Bayern Munich’s Thomas Tuchel Gamble faces an immediate test against RB Leipzig. football news

Struggling Bayern Munich’s shock decision to part ways with coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season will be tested in Saturday’s clash with RB Leipzig. On Wednesday, Bayern announced that Tuchel will leave the Bavarian capital in the summer, seemingly walking a middle path between firing the coach immediately or promising to stick with him despite recent poor results. The Bayern bosses made the decision after Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Bochum left them eight points behind Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen with 12 matches to play this season.

Bayern are hoping the announcement will energize their star-studded squad, many of whom were reportedly at odds with the coach.

Bayern have already set their sights on Alonso, who played three seasons in Munich, as Tuchel’s replacement.

Tuchel’s announcement will allow Bayern to press ahead with their search for an in-demand coach, continuing their tried-and-tested approach of strengthening themselves by weakening a direct rival.

Alonso told reporters on Thursday that he had “nothing new to say” about the rumours, adding that it was “not the right time for me” to talk about the future.

Whether or not they secure the signature of Alonso, Bayern will be hoping that speculation over the coach’s future will destabilize Leverkusen’s bid for a first Bundesliga crown.

Given Leverkusen’s history – the club endured the unwanted nickname ‘Neverkusen’, lost a Champions League final and finished runner-up in the league five times – Bayern’s approach has a chance of success, but the stakes are high if it backfires. Are.

A poor result against Leipzig could trigger a decline that would leave Tuchel idle in his final months, especially if Bayern exits in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they draw 1-0 away to Lazio after the first match in Rome. are behind 0.

Many of the players who have been publicly criticized by Tuchel, including midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer, are unlikely to suddenly warm to the coach now that they know he is on his way out the door.

While Borussia Dortmund is generally considered Bayern’s main challenger, Leipzig has caused the champions more problems in recent seasons.

Bayern have won only four of their last 11 meetings with Leipzig and have not beaten them in the league since February 2022.

Leipzig, Champions League regulars since their promotion in 2016, are fifth, one point behind Dortmund, and will be desperate for points.

“It’s always special. Bayern are definitely rivals who inspire us,” Leipzig forward Dani Olmo told the Bundesliga website on Thursday.

“For us and as a player it always motivates me a lot.”

One to watch: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig)

Bayern Munich will be very familiar with the exploits of RB Leipzig forward Dani Olmo, who scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win in the Supercup in August.

Olmo spent most of the season on the sidelines due to injury but has returned to help Marco Rose’s team finish in the top four.

“I would say that scoring three goals in Munich and winning the cup trophy was a perfect game for all of us and for me personally,” Olmo said of his hat-trick on Thursday.

“But of course we have to keep moving forward. Football never stands still and now we have another chance to play at the Allianz.”

key figures

0 – No team has ever been unbeaten in a Bundesliga season. Bayer Leverkusen has 18 wins and four draws in 22 matches this season, with 12 still remaining.

1 – Promoted last season, Werder Bremen have lost just one of their last nine matches, leaving the seventh-placed side on course to return to European football for the first time since 2010–11.

11 – Dortmund’s Niklas Feulkrug has scored 11 goals so far this season, including six in his last five games. He is the first Dortmund player to reach double figures since the departure of Erling Haaland.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Friday

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Mainz (1930)

Saturday

Union Berlin vs Heidenheim, Werder Bremen vs Darmstadt, Stuttgart vs Cologne, Borussia Moenchengladbach vs Bochum, Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig (17–30)

sunday

Eintracht Frankfurt at Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund at Hoffenheim (1630), Augsburg at Freiburg (1830)

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)