Bayern Munich’s under-fire manager, Thomas Tuchel, has reportedly been given one month to turn things around at the club. The powers-that-be at Bayern Munich are said to be preparing to discuss Tuchel’s future next month, with the manager’s job potentially on the line.
Tuchel was appointed as Bayern’s new manager at the end of March, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, who was surprisingly given the boot. However, Tuchel’s tenure at the club has not gone according to plan, with the German champions struggling for form under his leadership.
From his first seven games in charge of the Bavarians, Tuchel has only overseen two victories, drawing another two and losing three matches. The 49-year-old was handed a baptism of fire in his inaugural match against Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker, but Bayern ran out 4-2 winners on the day to remain in control of the title race.
However, the team’s fortunes have taken a nosedive since then. Bayern was dumped out of the DFB-Pokal 2-1 by Freiburg in the quarter-finals before suffering a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Manchester City in the last eight of the Champions League. The team’s downward spiral has continued domestically, with a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Hoffenheim preceding a lowly 3-1 defeat away to Mainz 05 on Tuesday.
As a result, Bayern has now slipped behind Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga table, with BVB holding a one-point lead in first place with just five games left to play. The reigning champions have scored just nine and conceded 12 goals under Tuchel’s wing, and Bild claims that the German’s future at the club will be discussed in a board meeting next month.
Bayern’s next Bundesliga fixture sees Tuchel’s side take on Hertha Berlin on Sunday, and they will also lock horns with Werder Bremen, Schalke, and RB Leipzig in the final few weeks of the season. The team’s performance in these upcoming matches will be critical for Tuchel’s future at the club.
While Tuchel’s job is on the line, he’s not the only one who will be discussed at the board meeting next month. CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic will also be at the center of discussions. However, Kahn has no desire to resign before his contract ends in 2024 and is determined to fight for his place.
The supervisory meeting is scheduled for May 22, five days before Bayern’s final game of the Bundesliga season away to Koln. Tuchel’s contract runs until the end of the 2024-25 season, but should results fail to improve between now and the end of the season, his job at the Allianz Arena could come under severe threat.
In a twist of fate, Julian Nagelsmann, the man Tuchel replaced, has been linked with a host of top European hotseats, including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, the 35-year-old is said to have pulled out of the race to become Chelsea’s new manager and is prioritizing talks with Tottenham. He’s expected to make a firm decision on his future in the summer.
As for Tuchel, the pressure is on. He needs to get Bayern Munich back to winning ways quickly if he wants to keep his job. If he can’t do that, Bayern Munich will be looking for a new manager come the end of the season.
