Thomas Tuchel straightened his baseball cap and then slipped into the role of “first lawyer” for the suspended Sadio Mané. “It concerned us because it was a blatant incident,” said the Bayern coach about the argument between Mané and teammate Leroy Sané.
“Sadio has never, ever, ever been at fault. He’s pure football. He has my complete trust. He had that before and he still has it after this mistake.” After the internal ban on Saturday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, Mané, who was also fined, returns for the Manchester second leg back in the squad.
In frustrating and nerve-wracking record champion days with the dispute between Mané and Sané and the 0: 3 pack in the Champions League at Manchester City as a mood killer, a sign in the Bundesliga would be “extremely important” for Tuchel. Also because of the “background noise that we produced ourselves,” said the 49-year-old, who has already experienced more in a few weeks in Munich than coaches from other clubs in a whole season.
“It wasn’t the first time in my coaching career that there was a rattle in the dressing room. We won’t be the last there either, that’s part of it sometimes.” Also in Munich, where Franck Ribéry and Arjen Roben or Lothar Matthäus and Bixente Lizarazu had already clashed violently.
“We have to catch up”
After the master’s appeal from CEO Oliver Kahn, the Munich team should now strike again in the fight for the bowl against Hoffenheim, who are still threatened with relegation. “We have to do more immediately on Saturday,” demanded Kahn. “It’s very, very tight, even in the Bundesliga.” In addition, Bayern Munich do not want to give up hope of creating a second-leg miracle on Wednesday against Pep Guardiola’s stars when he returns to Munich. “We have to look ahead because we still have a lot of important games to play,” said defender Matthijs de Ligt.
After the painful end of the cup and the presumed knockout in Europe’s elite league, another Bundesliga wobble would further increase the strong turbulence for FC Bayern. The first season without a title since the three second places in 2012 with the final at home as a tearful low point would threaten. The lead over Borussia Dortmund, double winners from 2012, is only two points in the table. At that time, the German champions were not called FC Bayern. After the dispute was resolved, Tuchel reported a “positive and energetic mood” in training.
As a sign that there was life in the team, Tuchel, who was humorous despite all the trouble, did not want to glorify the Mané-Sané stress. “I didn’t need proof that we were alive. The performance and how we behaved on the field – I had enough life in it,” said Julian Nagelsmann’s successor. Like his predecessor, Tuchel also wishes that things from the dressing room stayed in the dressing room. Knowing full well that this hope will not be fulfilled in the long term.
For Tuchel, the incident was clarified after an apology from Mané. “Everyone makes a mistake, that’s part of being a role model. It’s also exemplary how he dealt with it,” said the former Champions League winner with Chelsea. Dealing with the misstep had “a cleansing effect”.
“I don’t judge that from afar,” said Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo when asked about the hustle and bustle in Munich on Friday. “I only notice that.” Even without Mané, Munich would have “other options that can play up front”. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who is still out with knee problems, is not one yet.
“We keep our heads up,” said captain Thomas Müller. After his joker role in the quarter-final first leg at Manchester City, which he accepted with outward composure, the 33-year-old is hoping to return to the starting XI. Inevitably, the focus will also be on Sané, who must have somehow upset the Senegalese.
The 30th Bundesliga duel between the industry leader and the club from Kraichgau, which was last successful in the relegation battle this season, could also be a build-up game for Dayot Upamecano after his terrible evening in the premier class. The Frenchman was to blame for the 0:2 and thus initiated the higher defeat. “Of course something like that puts a strain on you, but we in the team are fully behind him,” said Kimmich. In the first talks, Upamecano, who had played a convincing World Cup, was built up. But the errors were also clearly addressed.
Only after the Hoffenheim match should the view go to City. Nothing is impossible in football, said Tuchel. But in order to really believe in the opportunity and it’s not just “the famous whistle in the forest”, you have to go step by step. Asked about a lot of praise for him despite the recent setbacks, Tuchel grinned – and joked: “Everything was a lie.”
