It’s Champions League day and Bayern Munich is playing against Lazio in the Round of 16, but the German press is hardly writing about that. Instead, Thomas Tuchel is the main topic. And the Bavarians coach can only himself to blame for this. He lost 3-0 to Leverkusen, changed tactics ahead of the most important game and upset the locker room and the most experienced players along the way. So, it is no wonder that the press is already looking for his successor after the season. The thing with Jose Mourinho, it’s clear to everyone, seems really frivolous and hard to achieve, but the return of Hansi Flick – that already sounds like a very realistic option.Angry players and moaning chiefs: Bayern is in crisisAn option that Bayern fans would love the most. Having learned from the mistake of last year, when they ended Bayern’s great run in the Champions League by firing Julian Nagelsmann, the Bayern management is now studying the situation carefully and don’t want to rush. According to some insider information, as long as he is in the game for the European crown, Tuchel will be in the saddle, regardless of the situation in the Bundesliga table. Now, if that changes soon (or rather when it changes, considering how Bayern looks under him), it is not excluded that the former coach of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain will be let go.Some of the people in charge at Bayern can well imagine a Hansi Flick comeback. Flick feels ready for a new challenge and would like to take over a club in the summer. A Bayern comeback was previously considered impossible because the relationship between Flick and Uli Hoeneß was… pic.twitter.com/dTQMvOXl49— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) February 13, 2024 The first and most important condition for such a thing was fulfilled when Nagelsmann found a job, because the Bavarians took him off the payroll. The heavy failure in Leverkusen ignited speculations, and a possible relegation from the elite competition before the semi-finals (which is the bare minimum) would surely trigger ‘serious processes’ in Munich. Some of the most important people in Bayern can imagine Flick’s return. He also feels ready for a new challenge and wants to take over the club in June, say the sources close to Munich. His return a few months ago, for example, was not an option, because he had a very bad relationship with Uli Hoeness, ever since he left the Allianz Arena in 2021. In the meantime, the two of them met, talked and clarified their disagreements.Jose Mourinho is learning German, eyes Bayern jobHoeness had a big role in appointing Hansi Flick as Nick Kovac’s assistant, and later the main advocate for him to become the first coach. Later, when Flick’s open conflict with sports director Hasan Salihamidzic regarding the transfer policy happened, Hoeness supported this protégée and Flick decided to leave. Now Brazzo is no longer at the club. But, nothing is official as the executives want to give Tuchel peace to work. After all, if he wins the Champions League, it would be madness to release him. So, they are waiting for May to see what will happen and access then.Jose Mourinho is learning German, eyes Bayern jobIt is also stated that Max Eberl should have a significant role in deciding on the appointment of a new coach. His official takeover of the sports sector has already been moved from April 1st to March 1st, and could now be further accelerated to divert attention away from Thomas Tuchel. What most bothers the people from the Supervisory Board, led by Hoeness and Rummenigge is Tuchel’s radical attitude towards some players, and thus the disruption of the established system, in which the replacement of the leading players was one of the most important segments. Captains Neuer and Müller were supposed to hand over the keys to the team to Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka who were seen as the ‘New Bayern’ by the executives and they would ‘take over the torch’. Then, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, Matthijs de Licht, another future leader, was hired. Interestingly, of those five mentioned players, only Manuel Neuer is currently satisfied. The others are even thinking of leaving. They do not feel the coach’s trust. Hence, Bayern’s bosses face a fundamental decision in June: keep Tuchel and enter the process of a complete overhaul of the team, or bring in a new coach, who knows the situation, and who will continue with the already decided path. The decision will be (again) in the hands of Tuchel. If he wins the Champions League…UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE1/8 finalsTuesday the 13thCopenhagen – Man.City 1-3 (1-2)/Mattsson 34 – De Bruyne 10, Silva 45+1, Foden 90+3/RB Leipzig – Real Madrid 0-1 (0-0)/Diaz 49/Wednesday the 14th23:00: (1.68) PSG (3.70) Sociedad (5.40)23:00: (6.25) Lazio (4.10) Bayern (1.55)Tuesday the 20th23:00: (2.00) Inter (3.40) Atl.Madrid (3.90)23:00: (2.15) PSV (3.45) Dortmund (3.35)Wednesday the 21st23:00: (4.10) Porto (3.50) Arsenal (1.90)23:00: (2.70) Napoli (3.35) Barcelona (2.60)***odds are subject to change**
