Tuchel has no problem becoming a champion on the couch
As of 4:22 p.m
As a coach in professional football, Thomas Tuchel has never been a German champion
Source: dpa/Tom Weller
FC Bayern can be German champions for the eleventh time in a row on Sunday evening. Thomas Tuchel warns of the opponent on the penultimate matchday. For him it would be the first championship title as a professional coach in the Bundesliga.
DFC Bayern got a special visit on Friday morning. Arjen Robben was a guest at the headquarters of the record German soccer champions on Säbener Strasse and welcomed the players and coach Thomas Tuchel.
Next Thursday it will be exactly ten years since the former Dutch international won the Champions League with Munich and a week later the treble. In 2019 he left FC Bayern, two years ago the now 39-year-old Robben ended his playing career.
“I tried to convince him for tomorrow,” joked Tuchel, referring to Robben’s appearance on this Bundesliga matchday. “No, it’s nice that he’s here. His clarity, his mental strength, his hunger and at the same time his modesty are simply impressive. Any athlete can learn a lesson from Arjen Robben.”
This season Munich can only win one more title: the German championship. On Saturday (6.30 p.m., Sky) they received RB Leipzig in the top game of the 33rd matchday. If they win and pursuers Borussia Dortmund don’t win at FC Augsburg on Sunday (5:30 p.m., DAZN), Bayern are champions. For the eleventh time in a row, for a total of 33 times. Because of their good goal difference, in the event of a draw in Augsburg, they would only be arithmetically knocked out of first place in the table.
Dortmund plays in Augsburg on Sunday
Tuchel would have “no problem at all” with possibly celebrating his first German championship as a coach on the couch on Sunday. He doesn’t care “how it happens, the main thing is that it happens,” said the 49-year-old at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
Before the last two matchdays, Tuchel sees his team nervously and in good shape for the close title race with BVB. You can see that in the team after three “deserved wins” and also during training.
However, the table situation is “not routine” for the Munich series champions, who have usually been the national title holders earlier in the past few seasons. “The only thing that counts for us is victory,” emphasized Tuchel.
He warned about the quality of the opponent. “We know Leipzig’s strengths. The style of Leipzig is well known. As a rule, they play with four switch players including two strikers. It’s extremely important if we want to control the game to prevent counterattacks before they happen,” said Tuchel.
“Develop a Force”
“We have to be very focused in building up the game. When we go freely and aggressively into the attacking zone, we have to protect ourselves. We want to be able to let as many players as possible attack freely. It is one of our strengths to develop a power. We have to get the mix right. It’s demanding.”
There was good news for the coach. Yann Sommer was able to train again after a gastrointestinal infection and can play against Leipzig. In addition to the long-term injuries Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernández, Bayern will still be missing striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and full-back Alphonso Davies. “Everyone else is fully operational,” said Tuchel on Friday afternoon.
