Bayern Munich have decided to part ways with manager Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season amid their disastrous run of form. It’s been a tough few weeks for Bayern after they suffered a 3-0 defeat by league leaders Bayern Leverkusen, a 1-0 loss to Lazio in the Champions League and a disastrous 3-2 defeat by VFL Bochum on Sunday.
The club are now facing the prospect of their first season without winning a trophy since 2011-12, with Leverkusen eight points clear of Bayern in the Bundesliga table and, with that in mind, have parted ways with Tuchel. According to BILD, the German giants held talks with Tuchel in the last few days and made the decision for him to leave at the end of the campaign. The former Chelsea boss who only joined the club in March 2023 has a deal that runs until June 2025 however the Bavarian side have opted to cut that short.
Alonso, who is contracted until June 2026, was appointed by Leverkusen in October 2022 and in his first season steered them out of the drop zone and to a sixth-placed finish. This campaign, Leverkusen remain unbeaten in the top-flight. He played for Bayern between 2014 and 2017 under Pep Guardiola and won three Bundesliga titles, one German Cup and one German Super Cup. After Jurgen Klopp sensationally announced he would step down as Liverpool head coach at the end of the season, Alonso is among the favourites for the vacancy.
By making the decision early in the season, Bayern hope to send a message to potential replacements, who will be well aware of the vacant role in summer. Meanwhile, The Athletic claim that Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso is Bayern’s primary target to replace the German boss. Also on the shortlist is former head coach Hansi Flick, who is viewed as an emergency replacement. Flick, 58, won the Bundesliga twice and the Champions League during his trophy-laden spell in charge between 2019 and 2021.
On Tuesday, Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen delivered a cryptic answer when questioned on the future of under-pressure manager Tuchel. Dreesen said that the embattled head coach would not be dismissed and had told BILD: ‘I don’t believe in big statements about the coach. This issue [Tuchel’s sacking] isn’t on our mind at the moment.’
Tuchel was unveiled as the club’s new manager back in March 2023, taking the reigns from Julian Nagelsmann who was ruthelessly sacked by the club while on a skiing holiday . The ex-Chelsea boss guided them to the Bundesliga title in 2023, clinching the trophy on the last day of the season out of the clutches of their rivals Borussia Dortmund.
But Bayern have struggled so far this season, with the Bavarian outfit having fallen off the pace of Bayern Leverkusen. They also face the tough challenge of overturning a 1-0 deficit against Lazio in their upcoming Champions League round of 16 clash. Alarm bells were initially raised after Bayern crashed out of the cup after being beaten by German third-tier side, Saarbrucken in November.
