FC Bayern started the “hot phase of the season” with a 0-1 defeat against FC Villarreal. Even if nobody in Munich panics after the first leg defeat in the CL quarter-finals, Bayern are alarmed – including Julian Nagelsmann. The 34-year-old no longer wants to use the media to justify a new “slip” by his players every few weeks. Nagelsmann makes his stars clearly responsible before the game against FC Augsburg.
FC Bayern has to worry about progressing in the Champions League. After a poor performance, coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team lost 1-0 at Villarreal during the week and are therefore under a lot of pressure ahead of the second leg next Tuesday at their home Allianz Arena.
Even if Bayern have to play against FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga today, the second leg against Villarreal is currently the all-important topic on Säbener Straße.
“We tinker and hold talks”
Nagelsmann was quite self-critical at the press conference before the game against Augsburg and emphasized that he didn’t have his best day on Wednesday either. Bayern “would have made a very bad game”. However, the 34-year-old was confident that his team will show a different face in the second leg: “Why are we progressing there? Because we have a home game and will have a lot of support. And because we have a lot of room to improve compared to the first leg.”
However, the Munich head coach also made it clear that the time for blunders must finally be over: “We no longer have any tolerance for wobbles and slips. We’ve had a few dropouts this season, like against Bochum or Gladbach. It’s about our inner drive.”
Nagelsmann also announced that he would rest one or the other top performer against FCA with a view to the CL second leg: “We’re tinkering, having talks and listening to how the players feel. We will let Süle and Goretzka play from the start. Davies will get a break and a few other players will get rhythm for Tuesday as well.”