German Clubs

Here it is: your complete guide to the 2017 summer soccer schedule. 

For most sports, the offseason is a time of respite. Once the Super Bowl ends in February, NFL teams don’t suit up for another game, scrimmage or otherwise, for six months. Soccer, fortunately, doesn’t abide by such silly rules.

The European soccer season technically ends after the Champions League final around late May or early June, but preseason exhibitions pick up in early July. Then there are also international matches (friendlies and cups) to also fill the void. 

Alexis Sanchez figures to be one of the world's most targeted players in this summer's transfer window. The 28-year-old forward scored 29 goals in 50 appearances with Arsenal this campaign, and it was often clear that he was shouldering the load when the Gunners were struggling.

Alexis Sanchez for Arsenal in the Premier League 2016/17:

Most take-ons (109)
Most goals (24)
Most assists (10)
Most through balls (9)

Having already clinched the league title, Bayern's 4-1 home victory on the final match day of this Bundesliga season was inspired by the retirements of Xabi Alonso and Philipp Lahm. 

SC Freiburg could have qualified for the Europa League with a win, so the stakes were certainly high for them. However, Bayern's quality was too much to overcome, and Alonso and Lahm went out with a win.

There it is!

The 14-point gap separating rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga was never going to be a factor here. Even the home advantage Bayern enjoyed at the Allianz Arena in this DFB-Pokal semifinal was no reason to believe that this latest version of Der Klassiker had a clear favorite.

In the words of Bayern Munich's Technical Director Michael Reschke, "You have to make him a monument!" — Reschke was referring to the person who originally signed Real Madrid sensation Marco Asensio. Jose Angel Sanchez, a Real Madrid board member, signed a 19-year-old Asensio back in July of 2015 for 3.5 million euros from Mallorca.