For coach Thomas Tuchel, the lack of a top nine at FC Bayern Munich is also reflected in the shooting rankings of the Bundesliga this season.
“We are used to a Bayern player leading the scorer list,” said Tuchel before the record champions’ home game against FC Schalke 04 on Saturday. Munich’s Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala are only together with eleven goals this season before the last three games in seventh place.
After the top scorers Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern) and Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) switched to FC Barcelona and Manchester City last summer, there are no longer any series goalscorers in the Bundesliga. National player Niclas Füllkrug from SV Werder Bremen leads the ranking with 16 goals ahead of four players with 13 goals each.
Tuchel: “Everyone is looking for these nine”
For the first time since Alexander Meier in the 2014/15 season, a professional with fewer than 20 goals could become Bundesliga top scorer. Eight years ago, 18 goals were enough for Meier from Frankfurt. In the following years, Lewandowski got the top scorer six times and once Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund). The lowest winner value was 22 goals, otherwise the top scorer came up with at least 29 goals this season. Two years ago, Lewandowski even improved on Gerd Müller’s long-term record (40) with 41 goals.
For Tuchel, the importance of a center forward with a goal guarantee for great success can also be seen in the final phase of the Champions League. “Of course, the big teams that are dominant right now have this reliable number nine, which Bayern also had with a Robert Lewandowski at an absolutely world-class level,” said Tuchel, referring to the premier class semi-final between Real Madrid with top striker Karim Benzema and Manchester City with Haaland. “Everyone is looking for these nine, everyone wants them,” said Tuchel.
A center forward with world-class potential is therefore high on the wish list in Munich. The aim is, of course, “to find and get one that guarantees 25 goals plus,” noted Tuchel. But: “There aren’t that many of them.” An outstanding nine must also be affordable. “At the moment Robert Lewandowski alone is missing 40 goals in all competitions,” said Tuchel.