MUNICH: New Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Saturday he faces a challenging start to his new job after his surprise hiring Friday to replace Julian Nagelsmann.
Tuchel goes straight into crucial games, starting with German title rival — and Tuchel’s former club — Borussia Dortmund on April 1.
“The challenge can’t be any greater,” Tuchel said.
Ten days later, Bayern play Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
There will be little time to rest or practice new tactics, with many Bayern players currently away with their national teams and then seven games in the first 22 days of April.
“I was relatively naive in the first conversation (with Bayern). In the first 30 seconds I didn’t know what we were discussing or what it was about,” Tuchel said.
Once it became clear Bayern wanted him to take charge immediately, “it occurred to me that it actually begins right away with Dortmund with an international break beforehand.”
Bayern against Dortmund is “the” game in German soccer, he added.
Tuchel said the move came as a surprise and that as recently as Tuesday he had no contact with Bayern. He imagined his next job would be outside of Germany, he added, but that he had been following Bayern’s season with interest.
Tuchel hasn’t worked in Germany since 2017. When he left, the only major trophy he’d won was the German Cup with Dortmund. He returns having won two French titles at Paris Saint-Germain and the Champions League and Club World Cup with Chelsea.
Bayern can still win three titles this season — the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League.
Consistency is a concern after Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn highlighted that as a reason for getting rid of Nagelsmann.
Bayern are likely to be looking for Tuchel to get the best out of players like Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry, whose form has dropped off this season, and Sadio Mané, who has rarely been at his best in an injury-disrupted season since joining from Liverpool.
Sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić said the club backed Nagelsmann as concerns grew over the team’s performance but decided on a change at a meeting Monday, a day after a loss to Bayer Leverkusen cost Bayern the Bundesliga lead.
“When you see that this curve of performance is going down, you’re forced to react,” he said, asked if Bayern had reacted to the possibility Tuchel might take a job elsewhere. “Fortunately, there was a top option on the market and it happened quickly.”
Tuchel ready for tough start at Bayern after surprise move
https://arab.news/96cfp
Tuchel ready for tough start at Bayern after surprise move
- Tuchel goes straight into crucial games, starting with German title rival — and Tuchel’s former club — Borussia Dortmund on April 1
- Ten days later, Bayern play Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League
PSG, Marseille looking to bounce back after Champions League losses
- PSG are going through a mediocre patch, having lost two of their last three matches
- On paper, the task faced by Marseille are more difficult, hosting leader Lens
PARIS: After they were beaten midweek in the Champions League, Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille need to be more convincing back on the domestic stage.
PSG, which became European champion for the first time last season, lost at Sporting 2-1 and Marseille were overwhelmed by Liverpool 3-0 at home.
PSG are going through a mediocre patch, having lost two of their last three matches across competitions. Friday’s game at second-to-last Auxerre should help Luis Enrique’s team rebuild some confidence.
On paper, the task faced by Marseille are more difficult, hosting leader Lens at Stade Velodrome.
Key matchups
Lens travel south in full confidence after recording a 10th consecutive win across all competitions last weekend. Lens claimed their only French title in 1998 and have a one-point lead over defending champion PSG.
Third-placed Marseille, meanwhile, have been putting on brilliant displays and boast the league’s best attacking record, with 41 goals after 18 rounds. But the nine-time champion have also been inconsistent at the back. The setback to Liverpool marked the first time since March 2022 that Marseille lost back-to-back home games without scoring.
Before the trip to Auxerre, PSG boss Luis Enrique said it’s time for his team to take control of Ligue 1.
“We’re not yet where we want to be in the league,” he said. “We need to keep working hard and trying to win. We’re used to deep defensive blocks. That’s often how our opponents play against us. We want to become leaders but Lens are in great form with 10 consecutive wins. It’s exciting.”
Players to watch
Adrien Thomasson has played a crucial role in Lens’ rise to the top. Thomasson has been thriving since he was repositioned in a deeper role. Alongside PSG’s Vitinha, he is the joint top assist provider with six, and has two goals.
PSG defender Achraf Hakimi, back from the Africa Cup of Nations after losing with Morocco to Senegal in a chaotic final, won’t play against Auxerre. The club said he will train indoors this weekend.
Off the field
French magazine Paris Match reported this week that PSG and France defender Lucas Hernandez has been accused of human trafficking and undeclared work.
The magazine said a Colombian family accused the player and his wife of having employed them without a legal framework and with excessively long working hours. The Versailles public prosecutor’s office told French media that an investigation was underway.
