It’s crunching at every turn for the record champions. There could even be a crisis in the coaching position soon. In any case, the candidate carousel is filled with high-ranking candidates.
When asked after the Champions League defeat at Lazio Rome (0-1) whether he was worried about his job, Thomas Tuchel gave a tight-lipped answer. With a short and decisive “No”.
It was clear from the Bayern coach that he really didn’t want to have this discussion. Understandable. But after the second defeat in a top game within four days, he, who has been in office for less than a year, has to put up with these questions.
And they could become even more frequent and more insistent. On Sunday, for example, FC Bayern should not bring home three points from their away game at VfL Bochum (5.30 p.m. in the t-online live ticker). Under normal circumstances it’s a no-brainer. But given the impression of the last performances, there is a lot of “pressure on the kettle” in Munich, as it is often said in football jargon.
First titleless season in twelve years is looming
Bayern were always best under pressure. Not so these days, when a lot of things seem to be turning against Tuchel and his team. Misery of injuries or unfortunate sending offs. The performances in Leverkusen (0:3) and Rome were anything but Bayern-like.
As a result, Tuchel can no longer be sure of his future with the record champions. Finally, Bayern’s sporting horror scenario of a titleless season, the first in twelve years, is taking frighteningly concrete shape.
As a consequence, the trainer’s chair begins to shake more and more intensely. In fact, he already has. And with any other result other than a win in Bochum, he threatens to collapse quickly.
Flick speaks out with Hoeneß
There is currently no shortage of big – and available – coaching names. There would be something like this Hansi Flick, Tuchel’s predecessor in Munich. According to a report by “Sport Bild”, Bayern officials who have not been named can imagine bringing back the triple coach from 2020. There had previously been a clarifying conversation with club patriarch Uli Hoeneß, with whom Flick had been at odds since his end on the Isar. So the way would be paved. Flick has been without a job since he left his position as national coach in September 2023.
Due to his extremely successful Bayern past, he appears to be the most obvious option should there be an early separation from Tuchel. But he is not the only option.
From Jose Mourinho You could read in the tabloids that he was learning German diligently. Because he wants to coach Bayern and has been interested in doing so for a long time. The charismatic Portuguese, who was recently fired from AS Roma, undoubtedly has experience of working at top clubs like no other. The only question is whether the club bosses would get involved with such a special character like him.
An alternative to the moody Mourinho would be Jogi Löw. Germany’s world champion coach has been without a job since leaving the DFB in the summer of 2021 and is therefore immediately available. He had emphasized in the past that he could well imagine coaching a club team again.
Zinedine Zidane could bring international reputation to Munich. The highly decorated Frenchman was already considered a candidate after Nagelsmann was expelled. However, the world and European champion, who led Real Madrid to Champions League victory three times as coach, has turned down every coaching offer since he left Los Blancos two and a half years ago.