Is Thomas Tuchel’s Job in Jeopardy After 3rd Consecutive Loss?

It has been a rough week for Thomas Tuchel and record champions Bayern Munich, and fans are now beginning to turn against Thomas Tuchel. For context, the Bavarians suffered three successive defeats in eight days, leaving them eight points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen and on the verge of elimination from the Champions League after their first-leg loss. While the loss against the most in-form team in the world was not a massive surprise, a defeat to Lazio in their round-of-16 tie was. Even worse, Thomas Tuchel’s side ended the weekend with a disastrous 3-2 loss against a side they beat 7-0 in their meeting at the start of the season.

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Thomas Tuchel’s Side Fell to VfL Bochum 1848 3-2 Away From Home

Things did not go entirely sour for Thomas Tuchel’s side as they got an early lead through Jamal Musiala in the 14th minute as he riffled his shot into the roof of the next before play stopped due to ongoing supporters protesting regarding foreign investment in German football by throwing tennis balls on the pitch. However, momentum immediately shifted after the restart when Dayot Upamecano came on, and Takuma Asano levelled things up with a well-struck shot.

Buoyed by the goal, VfL Bochum 1848 pushed on and scored a second just six minutes later, as Keven Schlotterbeck’s glancing header bypassed Neuer at the front post, completing the turnaround for the host and signalling danger signals from Bayern. Although the Bavarians created many chances in the 14-minute stoppage time, they could not find the net and headed into the tunnel trailing.

The second-half affair played out like many expected, with the visitors dominating possession and creating chances, but the most clear-cut opportunity came from the hosts in the 77th minute. Dayot Upamecano, who got a red card in midweek, received his marching orders again this match for elbowing goalscorer Schlotterbeck, giving the host to seal the deal with a penalty, which Kevin Stöger comfortably dispatched. Despite Harry Kane making things engrossing with a goal in the remaining minutes, it eventually proved fruitless as continuous pressure mounted on Thomas Tuchel and his side’s performance.

Thomas Tuchel Unworried about Future But Admits Title Is Not within Reach

In a disappointing post-match conference, Thomas Tuchel admitted the title is looking further away, but the side will continue to believe until the end. “Now, the title does not look very realistic. But last season, we believed until the end, and we were rewarded. So we will keep working at it.”

As for the pressure he faced after his side’s third consecutive defeat, a feat not replicated since May 2015 when Pep Guardiola was still manager, Thomas Tuchel responded: “That happens after every defeat. The how we played is key. The how was good today, and that’s why today’s 90 minutes are very different from the second half at Lazio or the game at Leverkusen.”

Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen also came forward and addressed the potential sacking of Tuchel as he stated: “Of course. I am not a fan of monstrous coach-backing statements. I don’t believe in making these huge statements of support for the coach. I know what people want to hear, but these oaths of allegiance can be over after a week. That’s why I’m saying it my way. Firing Tuchel is not an issue we’re considering at the moment. We have to concentrate on the next few games. They usually run out after a week. But this is not an issue we are dealing with at the moment. We have to focus on our next matches.”

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Is Thomas Tuchel’s Managerial Career at Bayern Munich a Success?

Almost a year after his mid-season appointment as Bayern Munich manager, Thomas Tuchel’s managerial career at the Allianz Arena was less than successful. For example, the German manager has only won one trophy as manager with the club, thanking their lucky stars for Borrusia Dortmund’s slip-up in their final match last season. 

If we discard the Bundesliga title, Bayern Munich has now crashed out twice in the DFB-Pokal under his charge, a UEFA Champions League knockout elimination and a potential one on the horizon with them almost certain to lose the Bundesliga this year. Thus, does the problem lie with the manager or the players? 

While it is easy to point fingers at anyone at the club for the falloff, we think that the emergence of a side of Bayer Leverkusen has played a part in Bayern’s inconsistency as they never felt challenged in the country since the end of Jürgen Klopp Dortmund side. Will Thomas Tuchel remain in charge if they lose again this weekend? Stay tuned to AsiaSport for the quickest updates and coverage of the team and others on the website.