Animals

FC Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart is one of the more demonstrative managers in the Bundesliga. Forced to watch Cologne’s big game against Freiburg from home while self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19, Baumgart brought his antics from the sidelines to his own living room on Saturday. Fortunately, he had a very good doggo to keep him calm.

Cologne beat Freiburg 1-0 on Saturday to move up to sixth place, within one point of Freiburg for Europa League contention and two points back of fourth-place Union Berlin, currently clutching to the final Champions League berth.

Inter Miami began preseason training for the 2022 campaign this week, and Brek Shea was back with the club after signing a new deal on Wednesday. At 31, Shea is a versatile winger/wingback/left back with international experience and a couple of trophies on his shelf. He’s an artist on and off the pitch. He’s also a Texan who isn’t afraid of snakes. 

There are, I presume, people who are really excited about the Europa Conference League. For fans of teams from nations that don’t regularly send teams to the Champions League or even Europa League, the wordy Europa Conference League presents an opportunity to do something grand on a continental stage. But if we’re being honest, I imagine most fans — especially Tottenham supporters — feel the same way about the competition as this dog.

Brazilian winger Malcom hasn’t quite hit the heights expected of him after a $46 million transfer to Barcelona in the summer of 2018. He lasted just one season in Spain before he was shipped off to Russia. But just look at the man now; I don’t think he could be any happier.

Malcom and Zenit St. Petersburg players walked onto the pitch for a Russian Premier League match against FC Rostov on Friday carrying puppies in their arms. It was all part of an attempt to get these good boys and girls adopted from local shelters. 

The USWNT is in Australia for a pair of friendlies against the Matildas on Friday and Tuesday. Away from their families for Thanksgiving, the U.S. squad and staff found comfort in meeting some adorable Aussie animals on Wednesday. 

Before the first match on Friday, the Americans hung out with kangaroos and koalas, getting up close and personal with two of Australia’s most prominent creatures. 

A player in Bosnia and Herzegovina probably went to sleep contemplating life on Tuesday after he was nutmegged twice by a dog during a Bosnian Premier League game. Watch as the dog nutmegs soccer player, does some extra gnawing and then goes back for seconds on the poor guy.