Page 44 - Soccer360 Issue 105

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
LEFT:
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel will leave at the end of the season regardless of their trophy haul
RIGHT:
Bayer Leverkusen have a great
chance of ending Bayern’s Bundesliga dominance.
‘THOMAS TUCHEL
IS CERTAINLY WELL
AWARE THAT HIS JOB
IS ON THE LINE’
Bayern Munich was meant to be as close to a cast-iron guarantee of success as he could get. It would be staggering if he were to end another season trophyless, especially when considering all of the context.
As for manager Tuchel, whether they end
up winning the Champions League or not, the decision has already been made. In February, it was confirmed that the former Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea boss
would be leaving at the end of the season,
a decision that serves as an admission that his time in charge has been a failure. The announcement came after the club suffered the ignominy of three successive defeats, with the losses to Lazio and Leverkusen followed by another damaging one away to bottom half side Vfl Bochum.
Despite his impressive track record elsewhere, the pressure has never really Tuchel since he replaced Julian Nagelsmann in March 2023. There was speculation that Bayern would terminate his contract last season just months after being appointed
as they again failed to make inroads in Europe, but in winning the Bundesliga title, it appeared to buy him a bit more time.
Now, that is not even a guarantee, and as noted before, neither is the DFB-Pokal. The Champions League, then, represents the only chance at salvation for both manager and his big money signing.
Bayern, on paper, are viewed naturally as contenders for European club football’s premier prize. After all, die Roten have won the coveted title on multiple occasions, so are no strangers to success on the biggest stage of all. Yet, prestige and track record aside, their showings over the past couple of seasons do not put them in the same tier as the likes of Manchester City, who are aiming to defend their crown, and of course, Real Madrid, who are the most decorated team in
Champions League history and are always in the running.
An all-conquering Man City overwhelmed Bayern 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals in 2022-23, ruthlessly punishing defensive mistakes in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium and continuing to look the superior team in the return fixture in Germany. Despite the addition of Kane as supposedly the extra piece in the jigsaw needed for
the club to challenge for the Champions League this term - and act as an equal to City’s goalscoring superstar Erling Haaland, Bayern do not look much better equipped to overcome Pep Guardiola’s side, which is both a major concern for Tuchel and the die Roten fans.
Many pundits and neutrals alike are eagerly anticipating the possibility of a Guardiola versus Ancelotti tactical battle in this season’s final, which will be taking place in June at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium. Given the strength of both of these two teams, the odds really do not look tipped in Bayern’s favour, while there is the possibility of other dark horse contenders to make a strong run towards this season’s final as well. Of course, Bayern could certainly throw a spanner in the works and finally awaken from their slumber. For the players and
their manager, the German juggernaut are
at a major crossroads, and winning this season’s Champions League will definitely help make serious amends and silence the doubters - especially if they fail to make it
a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title. But as
is the case with any significant task, it is always much easier said than done, and time will tell as to whether Bayern Munich will be adding any silverware, whether domestic or international, to their massive trophy haul at the end of this term.
44 SOCCER360