Will Bayern’s bet on Tuchel work out? The Munich giant will have to prepare for big changes

Bayern Munich have decided to take an unexpected step. After falling to second place in the domestic competition, one point behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, the management has dismissed coach Julian Nagelsmann. Thomas Tuchel will take over the team. What will change under his leadership?

It came like a bolt from the blue. The Bayern Munich executive decided to take the unpopular solution to the not-so-satisfactory results and parted ways with the talented coach Nagelsmann.

Bayern brought him over from Leipzig before last season, having not hesitated to pay the Bundesliga outfit €20 million for him.

Nagelsmann won the Bundesliga with the Bavarian giant last year, but unexpectedly crashed out in the Champions League quarter-finals against Villarreal and the domestic cup for Bayern players ended in the second round when they were decimated by Borussia Mönchengladbach 0:5.

This year, as mentioned, Bayern are still a point behind the league leaders after their loss to Leverkusen and are now preparing for the quarter-finals against Manchester City in the Champions League after knocking out PSG.

But that will be Thomas Tuchel’s responsibility. He was without a commitment after leaving Chelsea, with whom he managed to win the Champions League. Tottenham Hotspur, who are looking for a replacement for Antonio Conte, were also interested in him, but Bayern were quicker. Will Oliver Kahn and co.’s bet on the renowned German coach pay off?

It could. Tuchel has shown in the past that he is perfectly capable of lifting a team in a turnaround season. Bayern may now be hoping for the same, even with Tuchel facing his old friend Pep Guardiola, whom Manchester City beat Chelsea in the Champions League final in 2021, again.

Bayern should prepare for big changes

As for the changes that will take place at Bayern under Tuchel, the players can now be expected to focus more on the defensive end. Tuchel is renowned for starting from a secure defence, he usually has five defenders on the pitch with the outside backs, with others ready on the substitutes bench.

In the last three league games, Bayern have played with three stoppers, and in the Champions League against PSG they relied on a classic four-defender system.

Tuchel is likely to rely mainly on Dayot Upamecan, Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Pavard, with flanker and recent expensive signing from Manchester City Joao Cancelo expected to be on the pitch more often under him.

In attack, Sadio Mané, who is likely to be placed back on the wing, could wake up under Tuchel’s guidance. Overall, expect more tactical football and order, perhaps at the expense of the handsomeness of the game.

But it has to be said that Nagelsmann has failed to put a clear game face on Bayern. Maybe he didn’t get enough time to do that, Tuchel on the other hand is used to quick solutions. So one can expect Bayern to pick up this season. But whether it will be a longer-term progression is still a question.

Sources: Bundesliga, Transfermarkt