Thomas Tuchel as Coach: Bayern Munich has fired Julian Nagelsmann after almost two seasons as the head coach of the six-time European champions. The club, which is running second in the German Bundesliga behind Borussia Dortmund, dismissed Nagelsmann in favor of former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel. The 49-year-old Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to the 2021 UEFA Champions League title, inherits a side that include Senegal forward Sadio Mane, German midfielder Joshua Kimmich and Canadian winger Alphonso Davies. The German side signed Tuchel to a contract that will last until June 2025. Tuchel will start his work with Bayern Munich on Monday where he will supervise team training.
Before the firing, Nagelsmann guided the team to the quarterfinals of the Champions League and are set to take on Manchester City next month. It is believed that Tuchel will handle the squad for the remainder of the 2022-23 Bundesliga season where they are a point behind Borussia Dortmund. More importantly, Bayern are contending in the Champions League and the management felt that hiring Tuchel, who won the European crown once with Chelsea, would allow them to reach that goal of capturing the seventh crown, according to sports betting sites that keep abreast with the latest European soccer news.
Thomas Tuchel to Face Former Team in First Stint as Bayern Coach
Tuchel, who was fired by Chelsea in September 2022, was initially eyed by Bayern Munich before settling with Nagelsmann. He will face his former team, Borussia Dortmund, in his first match as Bayern chief mentor on April 1. The match is important for Tuchel’s team as they sit a point behind Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga table. The German giants signed Nagelsmann to a five-year deal in 2021, but the powerhouse squad seemed to be losing dominance under his watch. Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic gave his observation of the team and quoted that the players had “so little drive, mentality, tackling, assertiveness.” Before his dismissal, Nagelsmann said that the match against Dortmund will be a “must-win game.”
Bayern Hail Nagelsmann
Players reacted from the firing of the 35-year-old mentor with midfielder Leon Goretzka hailing Nagelsmann for the fun, trust and mutual appreciation he brought during his tenure. Kimmich, on the other hand, blamed the whole team, including himself, for the sudden ouster. He said that he was disappointed with the development and that meant the team failed to deliver as a team. Kimmich added that it was strange to prepare for a game amid the noise of Nagelsmann’s ouster. Goretzka seemed to question the statements made by Salihamidzic over the sacking of Nagelsmann but noted that he will still trust the belief of the executives for the benefit of the squad.
Bayern’s bosses believe that the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain could turn the season around although Tuchel had a reputation for being “abrasive” and demanding, the squad backs him to deliver. Bayern still has nine games to outclass Dortmund and take home the 2022-23 season title. They are still in the quarter-finals where they next face Manchester City in a two-leg clash. European soccer odds have gone up for Bayern’s favor following the appointment of Tuchel. It is now up to the team if they will follow Tuchel’s lead and help Bayern to capture the Bundesliga crown and the UEFA Champions League as well.
