Can Bayern Munich rally and save their season? As usual, the European soccer weekend provided plenty to discuss as several league races took significant turns. Bayern Munich lost against Mainz in the Bundesliga, while Borussia Dortmund crushed Eintracht Frankfurt to recapture first place with just five games left. Barcelona defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 in another match, effectively ending any speculation about La Liga’s title.
Man United defeated Brighton on penalties during the FA Cup semifinal weekend in England, and Man City crushed Sheffield United to set up a derby at Wembley on June 3. In Italy, Rafael Leao scored more goals for Milan, increasing the pressure on speculation about his future. At the same time, Napoli defeated Juventus late in a memorable game for some dubious VAR rulings.
Clubs respond to difficulty in their unique ways. The standard operating procedure at Bayern is to stress out and express yourself, possibly because mistakes are so few. We witnessed it when they drew with Hoffenheim at home when Thomas Tuchel acted in a passive-aggressive-funeral manner, and Freiburg eliminated them from the German Cup. We saw it once more following the 3-1 loss to Mainz.
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Club president Herbert Hainer said they “totally fell apart” and “became insecure.” Oliver Kahn, the CEO, said it would be “a disaster” to finish the season without a championship. Thomas Muller, a local legend, stated that “he was at a loss” and had “no explanation,” while sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidzic noted that the “defeat is difficult to explain.”
I understand that it comes with being a massive club and a strong brand, and the German media is rife with ex-Bayern players who delight in criticizing the errors of the present, but it seems counterproductive. In such situations, it’s critical to communicate clearly and with one voice. I don’t need to ask Hainer for a tactical analysis; remember, he was the one who, on a Monday, said Julian Nagelsmann “would be around for a long time” before firing him a few hours later. It also doesn’t help to state that it would be awful not to bring silverware and that you have no idea what went wrong.
You can explain it, after all. Mainz can qualify for the Europa League with ten games without a loss. They won’t lie down for you, especially not in your house. You had the game under control but didn’t capitalize on your opportunities to win it in the first half.
Additionally, this was not the time to use the infamous back three. Even if neither Thomas Muller nor Joshua Kimmich was doing well, Tuchel’s decision to replace them with Mathys Tel and Ryan Gravenberch (who have combined for two league starts this season) at 2-1 might have been intended to send a message, but it backfired on him. The defense for the second goal wasn’t fantastic either, and Yann Sommer made a significant error on the first goal (and a smaller one on the third).
Take it on the chin and move on. In varied degrees, each of the factors above contributed to the loss. If you do, the squad won’t benefit from your discussions about “disasters” and the “inexplicable,” and Tuchel won’t either. If Borussia Dortmund drops points, you may talk about how you want to win every game the rest of the way and be ready to profit from it. That’s all, but what the heck do I know? Bayern has won 10 consecutive league titles (as well as a few Champions Leagues) by behaving in this way, so perhaps the temper tantrums and Chicken Little antics provide the creative tension required to succeed.
I’ve previously stated that it was a mistake to replace Julian Nagelsmann, especially given the justifications Kahn and Salihamidzic provided. Those two would have to face responsibility for their actions if things didn’t work out. So okay, I suppose I have a right to point out that Tuchel has lost three games in a month, the same number of losses Nagelsmann suffered over the entire season. Or the fact that he has only achieved two victories in seven.
Tuchel, however, cannot be made the victim in this situation. The blame lies with those who assembled this squad, those who continually humiliated him, and those who fired Nagelsmann based on what now appears to be a whim and a hunch. They are all the same person, incidentally.
