14th matchday
After the “bang” from Frankfurt: Tuchel struggles to keep his composure
Rubdown for the Tuchel team: Frankfurt’s Ansgar Knauff (l) and Omar Marmoush celebrate the 5:1. photo
© Arne Dedert/dpa
For the first time in this Bundesliga season, FC Bayern has to admit defeat – and how. Thomas Tuchel appears to be in control, but his performance, which is marked by serious mistakes, bothers him.
After the heavy defeat, Thomas Tuchel tried to maintain a calm tone and maintain maximum control. The coach of the FC Bayern Munich lectured objectively and soberly after the hearty 1:5 (1:3) at Eintracht Frankfurt.
But Tuchel couldn’t get past the almost absurd series of Bayern mistakes; he found clear words. “We are disappointed and also angry. There is a lot to process and a lot to digest. It is clear that we have few arguments for what we did. So the responsibility ultimately remains with me,” said the coach.
It was only the fourth Bundesliga game this millennium that Bayern lost by a four-goal difference. And like the 1:5 in November 2019, it happened again against Eintracht. “The individual mistakes are of course too many,” complained Tuchel after the first Bundesliga defeat since May. His team had a completely messed up afternoon in the constant rain in Frankfurt.
“Not the greatest desire”
The Munich team, led by top striker Harry Kane, who was harmless this time, are three points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who play at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday (3:30 p.m./DAZN), with the same number of games. Joshua Kimmich’s goal (43rd minute) was far too little. Omar Marmoush (12th), Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe (31st/50th), Hugo Larsson (36th) and Ansgar Knauff (60th) scored for the hosts in front of 58,000 spectators.
While Tuchel patiently answered question after question at the press conference, his protégés were less interested in the usual procedure. On this point, Tuchel clearly supported his professionals around Kane and captain Manuel Neuer. “You have to understand that the players don’t have the greatest desire to explain it today. The answers we give on the pitch are more important than whether we shine in the interview today,” said Tuchel.
The next challenges are quickly approaching: There’s not much at stake against Manchester United on Tuesday. But the remaining league games against surprise team VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg show how close FC Bayern can stay to Leverkusen until Christmas. “The game plan dominates our reaction anyway. Under no circumstances can we continue to play at this level,” warned Tuchel.
Matthew sees a long break as the reason
After all, Thomas Müller, who came into the game late as a joker in the 1:5, appeared on Sky. “We won’t lose our head, we will fight back, we will come back,” said the German national soccer player on Sky. Müller sees himself and his teammates as having a duty. “There has to be a reaction, the anger engine has to start.”
In the past few days, Bayern had experienced something completely unusual during the season: a break in the game instead of scheduling stress. Because the Bundesliga game against Union Berlin was canceled due to a sudden onset of winter and the record champions in the DFB Cup are already out, Bayern did not play at all for nine days. During this time, the opponent from Frankfurt suffered defeats in three different competitions.
For record national player Lothar Matthäus, the end result was “a bang in the Bundesliga,” as the former Bayern professional explained: “I want to read the headlines tomorrow.” Matthäus added that the defending champion’s slightly longer break from play was poisonous for their preparation: “It’s not good for Bayern if they don’t have a rhythm.”
Tuchel perplexed and without arguments
That missing rhythm was clearly noticeable. Noussair Mazraoui and goalscorer Kimmich made big individual mistakes. The second Frankfurt goal, which came during a Munich period of pressure, seemed decisive: Dina Ebimbe passed compatriot Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies with force, and Neuer let his attempt slip into the near corner. “I now have no explanation for individual mistakes,” said a partially perplexed Tuchel. His counterpart Dino Toppmöller was “totally happy” with the reaction, just three days after the disappointing cup exit in Saarbrücken.
The second goal was just the beginning. When Larsson made it 3-0 with his left hand, assisted by the busy Marmoush, Tuchel had already disappeared under the rain-protected roof of his own bench. The Munich team had not been three goals behind after 35 minutes in the league since May 2004.
The fourth and fifth goals followed after the break, Bayern now had no chance. In the stands, Bavaria’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß watched the one-sided spectacle with a gloomy expression. “We don’t have many arguments,” said Tuchel, looking at the end result soberly.