp, Ramaj, Grahl, SimoniDefendersNdicka, Tuta, Hasebe, Lenz, Schroder, Buta, ChandlerMidfieldersSow, Rode, Wenig, Loune, Dina Ebimbe, Kamada, Gotze, Aaronson, Alidou, KnauffForwardsKolo Muani, Borre, Alario, FerriHead-to-head record

Date Result Competition

October 29, 2022Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 DortmundBundesligaJanuary 8, 2022Eintracht Frankfurt 2-3 DortmundBundesligaAugust 14, 2021Dortmund 5-2 Eintracht FrankfurtBundesligaApril 3, 2021Dortmund 1-2 Eintracht FrankfurtBundesligaDecember 5, 2020Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 DortmundBundesligaENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty ImagesUseful links

Borussia Dortmund team page

Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

The most expensive flops in football history 👎

The striker has been generating a huge amount of excitement in Italy for some time now and looks destined to achieve great things

There were still seven minutes remaining in AC Milan's Serie A clash with Fiorentina when Stefano Pioli decided to make a change up front. "Off goes Luka Jovic annnnnnnd…." the stadium announcer said, his voice rising along with the excitement inside the Giuseppe Meazza, "FOR THE FIRST TIME…. NUMBER 73… FRANCESCO CAMARDA!"

The crowd at San Siro erupted, the Curva Sud chanting his name while Camarda's mother burst into tears. As for her son, he simply puffed out his cheeks and smiled. It was, Camarda admitted afterwards, "something unique that I will never forget".

Nobody will, in fairness, because this was history in the making; Camarda made his first appearance for Milan at just 15 years and 260 days old – making him the youngest player Serie A has ever seen.

A combination of injury and suspension had forced Pioli's hand but nobody was in the least bit surprised that the Rossoneri coach had, in his desperation, turned to Camarda. He was being tipped for greatness even before he made his first appearance for the Primavera (Under-19s) earlier this season. Indeed, the feeling at San Siro has long been that Milan have already found their next great goalscorer…

Where it all began

Camarda was born in Milan and began playing organised football with Afforese, a small but famous club located in the north-west of the city.

Despite being just six when he joined, his incredible potential was immediately obvious to Piero Colangelo, who was responsible for the lowest age groups at the time.

"He was three years younger than some of the kids but he was doing the training exercises better than anyone," he told .

"Let me be clear: I don't want to take any credit. Everything Francesco has done is exclusively thanks to him. The first time I saw him, I was shocked: he already looked like a miniature footballer. So, his case is absolutely unique. I have never met boys with his qualities since.

"He scored loads of goals even with the older players; there was no way to stop him. He already had a powerful physique, he played forward or as a winger and was clearly superior to everyone: he was a hurricane, a pain for all his opponents."

Unsurprisingly, his exploits at Afforese attracted the attention of Milan, whom he joined in 2015.

AdvertisementThe big break

There was no containing Camarda at Milan either. The 'hurricane' laid waste to every defence that had the misfortune to be placed in his path, obliterating one record after another, reportedly averaging five goals a game as he progressed from one under-age team to another.

He struck 22 times in 25 appearances for Milan's Under-15 Italian champions, including the winner in the Scudetto final against Fiorentina.

By that stage, the hype surrounding Camarda was already building and he inevitably began to attract the attention of rival clubs, particularly as Milan were not in a position to tie him down to a long-term professional contract until he turned 16.

However, in one of his last moves before being ruthlessly sacked by Milan, Paolo Maldini went out of his way to assure Camarda and his family that his future would be best served by staying at San Siro, revealing that he would be added to the Primavera (Under-19s) squad for the 2023-24 season.

How it's going

On his UEFA Youth League debut, Camarda scored two goals and created another in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle. In his most recent outing, against Paris Saint-Germain on November 7, he helped Milan to a 3-2 win with a stunning scissors-kick.

So, when Pioli realised that he would be without both Rafael Leao and Noah Okafor for Saturday's game against Fiorentina due to injury, as well as the suspended Olivier Giroud, he decided to call up Camarda.

The youngster had already trained with the senior squad several times, even featuring in a pre-season friendly against Trento.

Consequently, Pioli had no doubts that Camarda was ready to make the step up.

"Talent has no age," the coach told reporters on the eve of the match at San Siro, "and Francesco undoubtedly has it."

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GettyBiggest strengths

Camarda is considered a complete No.9, an all-action, all-round attacker blessed with excellent technique who is strong in the air and boasts a fearsome strike. However, what really stands out is his character.

As Pioli has commented, Camarda is "very mature" for his age – which is why he had no qualms about throwing him at the deep end on Saturday.

He's also a fiercely competitive character. Famously, in a match against Bayern Munich in 2018, he was forced off with an ankle injury after 15 minutes only to ask his coach to be sent back on (which is allowed in the lower age groups) with 10 minutes remaining because Milan were trailing by two goals. Despite still being in serious pain, Camarada was directly involved in three goals, scoring two himself, as the Rossoneri came from behind to win.

It is that will to win, mixed with his obvious prodigious talent, that has got Camarda to this point in his professional career at such a ridiculously young age.