Champions League
Bayern “risk” with Mazraoui – Tuchel with a mini-squad
Noussair Mazraoui at FC Bayern Munich training. photo
© Lennart Preiss/dpa
After Leon Goretzka broke his hand, Thomas Tuchel wrapped his Bayern stars in “cotton wool”. Noussair Mazraoui is back before the hot game at Galatasaray. A debate should not be an issue.
They were training when Noussair Mazraoui returned Bayern stars wrapped like “in cotton wool” according to Thomas Tuchel’s wishes. At least on the outside, because the clinical white sportswear was a symbol of the fact that no other professional should get injured before the hot Champions League test at Galatasaray Istanbul.
After a lot of bad luck with injuries, Tuchel was happy in the basement of the luxury hotel Raffles Istanbul that Mazraoui, after much criticism of his internet post, could once again be a sporting alternative for the hot task on Tuesday (6.45 p.m./Prime Video) in the cauldron of Rams Park.
Only 18 FCB players in Istanbul
“We have accelerated the regeneration process to the limit. We have taken a bit of risk in the last few days in coordination with the player,” said Tuchel. When asked by Turkish journalists about the fuss surrounding Mazraoui, the 50-year-old coach once again referred to the discussions with the Moroccan. “We looked at the issue very deeply and fundamentally,” Tuchel reported 24 hours before the game. He only has a mini-squad of 18 players available on the Bosphorus.
Mazraoui is eager to set a sporting tone again after much criticism for his pro-Palestinian social media post. During training he met his Israeli teammate Daniel Peretz. He laughed in difficult days when he gave Mathys Tel a piggyback ride.
In contrast to Mazraoui, who, according to coach Tuchel, showed remorse and was allowed to stay in the Bayern squad, Manuel Neuer, Serge Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano and Raphaël Guerreiro, like Leon Goretzka, who was injured in the 3-1 win in Mainz, are also missing in Turkey. It is unclear when Gnabry, who trained alongside Leroy Sané, who was covered in white from head to toe, will return after his broken arm. Neuer is set to celebrate his comeback in the Bayern goal after almost a year on Saturday in the home league game against SV Darmstadt 98. Sven Ulreich represents him again against Galatasaray.
Tuchel: Debate about squad size “cleared up”
In very pleasantly warm Istanbul, Bayern want to celebrate their next success towards group victory in second place in the group after two wins against Manchester United (4:3) and FC Copenhagen (2:1). Before the atmospheric premier class evening, the coach declared that the debate about squad size, in which the views of Tuchel and honorary president Uli Hoeneß differ, had been “dissolved”.
Tuchel would love to have more alternatives in his lineup. According to Hoeneß, “there will definitely not be a really big transfer offensive” in the winter. Tuchel laughed at the weekend when he was asked about the announcement of “the boss”. “Then that’s how it is.”
The coach and club patron do not want to be accused of having differences. “It was nothing that I hadn’t heard from him personally,” said Tuchel. “It’s settled between us because we regularly look each other in the eyes and tell each other where we are and what we’re feeling.”
Buddyish Tuchel
During his speech on the training pitch, Tuchel put his arm around Matthijs de Ligt, who, like Joshua Kimmich, who was recently ill, had to play in Mainz after an injury. He didn’t want to talk about the size of the squad or the limited supply of defenders. “That’s no longer a job,” said the 25-year-old. “It’s my job to be fit and stay fit and do my job on the pitch.”
De Ligt expects a Galatasaray team that plays together “with the whole arena”. It will be “extremely emotional, extremely loud,” said Tuchel. “We’re not completely green at the moment either. We’re already confident enough to deal with it.”
Galatasaray’s victory in Manchester should be enough of a warning for Munich. “It’s going to be a great game! It’s a spectacular stadium and the atmosphere is fantastic,” predicted Lukas Podolski, who played for both teams, on the Bayern website. Galatasaray’s offense in particular is top. However, Argentine striker Mauro Icardi, who has already scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, was injured at the weekend and his availability is uncertain.
On the Bayern side, Thomas Müller could achieve a milestone. The 34-year-old, who is probably going on a trip abroad as captain for the last time given Neuer’s approaching return, is about to score his 500th point in his 676th competitive game for FC Bayern.