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• Nagelsmann backs Kompany potential as Bayern prepare for shock appointment

  Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann backed Vincent Kompany to succeed at his former club Bayern Munich as expectations grow for the Belgian to take charge in Bavaria.

  The former Manchester City captain, who began his coaching career in Belgium with Anderlecht, oversaw Burnley's relegation from the Premier League in the 2023-24 season.

  Yet Kompany is expected to soon be announced as the new head coach of Bayern.

  The Bundesliga giants parted ways with Thomas Tuchel after a rare season without silverware but Nagelsmann, speaking on Sky Germany, expects Kompany to deliver for the Bavarian side if appointed.

  "I've heard that he's a very good coach with outstanding prospects, and he has had many good coaches who trained him, so he'll do well," said Nagelsmann, whose two-year spell with Bayern ended in 2023.

  "In the end, it's good for the club that they didn't win the championship this time. I don't think it's a bad situation for a young coach who can leave his mark.

  "Who, I think, can change more than if they had won the championship again or been extremely successful."

  Bayern lost their last game of the Bundesliga season to finish third, having failed to win any of the four trophies they were in for, as their German top-flight dominance ended to Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.

  Alonso, who oversaw Leverkusen's unbeaten league season, had been Bayern's primary target but their former midfielder has elected to stay at Leverkusen next season.

  Kompany would come as a surprise choice but Bayern will hope he can rediscover his magic touch from when guiding the Clarets to promotion, earning 101 points in the process in his first 2022-23 season.

  However, Burnley managed just five wins this term on their way to taking 24 points this season as they finished 19th, going back down alongside Luton Town and Sheffield United.

  The former Belgium international, if appointed, will leave Burnley having managed 96 games, winning 41 (42.7 per cent) of those matches.

• Messi absence forces Martino apology for disappointed Vancouver crowd

  Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez all did not travel for Inter Miami's 2-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps, leading head coach Gerardo Martino to apologise.

  The former Barcelona trio were expected to feature for the Eastern Conference leaders on Sunday, but were rested as Martino's side triumphed thanks to goals from Robert Taylor and Leonardo Campana.

  Vancouver's BC Place was expecting a larger than usual home crowd to greet the global superstars, though Whitecaps Axel Schuster apologised once the hosts got wind of Messi's absence.

  With Martino subsequently leaving Messi and his former Blaugrana stars at home, the Miami boss felt it necessary to offer his apologies to the expectant Vancouver crowd.

  "Obviously it is very important for us because of the absences we had," Martino said after the victory that made it 10 unbeaten games for Miami. 

  "The expectation that people have. I really don't think I have to apologise, but in some ways we are very sorry for not being able to travel with our stars.

  "There is a question, we have or have come without our great players. Leo, Luis, Busi, Diego Gomez and still we have competed very well."

  Schuster and the Whitecaps had previously echoed Martino's apologetic sentiment on Thursday when news emerged of their absence.

  "We know that there will also be a lot of disappointed fans," Schuster said in a statement released by Vancouver.

  Disappointment followed on the pitch as Vancouver slipped to six straight MLS matches without victory.

• Vancouver Whitecaps 1-2 Inter Miami: Taylor stars for Eastern Conference leaders

  Inter Miami extended their club-record unbeaten streak as Robert Taylor starred in Sunday's 2-1 triumph away to Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS.

  Taylor opened the scoring after 38 minutes before teeing up Leonardo Campana's second-half strike, rendering Ryan Gauld's late penalty as meaningless at BC Place.

  Jordi Alba teed up Taylor's third MLS goal this season, playing down the left before the Miami man cut inside and rifled into the top-right corner.

  Taylor continued to dominate in the second half, driving down the left-hand side before cutting back for Campana to slot a routine, first-time finish into the bottom-right corner after 54 minutes.

  Gauld sliced the deficit with 18 minutes remaining, caressing a cool penalty past Drake Callender, but that mattered for little as Miami continue to lead the Eastern Conference standings.

  Data Debrief: Unbeaten Miami on fire

  Gerardo Martino's side are now unbeaten in their last 10 MLS games, a club-record run, as well as moving to five games undefeated on the road – another first for Miami.

  In stark contrast, Vanni Sartini's Whitecaps are without victory in their last six MLS matches, last suffering as long as a winless streak between October 2022 and March 2023.