From the former defense chief to the sidelines: Matthijs de Ligt experienced this development at FC Bayern. His coach disagrees and still doesn’t rely on him.
Julian Buhl reports from Rome
Vitinha shot and the ball rolled straight towards FC Bayern’s empty goal. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who had hesitated too long and lost it at the penalty spot, was already beaten and could only watch. Everyone was just waiting for the ball to hit the net and Paris Saint-Germain to take a 1-0 lead. Just not one.
While his teammates had already given up and just watched the impending disaster coming, Matthijs de Ligt sprinted off. And just before the goal line he was actually able to slide the ball away. De Ligt clenched both fists and was rightly celebrated in the same exuberant way that a goalscorer would normally be.
Sommer even wanted to “leave a truck of Swiss chocolate on his doorstep” as a thank you for making up for his mistake. Who knows how the second leg of the round of 16 against PSG, which Bayern ultimately won 2-0 after a 1-0 win in the first leg, would have gone without de Ligt’s spectacular rescue act.
The scene was only about a year ago and yet it now seems like it is from another time. At that time, de Ligt was still an undisputed regular player under head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who had brought him from Juventus Turin for 67 million euros as a potential defensive boss.
De Ligt only number 4? Tuchel disagrees
The signs for de Ligt have now completely changed. His development took him from the former defense chief to the sidelines. In any case, the Dutchman only experienced the top game on Saturday in Leverkusen, which the Munich team lost 3-0, as a spectator from the substitutes’ bench. And that despite the fact that his coach Thomas Tuchel relied on a three-man chain and therefore three central defenders.
Dayot Upamecano had only returned to team training three days earlier after tearing his muscle fiber, and Min-jae Kim had only returned from the Asian Cup on Wednesday. Nevertheless, both were right in the starting line-up. In the center of defense, Tuchel preferred winter newcomer Eric Dier and his playmaking qualities. He even demoted De Ligt to number four in Bayern’s defensive hierarchy.
However, Tuchel contradicted this logical conclusion of his line-up on Tuesday evening before the duel with Lazio (9 p.m.) at his press conference in the luxurious Waldorf Astoria team hotel on the highest of Rome’s seven hills. “These are categories that I can’t share. Personally, I don’t have any numbers or rankings in my office,” said Tuchel.
“Matthijs is one of four central defenders. But there is currently no number one and no number four. Everyone is fighting for the places. There is a very intense competition in this position now with Eric Dier. Everyone has the chance to play every week. “
“Top fit”: Tuchel de Ligt contradicts this too
After the game, however, de Ligt couldn’t hide his disappointment that he didn’t get it in the important game in Leverkusen. “I didn’t play,” said the 24-year-old, whose own claim is actually that of a leader and spokesman, when he was asked for an interview in the mixed zone. As he passed by, he at least answered the question of whether he was fit for the big game with one word: “Top fit.”
Tuchel apparently saw things differently too. “I didn’t want to take any risks. Matthijs had a little back problems. He was treated before the game,” said the head coach in Rome. “Then I decided not to let it start.” He didn’t want to risk being substituted, especially since he knew that Upamecano wouldn’t last 90 minutes after recovering from injury.