Nathalia Araújo, dpa I Friday, April 21, 2023
MUNICH – Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel stressed that there’s no crisis at the club after the 4-1 aggregate quarter-finals defeat to Manchester City, which knocked them out of the Champions League.
“We’re lagging behind our expectations. But we reached the Champions League quarter-finals for three consecutive years. That’s not a crisis,” Tuchel told a news conference on Friday.
“We must not question everything. Many big clubs haven’t been in the quarter-finals. We remain ambitious and always want more,” he said.
Tuchel added he can “absolutely understand that three years without a semi-final in the German Cup” are also not enough. This year, Bayern were eliminated by Freiburg in the quarter-finals following two second-round exits in the previous two seasons.
They now have only the Bundesliga to fight for, with a possible record-extending 11th consecutive title in their sight, but are in a tough fight with second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who are just two points behind.
“It’s important how the team deals with the situation. A lot has happened this season. I experienced it myself in Paris (at former club Paris Saint-Germain), how unfortunate it is when the league is taken for granted. It must not be taken for granted,” Tuchel stressed.
For Saturday’s game at mid-table side Mainz, he expects to have all his players available, but admitted “playing Mainz at the moment will be a tough task. It will be a physically demanding game.”
Regarding the reports that Oliver Kahn’s position as the club’s CEO was under threat after the Cup and Champions League eliminations, Tuchel said he reads “absolutely nothing.”
“I come here in the morning and I feel a good energy. I try to influence what I can. I don’t want to comment on the rumours. My cooperation with the club management is goal- and solution-oriented,” he said.
The coach said that there are many things he can’t influence because Bayern are “the centre of the attention” and they have to “accept such things and deal with them well.”
“I don’t rule out that a certain unrest affects the players. But it will never be completely calm,” he said.
