Page 65 - Soccer360 Issue 104

NEW FACES (CONTINUED)
XAVI SIMONS - RB LEIPZIG
What impact will Xavi Simons have as die Roten Bullen aim to challenge for additional titles this season? The 20-year-old Dutch international has quite the footballing education - he spent much of his youth
career with Barcelona’s famed La Masia and impressed while playing for PSV Eindhoven last season, where he scored 22 goals in 48 appearances for the Eredivisie side. So far, he has made a solid start for Leipzig. Fans will hope he can replicate at least some of that same blistering form that made him a standout star in the Eredivisie last season as Leipzig hope to challenge for the league title.
MATHYS TEL - BAYERN MUNICH
Signed by Bayern Munich in 2022 from Rennes, Tel is not a regular face in the starting XI but nonetheless has managed to impress almost every time he does come on to the pitch. Some pundits have even gone as far as to compare him to Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe
due to his physicality, pace, and goalscoring abilities - but as to whether he reaches the same heights as the aforementioned duo remains to be seen. However, Tel has already popped up with some decisive goals this season, namely in the Champions League where his contributions helped to secure vital wins for Bayern versus Manchester United and FC Copenhagen.
“THE SKY IS THE ONLY LIMIT FOR WIRTZ AND LEVERKUSEN”
Xavi Simons
There are already high expectations of 18-year-old Mathys Tel
Marco Reus for Dortmund
Mainz’s goalkeeper Finn Dahmen in action
400 GAMES FOR REUS
Marco Reus made his 400th appearance for Borussia Dortmund in all competitions as BVB took on Bayern in the first Klassiker of the season; after Michael Zorc, Mats Hummels, Roman Weidenfeller, Stefan Reuter and Lars Ricken, he ISthe sixth player to reach this milestone for BVB.
SAVED THREE
As of November 27, Finn Dahmen has saved three penalties in the Bundesliga in 2023 (one for Augsburg, two for Mainz), more than any other goalkeeper this calendar year.
for Leverkusen against Hoffenheim on December 15, and despite suffering a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in March 2022, he still went on to score 10 goals in a total of 31 appearances. Wirtz’s injury came at a rather unfortunate time
for the player, who had been on national team
boss Hansi Flick’s radar as he sought to build his squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Germany ended up crashing out early after a poor showing in the group stage, leaving some to wonder if their fortunes may have improved a bit had Wirtz been fit to be included for what would have been his first ever major tournament at senior level. Certainly, with Germany hosting the upcoming Euro 2024
Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko
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