With just 15 outfield players in the squad, FC Bayern Munich started the top match against VfB Stuttgart. Despite a revamped squad, the record champions impressed – and made their coach happy
“That was really tough today,” said Thomas Tuchel on DAZN after the final whistle, after the Bayern coach had just 15 outfield players at his disposal – and that in a clash with Stuttgart, who have been playing so cheekily this season. However, the Munich side, shaken both in terms of personnel and sport, defied the adverse circumstances. Instead of another embarrassment, the record champions put on a show of strength. The usually attack-minded VfB looked out of sorts, didn’t even have a dangerous shot at the Munich goal – and were well served with FCB’s 3:0 victory.
“Huge question mark” in the defense – castling on the six
“I’m very pleased, that was anything but a matter of course,” said Tuchel, praising his team’s performance. “Harry and ‘Upa’ were missing two days ago, there was a huge question mark. Upa was still testing today, he wasn’t even in training yesterday. He was in bed for two days, came into training today and made himself available – and then the two central defenders put in such a match. “
However, it wasn’t just in defense, where Konrad Laimer replaced the injured Noussair Mazraoui, that Tuchel had long unanswered questions. After the return of Kane and Upamecano, the regular double-six of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka withdrew shortly before the game due to a flu-like infection, alongside stand-in keeper Sven Ulreich. “The two of them were still training yesterday, but then nothing worked tonight.” The sticking point with the substitutes: “It’s not so much the problem of who plays, but that they had no rhythm at all,” said the coach, who ultimately opted for Raphael Guerreiro and youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic – more or less without an alternative. “I think Rapha came in with 45 minutes of playing time since his injury, Aleks Pavlovic played very few minutes. “
Empty chairs in the meeting room
Despite the circumstances, the two midfielders were also convincing, not least Pavlovic with his dangerous set-pieces that led to two Bayern goals. Tuchel put his team’s good performance down to the pre-match briefing. “We focused on the team spirit. Today, a few people looked around and there were empty chairs everywhere in our meeting room. One by one, people said goodbye. Then it’s important that you accept it and say, ‘Okay, this might be a bit jerky and not all positions are immediately recognizable’. You have to go a few extra meters, everyone did that, it was great.”
Despite their strong performance against Stuttgart, it is more than obvious that Munich urgently need reinforcements in the winter. After all, Matthijs de Ligt (“irresponsible, an absolute emergency”) and 18-year-old Noel Aseko Nkili (“a youth player who was injured for six months. We brought him in”), two players only on the bench to fill out the match report sheet.
Tuchel did not make any specific demands after the game, although the Asian and African Cups will also put a greater strain on the squad in the spring. First and foremost, the coach turned his attention to the end of the year at VfL Wolfsburg, against whom Munich will have to cope without external reinforcements but with the trio who are ill.
