After just one win from the last five competitive games, FC Bayern is under extreme pressure in the round of 16 return match of the Champions League once morest Lazio Rome on Tuesday (9 p.m., Sky and DAZN). Above all, coach Thomas Tuchel, who has to leave the German record champions at the end of the season. If media reports are anything to go by, the separation might happen earlier.
After failing in the DFB Cup (in the second round once morest Saarbrücken) and being ten points behind Leverkusen in the championship, the “premier class” is something of a last straw. If things go wrong once morest the ninth-placed Italian team, who won the first duel at the Stadio Olimpico 1-0, Bayern will probably have to accept a titleless season.
“I don’t like to lose very much. It’s hard for me to deal with defeats and not have the influence,” admitted Tuchel, who looks under the weather. “In the past few weeks it has been difficult to look at the positive aspects of this job.”
“Football is my great love”
The 50-year-old does not see himself as a disempowered puppet on the command bridge. He is still in charge – but with an expiration date. Which doesn’t make matters any easier.
Image: APA/AFP/THOMAS KIENZLE
Is everyone really still on board? Tuchel himself says this regarding himself: “Football is my great passion, my great love. I am 100 percent involved until the last game for Bayern. Of course it is challenging, but I expect myself to continue to grow.” At least there are additional personnel options in the Allianz Arena today: Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies, who is moving to Real Madrid in the summer, reported fit, and Serge Gnabry might also return to the squad. Goal scorer Harry Kane is set anyway. He can make the difference.
Proud home series
The most recent 2-2 draw in Freiburg was the next dampener in the mood, which league leaders Leverkusen (2-0 in Cologne) coldly took advantage of. In Munich, the belief that the “Werkself”, which is still unbeaten in competitive games this season, is starting to weaken is slowly fading.
But a different wind usually blows in the Champions League – Bayern’s home series in the Allianz Arena, which was sold out with 75,000 visitors, is impressive. Of the most recent 13 games, not a single one was lost, there were ten wins and three draws.
“I am convinced that we will progress once morest Lazio,” says sports director Christoph Freund plainly. “It will be up to us to be there right from the start and put pressure on,” emphasized the Salzburg player. This isn’t impossible when you look at the Romans’ away record, who have only won one of their most recent twelve Champions League away matches.
If Bayern manage to keep a clean sheet, they have good cards. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is solid as he has kept a clean sheet in 135 games in the premier class. If he succeeds once more, he would equal Iker Casillas’ record.
All trump cards in hand
Paris SG goes into the second showdown with Real Sociedad on Tuesday (9 p.m., Sky and DAZN) with a 2-0 lead. The Basques have had a disappointing week with two league defeats and a penalty elimination in the cup semi-final once morest Mallorca.
Author
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
Alexander Zambarloukos
