Bayern not in hurry to announce Ralf Rangnick as coach

Admin I Wednesday, May 01, 2024

 

MUNICH  – Bayern Munich bosses are not expecting to reach an agreement with potential new coach Ralf Rangnick before the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Board member for sport Max Eberl said after the 2-2 draw in Tuesday’s first leg that the club is working “quietly in the background” and will reveal Thomas Tuchel’s replacement “at some point.”

Asked whether the announcement would come before the second game against Madrid on May 8, Eberl said: “I don’t think so.”

But on Wednesday, sporting director Christoph Freund, who reports to Eberl, told German media he “could not rule out” a decision being made sooner.

Tuchel will leave Bayern in June and Austria coach Rangnick, 65, is the top candidate to take the job after Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann decided to stay with new Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and Germany respectively.

“We are in good talks with Ralf, but now we have to wait a few days to see if it will finally go through,” Bayern president Herbert Hainer told broadcaster Sky.

“But I don’t think it will be too long before we know which direction we’re going to take.”

It is likely Rangnick would oversee Austria’s Euro 2024 campaign and then take over at Bayern.

Some Bayern fans have acted angrily to the idea of appointing the former Hoffenheim, Schalke and RB Leipzig coach, who struggled as interim Manchester United boss in his last club job.