Bayern also loses to Bochum. And Tuchel takes a risk

A real hell. For Bayern Munich, but also for Thomas Tuchel who now risks a huge risk. After the defeats against Leverkusen and Lazio the Bavarians also suffered the defeat against Bochum (3-2). And there is no longer even a shadow of the team that dominated the German championship. In September, Bayern got rid of Bochum with a sensational 7-0. Five months later everything changed. And now it can also be the technician’s turn. In the 22nd round of the championship, goals from Asano, Schlotterbeck and Stöger decide. Musiala’s initial one was as useless as Kane’s final one. And top Leverkusen now has an 8-point lead.

the race

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Tuchel changes two elevenths compared to the match in Rome: out Upamecano (De Ligt for him) and Sané (Choupo-Moting in his place), the other nine confirmed. If he was expecting a reaction, however, the coach was soon disappointed: from the first minutes Bochum defended in an orderly manner, trying to take away space from the Bavarians, but also trying to show themselves in attack. And Bayern, at the moment, is suffering a lot from opponents with personality. It is no coincidence that Bayern’s opening goal (in the 14th minute) came more from an individual play and not a team one: Musiala, on his second attempt in a few seconds, beat Riemann with a powerful shot. The German born in 2003 is by far the most active player on the pitch, paradoxically the one who takes on the most responsibility despite being the youngest. It was he who, in the 19th minute, invented a pass for Kane who, however, shot out alone against the opposing goalkeeper. The match was then interrupted due to tennis balls being thrown onto the pitch (a protest due to the green light for the entry of foreign investors and private funds into the Bundesliga, and then repeated in the second half), and Bayern disappeared from the pitch.

Bavarian disaster

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Musiala, forced to play alone, loses the ball in the opposing midfield, no one covers him, and Bochum starts on the counterattack: Losilla dominates Kimmich in midfield and launches Asano who beats Neuer with a shot to cross to the far post. Bayern doesn’t react, Bochum takes courage: from Stöger’s corner, Schlotterbeck anticipates everyone at the near post and makes it 2-1. The stadium becomes very hot, Bayern struggles to find space. The only one to focus on the man is the usual Musiala (and the 2005-born Tel, who entered in the second half), with Müller, Kimmich and Kane who instead fail to emerge. Tuchel tries to give a shock by introducing Sanè, but he too adapts to the general dullness (he wastes a good opportunity in the 70th minute, not controlling the ball one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper). In the 77th minute, Upamecano, just like against Lazio, commits the omelette: on a corner the Frenchman jumps with his arm wide, hits Schlotterbeck in the face and causes a penalty, being sent off (double yellow). From eleven meters it is Stöger who beats Neuer. Bayern responds with a goal from Kane who takes advantage of Tel’s personal action to close the gap, but it is a goal that only shows that it is the younger ones who take the initiative, with the veterans who are instead passive. It ends like this, in a stadium that became incandescent when the public realized Bayern’s inadequacy. And so the match turned into hell. For the team, but also for Tuchel. Which now seems doomed.