The title fight between Bayern and Dortmund is in the third to last round. Will Schalke of all people become the master helper of the district rival? Thomas Tuchel makes a clear request to the Munich stars.
The best news of the week will not help Thomas Tuchel in the championship fight with Borussia Dortmund, which is becoming more and more acute.
Manuel Neuer is training again on the soccer field, which the Bayern coach almost euphorically described as “sensational news”. Tuchel’s eyes shone. Almost five months after breaking his leg, the 37-year-old Neuer dives again after the first light shots.
On Saturday, however, the Bayern captain will again only be able to sit in the stands of the Allianz Arena and cheer for his teammates a few hours before BVB’s evening game against Borussia Mönchengladbach against Neuer’s former club FC Schalke 04, as they did last weekend in the title duel want to submit successfully again. If both top teams successfully complete their tasks again, Bayern will then go into the last two title rounds with a minimal one-point lead.
“Everyone has to put their wishes on hold”
Staying first is the only thing that interests Tuchel at the end of the season. “We have to win the German championship. We have nothing to lose. We are chasing the title,” said the 49-year-old. The title competitor interests him zero point zero, said the ex-BVB coach: “With all due respect, I don’t see Dortmund at all, not at all. Because I don’t care! We are one point ahead. We have it in the own hand. I’m looking at the finish line. I’m looking at our team. That’s the crucial approach and an advantage.”
Schalke, Leipzig, Cologne, three wins and the eleventh championship title in a row would be perfect. No matter what Dortmund does. For the last remaining title option, Tuchel demands that his players put all egoism on hold. “Everyone has to put their personal situation, their wishes aside. It’s now just a matter of finding the team that harmonises, that suits the opponent. It’s no longer about allocating minutes, making someone happy or calming them down. It’s over now of the season, now every player has to take what he gets. The focus is totally tightened on the last three games,” announced Tuchel.
Müller could start against Schalke
The prime example that it is no longer about individuals is Thomas Müller. The captain was on the bench against Hertha (2-0) and Bremen (2-1). “Deriving a career end from this is completely exaggerated and misses the point by a long way,” remarked Tuchel: “Thomas is Bayern Munich! Thomas wants nothing else at the moment than to win the championship with us. That’s what it’s about.” Müller could start again after intensive training against Schalke, as could Leroy Sané. Center forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, on the other hand, has not returned to the Munich squad after his knee problems.
Before fans and players in Dortmund hope for the next gala evening a week after Borussia’s furious 6-0 win over Wolfsburg, all eyes go from there to Munich, 500 kilometers away as the crow flies. Fingers crossed for Schalke, which is actually a no-go for every BVB supporter. Coach Edin Terzic also pondered for a few seconds before elegantly answering the tricky question about Schalke Schützenhilfe. “It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s Schalke, Leipzig or Cologne, who ultimately support us a bit,” said the 40-year-old. He also focuses on his own performance against Gladbach, Augsburg and Mainz: “There are three games that we have to win first.”
Bayern is Schalke’s feared opponent
Dortmund’s Lord Mayor Thomas Westphal had promised Schalke an entry in the city’s Golden Book if they contributed to Borussia’s championship title and thus caused a lot of publicity. Will it come to that? Schalke impress everyone with their willpower and unity in the relegation battle – including Tuchel: “They had a few very emotional victories, which gave them an emotional boost. Their faith is intact.”
But Bayern are also Schalke’s feared opponents. They have been without a win against Bayern Munich for 24 competitive games. When they last won the DFB Cup in spring 2011, Manuel Neuer was even in goal for the Royal Blues. For Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, it is of course crucial in the next “small final towards the championship” that “we have nerves, that we keep our nerves, that we keep playing football calmly”.
Noussair Mazraoui, who fought his way into the starting XI at right-back, also stressed the importance of nerves: “Dortmund feel the pressure in every game now, but it’s not just them, it’s us too. Both teams know they have to win . That’s the only option.” BVB showed nerves of steel in the 6-0 win over Wolfsburg – and not for the first time. This year, the Terzic team only played seven times after the Munich team. There were six wins and one draw – by the way, this one against Schalke of all places.
Source: Stern
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