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7 months ago
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Are we going to witness the end of an era in Germany? At the dawn of the 21st day of the Bundesliga, the title race could be summed up in a single duel between two teams: Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. At the end of a last unbreathable exercise where everything was decided on the last day, the reigning German champion planned to add a 12th consecutive coronation to his record and further establish his supremacy on a national scale. Opposite, Bayer Leverkusen intended to put an end to Bavarian hegemony across the Rhine. Solid leader, undefeated in the league as well as in the German Cup and the Europa League, the team led by the beginning of the 21st century.
Aware of the importance of the event, the Munich coach announced the color on the sidelines of the kick-off. “Thirty teams tried to beat them, but none managed to do it. We will see tomorrow. Of course, this series is extraordinary, but we only have two points less. So we don’t have to hide. It’s still early in the season but we feel that it’s a special match where we have to put our cards on the table. This is a great opportunity for us. We are going to Leverkusen to win. We play against a lot of neutral supporters who want Leverkusen to win the title. But we play for ourselves and for the title”, declared the Bavarian technician. Unfortunately for him, his ambitions clashed with the reality on the ground.
Thomas Tuchel was completely wrong against Bayer!
Pushed by the BayArena and despite a first quarter of an hour to the advantage of the Bavarians, at least in possession of the ball, Leverkusen confirmed their status as favorite for the final victory. Xabi Alonso and his protégés largely dominated this clash at the top by perfectly exploiting the flaws of Bayern Munich, weighed down by repeated defensive errors and unable to find solutions to turn the tide. Worse still, the Bavarian offensives experienced all the difficulty in the world to exist, muzzled by a defensive block of the compact and united B04. And it was ultimately thanks to the achievements of Josip Stanisic (18th), Alejandro Grimaldo (50th) and Jérémy Frimpong (90th+5) that Leverkusen outclassed the reigning German champion by inflicting one of their biggest setback of the season (3-0), two months after the debacle in Frankfurt where the Munich team and Thomas Tuchel were singled out for having conceded 5 goals.
If in the rankings, this defeat results in a gap of five units between the leader and his runner-up, a question remains unanswered across the Rhine: should we consider this large setback as a simple error of course or should Thomas Tuchel worry about your future in Bavaria? When analyzing the chaotic performance of Harry Kane’s partners on the air of Sky SportsLothar Matthäus already saw the storm looming on the horizon: “Of course it will not only be in the media, but also internally at Bayern. Thomas Tuchel will rightly regulate the team and of course the management will think about how things will continue, how cohesion at Bayern is still possible. I would say: danger of thunderstorm at Säbener Straße.”
A coach under pressure before the trip to Italy!
And it is clear that the Mannschaft legend was right. From then on, the German press was not kind to Thomas Tuchel, designated as the main person responsible for the fiasco at the BayArena due to his tactical choices (the 3-4-2-1, the sidelining of Matthijs De Ligt, Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller left on the bench, editor’s note) which caused a lot of ink to flow. “What should give Bayern bosses pause, apart from a five-point Bundesliga deficit: Tuchel’s team radiates no joy, no enthusiasm, no desire for football in many matches… Tuchel must be careful. He needs convincing and glamorous victories very quickly. Because one thing is certain: from now on, the coach will falter”could we read in the columns of BILD, Sunday morning. Same story from the fans where frustration with the ex-manager of the Blues is increasingly felt.
Shortly after the debacle on the Leverkusen pitch, a Munich fan came in person to Säbener Straße to convey a message to the German. “Tuchel out,” could be read on a sheet hung next to the underground car park where players usually park their vehicles at the Bavarian training center. If Thomas Tuchel no longer seems to be unanimous among fans and the press, he nevertheless retains the confidence of his management, like the comments made by the general director of Record masterJan Dreessen. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. But we must now look forward. Defeat is deserved, but we will not give up. There are still 13 days left. We will have to be there if Leverkusen makes a mistake.”
The TT clan already has a club in mind
Statements which are in line with those expressed by Thomas Müller, who did not wish to blame his coach, despite his current status in the squad. “You don’t need to shoot now. We lost 3-0. There were enough international caliber players. That’s why you don’t need to go to the coach.”, chanted the Bavarian star. But behind the scenes, things seem to be different. Little appreciated by certain players in his group, TT also feels the threat of Hans-Dieter Flick on his back. Yesterday, SportBild explained that the German club is thinking about the return of its former coach, free since the end of his adventure with the German selection. Feeling the wind turning, the Tuchel clan decided to take the lead.
This Wednesday, Mundi Deportivo announces that the technician’s entourage has offered its services to FC Barcelona, which is looking for Xavi’s successor. After leaving Chelsea, TT, who took lessons to learn Spanish, had ambitions of joining a La Liga giant. But he then signed for Bayern Munich, where he is increasingly discussed. To anticipate a potential departure, his clan therefore slipped his name to the Blaugrana leaders, including Joan Laporta who really likes German coaches. Tuchel believes that he could have his chances, he who has a good CV and solid experience. In the meantime, he is still on the Bayern bench, where he will not be allowed to make any mistakes on the Lazio pitch in the 1/8 finals of the Champions League. A defeat risks seriously compromising his chances of finishing the season in Munich…
