Bayern Munich have defended head coach Thomas Tuchel (Richard Sellers/PA) (PA Wire)
Thomas Tuchel is to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
After losing to Bochum last weekend, a third successive defeat in all competitions, the German giants have confirmed a parting of ways with the former Chelsea boss in order to conduct “a sporting realignment”.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen confirmed both parties agreed to “mutually end our collaboration” after “an open, good conversation”.
A statement added: “Our goal is to carry out a sporting realignment with a new coach for the 2024-25 season.
“Until then, every individual in the club is expressly challenged to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and the Bundesliga.
“I also explicitly hold the team responsible. Especially in the Champions League, we are convinced after the defeat at Lazio, we will advance to the quarter-finals with our fans behind us.”
While Tuchel, who previously coached Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, said: “We will leave after this season. Until then, my coaching team and I will continue to do everything we can to ensure maximum success.”
Last season’s Bundesliga champions slumped to a 3-2 loss at Bochum on Sunday, leaving them eight points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Thomas Tuchel, Manager of Bayern Munich, and Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Bayer Leverkusen (Getty Images)
Tuchel was forced to admit after the match that the title “does not look very realistic”, something that would have been inconceivable at the start of the season.
Bayern might have lost games to Leverkusen, Lazio and Bochum, but it is the nature of the results that raised alarm bells.
Dayot Upamecano was sent off for the second successive match, on the most recent occasion for two yellow-card offences, but in both matches his errors led to penalties – and goals – for Lazio and Bochum.
Bochum’s stadium has a capacity of under 28,000 and the club is of a stature far below that of the six-time European champions, but on Sunday 18 February the mid-table side came from behind to stun their opponents.
Tuchel will depart this summer (AP)
Bayern might have had 70 per cent of the possession, but they were unable to carve out chances and goals, despite taking a 14th-minute lead through Jamal Musiala.
Harry Kane found the net for his 25th of the season, but he has been a lone bright spark, and could have more to his name has it not been for his mixed service.
He did however set a record, becoming the quickest to reach 25 Bundesliga goals in one season, beating a record set by Erling Haaland during his time at Borussia Dortmund, managing the feat in 22 games whereas the Norwegian’s best was 25.
Bayern had not lost three straight matches for nine years, and on that occasion, back in May 2015, the title was already wrapped up and they were undone by Lionel Messi in the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou, not by a side from the sixth largest city in Germany.
After the defeat at Bochum, midfielder Leon Goretzka summed up the state of affairs at the club, saying: “It feels like a horror movie that is not ending.
“Everything is going against us at the moment.”
