Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has been the subject of much debate within the club.
Bayern Munich's unbeaten streak came to a halt after a 0-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the 27th round of the 2023-2024 Bundesliga at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on March 31st.
Munich's chances of winning the league title are now slimmer as they sit on 60 points (19 W, 3 D, 5 L). Earlier in the day, first-place Bayer 04 Leverkusen defeated TSG Hoffenheim 2-1 at 11:00 p.m. to extend the gap between Leverkusen and second-place Munich to 13 points.
With seven games remaining, 13 points is virtually impossible to overcome. However, fans would rather see a will to catch up than throw in the towel.
Tuchel, however, was not to be outdone. After the Dortmund game, he said, "The title race is over. There is no hope for us anymore" and "I have nothing more to say after this game. A 13-point gap? Congratulations to Leverkusen."
A concession interview from a Munich coach is highly unusual. Considering that the Bavarians have won an unprecedented 11 league titles in a row (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23), it's a big deal.
In fact, in the 2022-2023 season, Munich came from behind to beat Dortmund in a dramatic final game to win the title. For a team like that, the announcement that the title is off the table is a blow.
And for good reason. Tuchel is leaving Munich at the end of this season. He had a contract with the club until June 2025, but the club's continued underperformance led both parties to agree that he would only stay until this season.
But he's not just leaving - he's leaving a year early and taking a hefty payday. "Tuchel will receive a severance package of around 10 million euros ($14.5 million), including bonuses," Germany's Bild reported.
And there was something even more devastating. "Parting ways with Munich was an important decision for Tuchel's future," Bild says. As the contract was terminated by mutual consent, Tuchel can sign for another club immediately," Bild says, emphasizing the huge advantage the coach had gained.
Tuchel, who is practically on the sidelines, has a lot to say about his starting lineup. Instead of Kim Min-Jae, who was one of the best defenders in Serie A last season, he has shown an almost obsessive preference for Dyer.
There is also a lot to be said for the use of attacking talents such as Jamal Musalla and Kingsley Coman. In addition, the fullbacks have also shocked many with their incomprehensible use.
However, the local media still supports Tuchel's system. In the case of the German 'kicker', which was also known for its malicious evaluation of Kim Min-jae, it used to claim in its own poll that Tuchel's retention was inevitable.
The kicker blames Munich's struggles on the players rather than Tuchel. "As Tuchel claims, the Munich management also thinks that the Munich squad is the problem," the outlet explains, "He claims that the Munich players are lazy and don't play well."
Kicker adds, "Many of the players appreciate Tuchel's approach and tactical abilities. In fact, they think they deserve to not win the title," Kicker says, emphasizing that "the structure of the team Tuchel inherited was extremely weak and could not be overcome in one year."
In fact, Kane, who was signed under Tuchel's leadership, was reportedly unhappy when it became known that he was leaving. Conversely, Joshua Kimmich, who was rumored to have a falling out with Tuchel, is stalled in contract talks.