FC Bayern coach Tuchel before a bitter title record

After the DFB Cup knockout against SC Freiburg and the loss in the Champions League against Manchester City in the quarter-finals, the eleventh championship in a row is also in danger after the 3-1 loss in the top Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig on Saturday evening. Borussia Dortmund could take the lead in the table with a win on Sunday evening (5.30 p.m.) at FC Augsburg before the final day of the game. “If we gamble away all these titles and I’m on the sidelines, I’m responsible. I’ll take that on my cap as a sport, that’s very clear,” said Tuchel on Saturday in the ZDF sports studio. “Of course it hits us hard when that happens,” he said of Bayern’s possibly first untitled season since 2012. “Let’s wait and see if that happens. Of course that would be bitter.”

At the end of March, Tuchel was hired to succeed Julian Nagelsmann with a contract until June 30, 2025, not least to save the season. Bayern had “played less and less successfully and attractively, the strong fluctuations in performance have called our goals into question this season, but also beyond this season. That’s why we have reacted now,” CEO Oliver Kahn justified the controversial personnel decision.

“It’s not always a request concert”

Perhaps it would have been better for the 49-year-old not to start in Munich in the middle of the second half of the season and thus the decisive phase of the season. “It’s not always a request concert. Sometimes the doors open when they open,” replied Tuchel to the relevant question. “Those responsible have made it clear that it will now work,” he said when asked by the Bayern bosses. “It’s not about protecting myself or running away from responsibility,” added Tuchel after two months in office.

Leading player Joshua Kimmich was self-critical and spoke of a “reflection of our season” after the defeat against Leipzig. “It happens to us far too often this season. We have everything under control and we break away again. Sometimes we get in our own way. We make far too many mistakes. We get the goals from our own corner and from two penalties, which are more than unnecessary,” lamented the midfielder.

Laimer indicates a move to Munich

Leipzig’s victory was initiated by Konrad Laimer of all people, who scored the equalizer to make it 1-1 (65′) after a Munich corner was blocked. It has been rumored for weeks that the Austrian team player will move from Leipzig to Munich in the summer. Laimer indicated this step on Saturday. “Everyone knows it. My contract expires in the summer. It’s generally nice here,” said Laimer on the lawn of the Munich Arena on the Sky TV station. He could “definitely not” rule out a change.

The 25-year-old midfielder is said to have already completed both medical checks in Munich and signed a contract until 2027. Laimer was considered the absolute dream player by ex-Leipzig and Bayern coach Nagelsmann. Despite his release from Bayern, he will probably come to Munich.

However, the clubs remain closed on the subject. “He played a very good game,” said Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. You don’t talk about players who are under contract with other clubs. “He will definitely be free from July 1st,” said Salihamidzic. “He scored a wonderful goal for RB Leipzig,” said Leipzig’s sporting director Max Eberl. For Leipzig and Bavaria it is about getting results. “And then we’ll see what happens after the season,” said Eberl.