New Bayern coach Tuchel must hit the ground running in Der Klassiker

Berlin, March 30 (BNA): New Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel needs a successful start after joining the German champions last week with his former club, Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, in Der Klassieker on Saturday.

With the match broadcast to 200 territories globally, all eyes will be on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss who took over after Julian Nagelsmann’s shock sacking days after Bayern lost 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen on March 19, Reuters reports.

Known for his tactical abilities and versatile game plans, the 49-year-old Tuchel is not expected to make many changes for Nagelsmann’s squad with so much at stake on Saturday.

Dortmund ranks first with 53 points, one point ahead of Bayern after 25 matches, in what appears to be a race between two horses for the title, with nine rounds of matches remaining. Union Berlin ranks third with a score of 48.

“This is not the time to make major changes in Bayern’s system or tactics,” Tuchel said upon arriving at the international break, knowing he would have a few training sessions with the whole squad before facing in-form Dortmund.

“Less is more now. I have ideas but we have to wait. The feedback from the players is part of it,” he said.

Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, left Dortmund on bad terms after just two seasons after winning the German Cup in 2017 after failing to break Bayern’s grip on the league.

He now has the task of extending Bayern’s winning streak by making it to 11 consecutive league titles, and beating Dortmund is key at this point.

Defeat at home in Bayern’s opening match will add fuel to the fans’ discontent after they were surprised by Nagelsmann’s departure.

Some Bayern players also expressed their shock at the managerial change, after they had developed a good relationship with Tuchel’s predecessor.

“Obviously not all players will be very happy,” said Tuchel. “But it’s normal. When a head coach leaves, it’s a big change.”

Tuchel would be pleased with the potential return of midfielder Jamal Musiala, who returned to training this week after a minor injury kept him out of Germany’s two friendlies last week.

For Dortmund, beating Tuchel’s new team in Munich would be great, as the coach left the Ruhr Valley side after a break in communication with the club’s bosses and with CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke later describing him as a “difficult person”.

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