Thomas Tuchel has been a coach at Bayern Munich for a week now and led his first session on Tuesday.Image: dpa / Sven Hoppe
Bundesliga
The explosiveness before the top game between FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund on Saturday (6.30 p.m.) could not be greater. The record champions from Munich are a point behind Dortmund, a new coach who has worked at BVB in the past and has a claim to win to regain the lead.
At the same time, it is the first game for Thomas Tuchel, who was hired to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in Munich and, due to the international break on Friday, had his first session with the full squad. Optimal preparation for the top duel with BVB looks different.
Few training impressions make Tuchel’s work more difficult
Due to the lack of impressions from some players, the 49-year-old announced in the press conference before the game with unusual clarity what difficulties he will have in the line-up for the Dortmund game: “It will be a very unfair line-up because of the lack of impressions.”
At the same time, he explains that he doesn’t want to limit himself to the performances from the past games and added: “It can be a bit unfair because in some positions I have few arguments why I play a player or leave it out.”
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He didn’t want to reveal who the coach meant. Just as little as the tactical approach before his first game as a Bayern coach.
In addition to the question about the starting line-up, Thomas Tuchel was repeatedly asked about his character during the press conference. Especially after his time in Dortmund he was considered “difficult”.
When asked about this, Tuchel made it clear: “In such an exposed position, with so much responsibility, it is inevitable that you will have controversial discussions and arguments with those in charge. That can be difficult and complicated. But I’m not a vindictive person and I’d say I’m easy to get along with.”
“The relationship has rested and with a lot of rest the waves smooth out.”
BVB trainer Thomas Tuchel on the relationship with BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke
Rather, Tuchel emphasizes that he has the feeling that he and his coaching team have created a “performance-oriented but pleasant and appreciative atmosphere” at all the clubs where he has worked. Nevertheless, he is aware that there are players in the football business who would describe it as difficult and complicated.
The relationship between Thomas Tuchel and BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke was particularly strained. After the attack on the BVB bus in April 2017 before the Champions League game against Monaco, Tuchel and Watzke had different opinions about whether the team should play again the next day.
BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke (left) and Thomas Tuchel worked together at Dortmund between 2015 and 2017. Image: imago images/ Horst Müller
Since then, however, a lot of time has passed, explained Tuchel: “The relationship has rested and the waves are smoothing out with a lot of calm. That has now been cleared up.” Tuchel said about the different positions on the bus attack: “Obviously we had different opinions and I experienced the day in a different way than he did. That’s where the completely different view of the day came from.”
Background: Tuchel was on the team bus when the bombs exploded, while Watzke was already in the Dortmund stadium at the time and therefore experienced the situation from a distance.
Before the top game, however, Tuchel did not want to go much further into the incident, which he considers to be over. He is looking forward to seeing many people from the Dortmund support team again. “But of course the focus is clearly on Bayern and our team,” said Tuchel.
