The Bayern collapse: Tuchel doesn’t know “how something like this can happen”

Why exactly did FC Bayern lose the thread after beating Leipzig 1-0? Thomas Tuchel did not know exactly.

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If you want to become German champion or win a game at all, then you have to play differently. “That is clear.” With these words, shortly after the 3-1 defeat against RB Leipzig, Thomas Tuchel soberly stated in an interview with “Sky” that his team could not see the seriousness of the situation, the chance of the eleventh title in a row.

Not even in the early stages, when the record champions determined the game and deservedly led 1-0, did Julian Nagelsmann’s successor really like it. His analysis: “I saw an OK initial phase. That was enough to lead deservedly – and enough to normally lead 2-0. But then we stopped after 30 minutes, we weren’t there in the second half . I don’t have an explanation for that. If you’re playing so far below your level and the level keeps dropping, then you’re having a hard time winning games.”

And then you find it difficult to defend the championship. The fact is: With 68 points after 33 games, FC Bayern are playing their weakest season in terms of points in twelve years, since the first of two BVB championships under Jürgen Klopp in 2010/11. In addition, the club conceded their first defeat of the season at their home Allianz Arena after eleven wins and five draws, as well as their first home defeat since January 2022 – a 2-1 loss to Gladbach. In addition, there are already 13 lost points after leads in the second half of the season – the highest in the league. All inexplicable for a club and series champions like Bayern Munich.

“We lost this game completely because of our behavior”

And just as inexplicable for coach Tuchel: “We’re coming from a good phase, I see the team training, I see the energy and intensity in training.” That’s why he really doesn’t know “how something like this can happen”.

An explanation from his side: “It’s the little things that count,” so you don’t need to talk about big words like mentality “thousands of times.” “I have to be brave when it matters. In a 4-2 build, everyone has to be in their gap, then you can get out of the pressure. But if nobody moves anymore, if nobody wants the ball anymore, then you give up the balls away, then you’re under pressure, then you run after it.”

Even on Leipzig’s performance increase, Tuchel could not fix the Munich defeat. In the end it was “ok” what RB played. But “sorry: “It’s completely to do with us, we lost this game completely because of our behavior. That is our responsibility – completely. That makes it all the worse. I’m always there that if we lose, then I want to lose to a better team or better form on the day. But I don’t want to lose in a game that just slips through our hands because no one is doing the details anymore that make us normally strong.”

Tuchel’s New York and Bogenhausen metaphor

Clear words from Tuchel, who, however, had only just started his criticism here. The 1-1 draw, when his Bayern team ran into an open knife after a corner of their own and conceded the goal from soon-to-be Munich Konrad Laimer, annoyed the coach: “You have to adapt your behavior. It’s no use if a player ducks his head (Jamal Musiala; Anm. d. Red.) and the next player tries to make it 1-0 with a lob (Kingsley Coman; Anm. d. Red.) to solve.” And just enabled the counterattack of Leipzig. “That’s not necessary.” Even a tactical foul would have been a louder means for him. Because, according to his metaphor regarding the desired behavioral adjustment: “If you’re in New York cross the street, then you walk differently than when you walk here in Bogenhausen (Munich district; Anm. d. Red.) running across the street. Because if you go there without looking, you’ll just get run over.”

“Adaptation to what is necessary,” is Tuchel’s clear wish for his protégés. The fact that the championship probability has dropped significantly as a result of this 1: 3 is “of course clear” for him and cannot be argued away. “What can I say about that? It’s our fault.”

What was much more present to him was the uncertainty as to where this performance, including the drop in performance, came from in the second section. Because he had never experienced such inexplicable things in a team with this frequency in his career. “It’s not the first time this has happened to us. And not in a situation where you have to say: ‘I don’t know why either.’ We definitely wanted it to be different, I’m responsible for that. It’s very difficult for me to deal with defeats, we’ll turn everything upside down and try to understand why we’re so blatantly backwards – and why we’re lagging behind with seven league boots Go in the completely different direction for 30 minutes. We in the coaching staff don’t ask for crazy things either. But our game suddenly becomes so flawed, it’s sloppy, it doesn’t have enough bite, our game speed isn’t high.” And that just for the umpteenth time.

“I’ll watch this again…if I can”

What remains is the hope that Borussia Dortmund will not use the match point games in Augsburg on Sunday (5.30 p.m., LIVE! at kicker) and against Mainz in a week (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.) and that FC Bayern will win in Cologne . However, Tuchel made it clear that he would not show his former club BVB’s Sunday match at FCA. “I’m definitely not watching that. I might have watched it if we had won.” Instead of this? “I’ll look at this again…if I can.” His weekend mood was simply in the basement: “You can be sure that the next two days will be very modest.”

Thomas Tuchel did a really good job. He needs the upcoming preparation with the team, then everything will go better.

At a somewhat later stage, Hasan Salihamidzic also answered journalists’ questions – and with his analysis he ventured into similar areas to Tuchel. “I was really optimistic before the game after a very, very good week of training. We did a lot of things right,” said the FCB sporting director. “After going 1-0, we had nothing to oppose after half an hour. I can’t explain what the problems are either.”

On the other hand, what is clear: “We no longer have the last title in our own hands.” And if you stand up and look at three chances for the title, you could say that the change of coach from Julian Nagelsmann to Thomas Tuchel would have resulted in exactly the following from a sporting point of view: “Nothing.” But, Salihamidzic promptly added: “Thomas Tuchel has done a really good job. I can see how he treats the team. He needs the upcoming preparations with the team, then everything will go better. Thomas also has a very good speech , but right now we don’t have anything in hand.”

On the subject: This Bayern team is finished – a comment after the 1: 3 against Leipzig