By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-23 16:30:18
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel has expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, admitting that they are “falling well short of our expectations” after suffering a 1-0 home loss to Werder Bremen. The defeat left Bayern seven points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, despite having a game in hand. Tuchel acknowledged the team’s shortcomings ahead of their upcoming game against Union Berlin, stating, “We’re very positive but we’re falling well short of our expectations in matches. We will continue to demand it until it works and we’re ready to show the desire to spark our fans. We’re below our expectations.”
The loss to Bremen ended a streak of dominance for Bayern, who had not been defeated by the team since 2008. Tuchel had previously criticized the team’s performance in a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim and reiterated his stance after the Bremen setback, stating that the team “played like it didn’t matter.” This comes as Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, has emerged as a strong contender in the Bundesliga, with just six points dropped in the campaign so far. Tuchel acknowledged the challenge, saying, “It’s not easy. We’re very aware of the state of play. It’s our job and it’s my responsibility to influence it.”
Bayern is set to face Leverkusen on February 10th, following their match against Union Berlin, originally scheduled for December but postponed due to heavy snow. Union’s coach, Nenad Bjelica, expressed caution ahead of the match, acknowledging Bayern’s potential for a strong reaction after their loss to Bremen. He said, “We wanted to wake Bayern up, but Werder Bremen have done it. That’s definitely not ideal. They certainly won’t allow themselves to perform the same way.”
The upcoming matches will be crucial for Bayern as they seek to regain their form and close the gap with league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
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