It was a risky bet and it turned out (so far) to lose. When, to everyone’s surprise, Bayern sacked Julian Nagelsmann and appointed Thomas Tuchel on March 24, the Bavarian club was second in the Bundesliga, one point behind Dortmund, still in contention in the Pokal (German Cup) and in Champions League.
A month later, the Munich people are unrecognizable and have seriously compromised their end to the season. A status quo in the league (2nd) despite his victory against BVB (4-2), an inglorious exit from the road at home in the quarter-finals of the Cup against Freiburg (1-2) and a slap received by Manchester City at the same stage of the competition (4-1 in aggregate score), this is what the first weeks in Bavaria of the former PSG coach look like.
Its tricky beginnings are reflected in the numbers. In 7 games, his team presents a sad record for a formation accustomed to riding on competition: 3 defeats, 2 draws and 2 wins. A terribly edifying observation when you know that under the orders of Julian Nagelsmann, his predecessor, the club had only 3 defeats in… 37 games since the start of the season.
“The championship is a marathon in which consistency tips the balance” philosophized Tuchel before the defeat of his family against Mainz last weekend (3-1). In this hard-fought race, Borussia Dortmund have a two-point lead over their runner-up but have one game more.
Because Edin Terzic’s men gave up two crucial points against Bochum (1-1, this Friday) four days from the end. Until this hitch, the BVB did not really look like the mentally friable team that they have all too often been in recent seasons.
On his last outings, Bayern is unrecognizable. With only 5 goals scored in the last 6 games, how can we not rethink the departure of Robert Lewandowski, uncompensated, to FC Barcelona last summer… Thomas Tuchel recently felt that his players “lack a dose of determination and selfishness in the last gesture”. Quite the opposite of the Polish gunner.
The attacking sector is down and elements like Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané are going through a serious crisis of confidence. Sadio Mané, meanwhile, is not yet fully integrated into the Munich collective. French defender Benjamin Pavard has even been the club’s top scorer since March 11 (3 goals)…
Jammed, would the machine have gained too much? The technician categorically refutes the hypothesis: “The players are not satisfied. I rather feel a lack of confidence, a concern that paralyzes us a little. It prevents us from acting freely, creatively. The Bavarian game also suffers from the temporary poor form of young Jamal Musiala at the heart of the game (20 years old).
In a club where there are many controversies, without recalling the era of FC Hollywood at the end of the 90s, Thomas Tuchel tries to struggle and ensures that he maintains good relations with his leaders. “Whether you believe me or not, I read absolutely nothing. I arrive here (at the training center) in the morning, I feel a calm atmosphere, a focused and positive energy. I try to influence what I can influence. I don’t want to comment on rumours. My collaboration with the management of the association is focused on objectives and solutions, always in a positive state of mind”.
The leaders can legitimately get impatient and even regret their choice to dismiss Julian Nagelsmannn in favor of Thomas Tuchel. The poor performance in Mainz (3-1) left its mark. “It was bad, there was no fighting spirit, no will. Today, it is not a team ”allowed himself to comment on the former player of the club and Golden Ball 1990, Lothar Matthäus at the microphone of Sky Bundesliga.
To put an end to the downward spiral of poor results, Thomas Tuchel gave these players three days off at the start of the week. The objective, to refresh the heads. A necessary decision which was necessary according to the 49-year-old technician because since his signature, the meetings are linked every three days. “It is urgent for everyone because there is no more energy. We need to take a little distance,” he said at a press conference.
“We are behind on our objectives but we must not question everything” he declared curiously a few days after the elimination against Manchester City before acknowledging this Friday in a press conference “we must be honest: we lost five points in the last two games!”
To make matters worse, Dayot Upamecano, injured in a thigh, is on the sidelines for at least two weeks and Choupo-Moting will also miss the match against Hertha Berlin, dead last (this Sunday at 3:30 p.m.). Absences of executives detrimental to the German coach.
Borussia Dortmund, his former club which he had nevertheless mastered for his debut (4-2, April 1), therefore moved back ahead in the standings. A glimmer of hope all the same, the BVB dropped two crucial points in their derby against Bochum (1-1)… By winning against Hertha, Bayern would therefore return to the lead.
“I don’t know if I’m going to watch it. This match brings us nothing. Our situation is very clear. We have to take 15 points. It’s just about us,” said Tuchel at a press conference about the meeting. Whether he followed it or not, there is no doubt that the technician had to be satisfied with the result. The end of the Bundesliga is in a month and the technician knows it better than anyone: until then, a lot can happen.