FC Bayern Munich tackles the Champions League challenge against Manchester City without Thomas Müller in the starting XI. The captain initially sits on the substitutes’ bench in the first leg of the quarter-finals in Manchester.
“I love Thomas, but we don’t expect a typical Thomas Müller game,” explained coach Thomas Tuchel before kick-off on the streaming service Amazon Prime Video. It was a tough decision, Tuchel admitted and reported on a brief conversation with Müller. “Thomas is smart, he knows exactly what to expect. It’s no problem.”
The characteristics of Manchester and the game don’t really match Müller’s. “In other words, the last 30 meters, where he’s absolutely world class – that’s the zone that we think we can only get in at speed for a short time,” said Tuchel.
Also Mané and Cancelo outside
In his fourth game as Bayern coach, Tuchel made three changes to the starting line-up compared to the 1-0 win in the Bundesliga against SC Freiburg before the duel with Pep Guardiola.
Dayot Upamecano, who was last suspended in the league, can play from the start, as can Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman, who was recently slightly injured. Like Müller, Sadio Mané, who is experienced in England, and João Cancelo, who is on loan from the city, are also left out.
In contrast to the Portuguese Cancelo, the former Man City professional Leroy Sané runs against the ex-club. Munich have to do without attacker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting because of knee problems. “We wanted runners and fast dribblers, agile players who are also fast over distance,” explained Tuchel.
As usual, hosts Manchester are relying on former BVB star Erling Haaland in the center of the attack. The German national player Ilkay Gündogan runs in midfield. The second leg will take place in Munich next week on Wednesday.