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Hoffenheim and Leverkusen draw 0-0 in Bundesliga
Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen played to a 0-0 draw in the last Monday Bundesliga fixture for the time being, a result that helped neither side. Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann saved from Charles Aranguiz, Nadiem Amiri and Leon Bailey while the hosts had no major scoring opportunity. Leverkusen are sixth in the last Europa League slot with a four-point cushion, having garnered four points in the two games under new coach Hannes Wolf. "A point is not enough. We want to get into the Champions League but we are now nine points off," Amiri told streaming portal DAZN, with veteran Sven Bender...
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Battle lines clear between blocs as German centre-right seeks leader
The post-Angela Merkel world remained hard to predict in Germany on Monday as the two groups that make up her centre-right coalition gave unanimous support to their own candidates, leaving the bloc no closer to picking a chancellor candidate for the autumn. Normally, the far likelier candidate would be Armin Laschet, since he leads the larger Christian Democrats (CDU). But Markus Soeder, the head of the Christian Social Union (CSU), enjoys far broader popularity in the polls. However, the CSU only has members in one state, Bavaria. Soeder announced on Sunday that he would consider a candidacy,...
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Coach Funkel comes out of retirement to help Cologne avoid relegation
Veteran coach Friedhelm Funkel came out of retirement on Monday until the end of the season with the task of saving Cologne from Bundesliga relegation. Funkel, 67, is to conduct his first training session at the second-last club on Tuesday in succession of Markus Gisdol for the final six games of the campaign. Gisdol had to go after 18 months late Sunday after a 3-2 home defeat against fellow strugglers Mainz. He kept them in the top flight last season but they are in trouble again and without victory in eight games. "I firmly believe that the goal of staying in the Bundesliga can be achieved,...
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Armin Laschet seeks rapid approval as candidate to succeed Merkel
One of the two men seeking to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel received a boost on Monday when leading members of his centre-right party, the Christian Democrats (CDU), gave him their strong support. Armin Laschet said he would aim to speak soon to his rival, Markus Soeder, as the country's governing conservative bloc tries to choose its candidate for chancellor in the September elections. Laschet is the leader of the CDU, while Soeder is head of its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Together, the CDU/CSU conservative bloc - which is in coalition government with t...
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Merkel's CDU gives early backing to Laschet for chancellor run
Leading members of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) are giving their support to party boss Armin Laschet to be the country's next chancellor after elections in September, a top state official said. The autumn polls will see Chancellor Angela Merkel leave the post she has occupied for over 15 years. The CDU traditionally chooses a single candidate for chancellor together with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). But this election year the head of the CSU, Markus Soeder, has also thrown his hat into the ring to be chancellor, leaving the conservative CDU/CSU bloc with ...
DPA
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Syrian suspect on trial for October stabbing in Dresden
A 21-year-old went on trial in the German city of Dresden on Monday, six months after a knife attack on two tourists that left one dead and the other seriously injured. According to prosecutors at the Dresden Higher Regional Court the Syrian suspect is a radical Islamist who had mistaken the men for a homosexual couple and wanted to punish them with death. He faces charges of murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm after the men were stabbed with kitchen knives on the evening of October 4. According to the indictment, the young man had been planning an attack in Germany for years. He...
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Laschet gets early party support to run for chancellor in elections
A majority of leading members of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) support Armin Laschet as the conservative bloc's candidate for chancellor, Hesse state premier Volker Bouffier said after a leadership meeting. No final decision will be taken today, he said. Laschet is up against Markus Soeder, from the CDU's sister party the CSU, for the right to be the single candidate that both parties support as the country's next chancellor. Incumbent Angela Merkel has said she will not seek re-election.
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Funkel confirms talks on Cologne coaching job
Friedhelm Funkel on Monday confirmed talks about succeeding Markus Gisdol as coach of ailing Bundesliga club Cologne. Funkel, 67, told the local Express paper he was contacted by managing director Horst Heldt late Sunday and that final talks were set for later Monday. "Things are looking good that we will get this done. I know it will be a demanding challenge," Funkel said. Gisdol was dismissed after Sunday's 3-2 home defeat against fellow strugglers Mainz. Cologne are second-last and without victory in eight games. Funkel coached Cologne before, between February 2002 and October 2003. He was ...
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Germany's governing parties grapple with leadership dilemma
The two men hoping to succeed longtime German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet their respective parties on Monday, in the hope of gathering vital support ahead of national elections in September. The two politicians, Armin Laschet and Markus Soeder, are both leaders of parties in Germany's governing conservative bloc, which traditionally chooses only one person to be its candidate for chancellor. Laschet, from Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), is meeting his party leaders this morning, apparently confident that a majority will back him against Soeder. "That is what I am assuming," he said in a ...
DPA
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Schalke celebrate first win since January; Mainz secure late triumph
An early goal by Suat Serdar on Sunday put an end to Schalke's 12-game run of winless Bundesliga matches and secured the team their first win since January. In the direct relegation clash, Mainz have secured a late 3-2 win at Cologne to move two points above the drop zone. Birthday boy Serdar's goal in the fourth minute, Schalke's first at home in six games, was enough to secure a 1-0 triumph over Augsburg. Schalke, however, remain bottom of the table and with a very complicated mission to avoid relegation, sitting 13 points away from safety. "We deserved the win, I deserved the goal. We all f...
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