Thomas Tuchel: Zinedine Zidane Tipped To Take Over at Bayern Munch After Bochum Loss

• Thomas Tuchel is facing increased pressure to produce good results at Bayern Munich
• Tuchel has lost his last three consecutive matches, including a 3-2 defeat to Bochum
• The next three games could determine the face of the former Paris Saint-Germain boss

New reports indicate that Zinedine Zidane is now one of the favourites to take over as Bayern Munich boss as Thomas Tuchel continues to struggle.

Tuchel oversaw his third successive defeat in a row as they fell to a 3-2 loss away to Bochum on February 18. Dayot Upamecano was sent off for the second time in as many games in a game marked by several fan disruptions.

The result leaves the Bavarian giants eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race. They are also trailing 1-0 to Lazio in the Champions League, and as it stands, they are on the verge of going trophyless.

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Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg has reported that Tuchel's job remains safe at the moment but will need to start producing decent results to maintain his place at Allianz Arena.

Managers who could replace Tuchel at Bayern Munich

With pressure rising on the former Chelsea manager, we take a look at the possible candidates who could take over from him should Bayern decide to crack the whip. Some may not be available immediately but could be convinced to take over in the summer.

1. Zinedine Zidane

Football Espana reports that the World Cup-winning midfielder could be a strong contender as he aims to get back into management.

Zidane has been out of a job since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. Reports have in the past indicated that Zidane was eyeing Didier Deschamps' job as France's head coach, but with that not forthcoming, he might decide to get back to club football.

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2. Jose Mourinho

Mourinho is one of the other elite managers who is currently out of a job following his dismissal by AS Roma last month. The Special One has coached in every major European league save for Germany and France and could make his bow in the former if given the opportunity.

3. Xabi Alonso

The former midfielder has been on everyone's lips this season for the remarkable job he is doing at Bayer Leverkusen. he is one of the main reasons why Tuchel is currently feeling the heat after outclassing Bayern 3-0 on February 10.

Alonso is set to be courted by two of his former clubs, with Liverpool also in the hunt for a new manager with Jurgen Klopp expected to leave at the end of the season.

4. Jurgen Klopp

Talking of Klopp, it will be interesting to see whether he would be willing to take the Munich job, given his Dortmund ties. The Liverpool boss is also said to be keen on a sabbatical once the season is over, and it might take some convincing by Bayern to have the 56-year-old throw his back in the ring immediately.

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5. Hansi Flick

The remontada? Hansi Flick won seven trophies with Bayern Munich during a two-year spell. In the same period, he lost just seven games, becoming the manager with the most points per game in the club's history.

Flick is still in good books with the Bayern hierarchy, considering he left the club on mutual consent to pursue his dream of coaching the German national team. The path failed to bear fruits, as he was sacked last year.

He has been listed as one of the favourites to take over at Barcelona but may be intrigued to come back to familiar surroundings.

Why Mourinho is best suited for Bayern Munich

Sports Brief has also previously explained why Jose Mourinho could be the perfect pick for Bayern Munich. Mourinho was dismissed by AS Roma last month following a spate of poor results in the Serie A.

Having worked with Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho could bring his winning mentality to match and rekindle the midas touch that has seen him win European trophies in multiple countries.