Ahead of a crucial Bundesliga encounter against title rivals RB Leipzig this Saturday, Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel is facing stressful times.
Several injuries have forced the 50-year-old to juggle his starting lineup, with defenders Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Ligt and Kim Min-Jae all sidelined for Tuesday’s 4-0 win against Preussen Munster in the German Cup, forcing Tuchel to field a center-back pairing of midfielder Leon Goretzka and full-back Noussair Mazraoui.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains a long-term absentee, while Thomas Muller’s muscle problems and Serge Gnabry’s broken arm increase the shortage of playing staff.
For now, Tuchel is answering the difficulties with creativity, though tensions remain between him and club leaders.
A few weeks ago, Tuchel triggered unrest among the board when he criticized the club for failing to agree a deadline day deal to sign Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
While Upamecano, Kim and Muller are expected to return for the Leipzig clash, the series of injuries ahead of a tight schedule in the upcoming weeks might show that Tuchel was right, but that the coach is forgetting about his concerns for the team’s benefit.
In public, Tuchel praised Goretzka’s acceptance to help and called him “predestined” to play center-back. “We talked it over and decided to go through the tough times together,” the Bayern coach added.
Tuchel’s attitude change seems inevitable in order to ensure a successful season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, while the Bavarians need to spruce up their balance sheet against Leipzig after having suffered two defeats and a draw in the past three games against the East German side.
“It’s not about who is right, but about finding the best solution for the club in various situations,” the Bayern coach stated, after calling his squad “a bit thin.”
A blooming attacking line around striker Harry Kane is creating optimism for the moment. In the wake of the England captain’s recent arrival, others such as Leroy Sane and Mathys Tel are enjoying a visible upswing.
Tuchel concluded that his squad is well stocked up front, but things are tighter in midfield and defence. Rumors speak about Bayern entering the transfer market during the winter break, depending on how the next three months pan out.
Ahead of the Leipzig clash, short-term issues come into focus. “We have to make up for the recent games against RB,” Goretzka said, with a Champions League clash against Copenhagen coming next Tuesday. Bayern see the upcoming duel as a serious stress test and Goreztka talked about “getting things back to good” by taking three points.
The midfielder admitted the pressure is on Bayern’s shoulders, as losing is not an option.
