Thomas Tuchel: Bayern Munich Manager All But Concede Bundesliga Title

Thomas Tuchel: Bayern Munich Manager All But Concede Bundesliga Title

Isaac Darko
March 30, 2024 at 8:39 PM
In this article:
Bayern Munich logo
Bayern Munich
Germany
38
Bayer Leverkusen logo
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany
34
Borussia Dortmund logo
Borussia Dortmund
Germany
29
  • Thomas Tuchel appears to concede the Bundesliga title to Leverkusen
  • Bayern Munich suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund
  • Leverkusen came from behind to record a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel conceded the Bundesliga title race was over after Saturday's 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund left Bayer Leverkusen 13 points clear with seven games left.

Asked if the title race was over, Tuchel replied "of course", saying "it's self-evident, clear" that Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen would win their first-ever Bundesliga crown.

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel conceded his side's title hopes were over this season
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel conceded his side's title hopes were over this season. Photo by Alexandra Beier
Source: AFP

"Congratulations to Leverkusen," Tuchel told Sky Germany after the match, which came hours after unbeaten league leaders Leverkusen came from behind to beat Hoffenheim 2-1 at home, thanks to two goals in the final minutes.

"After the game today there's nothing left to say," said Tuchel via Sports Max.

Leverkusen, who have dropped only eight points all season, need just nine points from their final seven games to lift the Bundesliga title for the first time.

Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller, who has won 12 titles in Munich, including the last 11 straight, told Sky: "I'm not a professor of mathematics and I haven't done the sums, but if we're being honest, it's unrealistic."

It was the latest setback in a challenging week for Bayern.

Alonso, who was seen as Tuchel's successor at Bayern, announced Friday he would stay as Leverkusen coach beyond this season.

Tuchel said his side "did not hit a high level" during the game, saying "we shouldn't have allowed it to happen but we did."

Set up by goals to Munich-born Karim Adeyemi and defender Julian Ryerson, it was Dortmund's first win in Munich in 3,641 days, dating back to 2014 when Jurgen Klopp was in the dugout.

Tuchel complained about a first-half decision not to award Bayern a penalty when Mats Hummels appeared to handle the ball in the box, criticising the "catastrophic" decision.

Dortmund were 1-0 up at the time thanks to an 10th-minute Adeyemi goal and the ball looked to have bounced off Hummels' foot onto his hand, but VAR did not award a penalty.

Tuchel said he was told there was no contact with the hand, but Hummels told Sky after the match the ball had touched his fingers.

"We've seen penalties like that given. It was a terrible decision, a wrong decision," said Tuchel.
"It was a decisive and key moment. There's a high probability that it (a penalty) would have brought us back into the game."
Authors
Isaac Darko photo
Isaac Darko
Isaac Darko is a La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga editor at Sports Brief with a Degree in Journalism and Communications from Ghana Institute of Journalism (2010)
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Thomas Tuchel