4 months ago
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Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel is on thin ice ahead of the Champions League clash with Lazio.
That's according to German football expert Raphael Honigstein, who joined talkSPORT to discuss the ex-Chelsea manager's future in Germany.
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Ex-Tottenham striker Harry Kane has enjoyed a record-breaking start to life in Bavaria, netting 28 goals in 28 games across all competitions, but his career-long trophy drought is at risk of continuing.
Bayern's 11-year reign as Bundesliga champions is under real threat after Tuchel's side were beaten 3-0 by high-flyers Bayer Leverkusen, who are now five points clear of the top of the league.
The Champions League could yet be the club's only hope of silverware this season and Honigstein believes elimination to Lazio could spell the end for Tuchel.
While Kane gets a lot of love from Tuchel in the media, some of Bayern's superstars have been left alienated by the German's ruthless approach - and he may have already lost the dressing room.
Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Hoginstein said: "To lose the league is already unforgivable, but to get knocked out of the Champions League, which has become a lot more important, given Bayern might not win the league, will probably make his position untenable.
"It is quite desperate times; there are people in the dressing room who are not happy with his leadership.
"He has been very aggressive; Harry Kane is one of very few players he has shown a lot of love for.
"Others he has been quite cold with; his attempt to kind of shake up the dressing room has gone the way of undermining some of the really important players rather than creating a well-functioning machine.
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"A lot of people are wondering: does this team need ripping up and reconstructing, or will we go down the more traditional route, which is to change the manager.
"That is why he needs to show that his [Tuchel's] ideas work, and the pressure is really on him ahead of this game."
According to Bild, defender Matthijs de Ligt was 'angry' by Tuchel's decision to not include him in the starting XI against Leverkusen.
The 24-year-old joined the German champions from Juventus for £68 million in 2022.
Harry Kane stands awkwardly as hundreds of Bayern Munich fans serenade him to the tune of Jingle Bells
He had started Bayern's last five matches before he was omitted, with new signing Eric Dier alongside Kim Min-Jae and Dayot Upamecano.
The latter two had only just returned to training after playing at the Asian Cup and recovering from injury, respectively.
Bayern are next in Bundesliga action when they take on Bochum on Sunday, seeking a return to winning ways domestically.
