Thomas Tuchel is back in the football spotlight. Six months after being kicked out in London at Premier League club FC Chelsea, the 49-year-old took on a delicate mission at FC Bayern as the successor to Julian Nagelsmann in his home town of Munich.
After his big presentation (12.00 p.m.) in Munich’s Allianz Arena, the world-class coach can look forward to a starter program that has it all. In the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League, he can take the first triple steps with Bayern in crucial games – or possibly lose his first title.
It is clear what the Bayern bosses want Tuchel to do in the agreed contract period until June 30, 2025. This can be read from the words that CEO Oliver Kahn chose as the reason for the surprising separation of the German record champions from Nagelsmann (35), who had been highly praised before.
“Regret breaking up with Julian”
The decision-makers in Munich had become nervous at the latest after the recent 2-1 draw in Leverkusen and the loss of the lead in the Bundesliga and came to the conclusion “that the quality of our squad has shown itself less and less often”. Tuchel should ensure long-term success and attractive football with the best and also by far the most expensive staff in this country. He has to stop “the strong fluctuations in performance”, which Kahn mainly blamed on Nagelsmann, who was released on Friday.
The bosses no longer trusted the young champion coach of 2022 to shape the hoped-for era. Kahn saw “our goals in question this season, but also beyond this season”. Salihamidzic also hit human tones in the FC Bayern message. He “regrets the separation from Julian”. He even called it “the most difficult decision” in his time as the responsible sports director and sports director at the record champions.
Kahn and Salihamidzic will only comment on Tuchel when he is presented. Tuchel’s cold start in Munich will not be easy. He is scheduled to lead the first training session on Monday. But with whom? Only a small group around veteran Thomas Müller and offensive artist Leroy Sané will then be present on the club premises. Most Bayern professionals are currently on the road with their national teams – and will follow Tuchel’s first days of work from afar.
Title duel in the Allianz Arena
The squad only fills up again from the middle of the week. Targeted preparation for his delicate debut game is not possible for the perfectionist Tuchel. After the international break, there will be a duel for the title in the Allianz Arena with Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund; Tuchel’s previous last employer in the Bundesliga, with whom he won the DFB Cup in 2017, but from which he did not part on good terms after this final success. The German Clásico on April 1 is now emotionally charged by the change of coach in Munich and the person of Tuchel.
The DFB Cup quarter-finals against SC Freiburg follow just three days later. And after the direct reunion with the sports club for Bundesliga points in Freiburg, Tuchel is going back to England for the big Champions League duel with Manchester City and Pep Guardiola. A quarter-final reunion with history: As London coach, Tuchel defeated Man City and ex-Bayern coach Guardola 1-0 in the premier class final in 2021 – with a goal by national player Kai Havertz.
At that time, Tuchel proved that he can successfully take over a team in the middle of a season. He joined Chelsea two years ago at the end of January – now in Munich he starts two months later – with the option of three title trophies in a very short time.
