Bundesliga

THOMAS TUCHEL is set to leave Bayern Munich after a disastrous run of results.The German champions are on the verge of ending the season without winning a single trophy.
Thomas Tuchel is set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
He has now agreed with the club to depart at the end of the campaign.
The decision comes after discussions between Tuchel and Bayern, with the manager confirming the news.
Tuchel explained: “We have agreed that we will end our collaboration after the end of this season.
“Until then, my coaching staff and I will of course continue to do everything we can to ensure maximum success for FC Bayern.”
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Reports had previously claimed Bayern may appoint an interim manager until the end of the season, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer amongst the rumoured candidates.
Meanwhile, Zinedine Zidane has been tipped to return to management and replace Tuchel in the long-term.
However, Xabi Alonso is now understood to be Bayern’s top candidate to take over in the summer.
Bild claim that there is a split in the Bayern squad involving Harry Kane.
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Their report states that six key members of the team currently fall into an anti-Tuchel camp, with six others supporting the manager.
It is understood that Kane falls into the group of players who are behind the outgoing boss.
Watch bizarre moment Thomas Tuchel pulls down players pants
Tuchel has been in charge at the Allianz Arena since March 2023 after replacing Julian Nagelsmann.
Bayern went on to pip Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga title last term but their fortunes under Tuchel have faded this term.
Third tier Saarbrucken knocked Bayern out of the German Cup back in November, whilst they currently trail Lazio in their Champions League last 16 tie.
However, it is their league performance that has perhaps been most damning on the former Chelsea boss.
Bayern’s run of 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles is at risk of coming to an end at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso’s side are currently eight points clear of second place Bayern with 12 matches remaining.
The two sides had been locked in a tense title race before back-to-back defeats for Bayern.
Tuchel has lost his last three matches with Bayern slipping eight points off top spotCredit: Getty
Bayern are at risk of ending the season without winning a trophyCredit: Getty
Those losses included a 3-0 away defeat at Leverkusen earlier this month.
As a result, Tuchel now seems set to depart a year ahead of his contract expiring.
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In 44 matches as manager so far, he has won 28, drawn five and lost 11.
However, four of those 11 defeats have come in his last seven matches in the dugout. More

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER could raid Manchester United for new players if he is appointed Bayern Munich manager.SunSport understands the Norwegian could join the German giants amid increasing pressure on Thomas Tuchel.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could make big changes if he joins Bayern MunichCredit: EPA
Thomas Tuchel is under pressure following three defeats in a rowCredit: EPA
Bayern have lost three games on the bounce including a 3-0 thrashing by title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, who are now eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Solskjaer, 50, could join as interim boss if Tuchel is sacked and could then look to bring in high profile stars if he stays long-term.
And he could look to poach talent from former club United to build a new-look Bayern team.
One easy addition would be free agent David de Gea who left Old Trafford last summer after 12 years at the club.
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Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is now 37 and could be approaching retirement with his contract expiring in less than 18 months.
Bayern are in need of defensive reinforcements after shipping three goals in their last two league games, and Solskjaer could look at two United defenders.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire, who were bought for a combined £130million, have found themselves in and out of the team under Erik ten Hag and both would add experience to Bayern.
Maguire could be made available for sale too after coming close to a transfer to West Ham last summer.
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Bayern could have a Prem look if Solskjaer joins
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Solskjaer’s managerial record
Molde (2010-2014) – 69 wins, 26 draws, 31 defeat, 55 per cent win rate
Cardiff (2014) – 9 wins, 5 draws, 16 defeats, 30 per cent win rate
Molde (2015 – 2018) – 66 wins, 19 draws, 33 defeats, 56 per cent win rate
Man Utd (2018 – 2021) – 91 wins, 37 draws, 40 defeats, 54 per cent win rate

Bayern have shown they are happy to explore the Premier League market by adding Harry Kane and Eric Dier to their squad in recent transfer windows.
And they could be keen to snap up Jadon Sancho if the winger impresses in the remainder of his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund this season.
Thomas Tuchel fumes at Bundesliga rule after Bayern Munich’s defeat to Bayer Leverkusen
It appears Sancho has no future at United after falling out with Ten Hag in September, so he will likely be made available for transfer this summer just three years after being signed for £73m.
Fans are keen on the idea of Solskjaer joining Bayern – a team he scored the winner against in the 1999 Champions League final.
One reacted to the rumour saying: “I want this to happen so badly I felt so bad for him for no reason when he left United.”
Another added: “The man ruined Bayern in ’99. Now they want to sub him in to be a hero!”
However one reacted with mockery, writing: “April 1st already I see 🤣” More

BAYERN MUNICH star Joshua Kimmich was involved in a war of words with his assistant boss Zsolt Low as pressure mounts on Thomas Tuchel.The manager is at risk of the sack with Bayern Munich in crisis and his press conference after yesterday’s defeat to Bochum was cancelled at the last minute.
Thomas Tuchel is in danger of losing his jobCredit: Getty
Harry Kane’s goals have not been enough for BayernCredit: AP
Joshua Kimmich was involved in a war of words with Bayern’s assistant managerCredit: Rex
It fuelled speculation that he is set to be axed but reports in Germany suggest the club don’t plan to pull the trigger just yet.
Tuchel has no plans to resign and will fight on.
But Bayern are now in serious danger of having a trophyless season for the first time in 22 years and Harry Kane may not end his career trophy drought.
Tuchel’s side lost the Supercup final at the start of the campaign and crashed out the DFB-Pokal to third tier minnows Saarbrucken in November.
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Now, a disastrous week has left their Bundesliga and Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
They lost to title rivals Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, Lazio then beat them 1-0 in the first leg in Europe and yesterday they were defeated by Bochum 3-2.
Pressure is mounting on Tuchel and there are many calls for him to be sacked.
Several senior Bayern players are believed to have fallen out with him and are raging over the underwhelming performances.
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Kimmich was subbed off last night and as he left the field he got into an altercation with assistant manager Low.
The pair had a heated exchange, shouting at each other as they made their way to the dressing room.
Bayern Munich clash temporarily suspended and players taken off pitch as fans hurl tennis balls on field
Bild claim that an angry Kimmich had to be held back by his team-mates, including captain Manuel Neuer.
On the confrontation, Tuchel said: “I know what was going on. This is not for the public.”
“We are in a football locker room. This is a pretty normal occurrence if kept within limits and it stayed within limits.”
Kimmich’s relationship with the coaches is allegedly “broken”.
Additionally, Leon Goretzka called the current run of results “a never-ending horror film.”
And there are rumours that Matthijs de Ligt is unhappy at Bayern due to his lack of playing time.
This comes a week after Thomas Muller launched a scathing attack on his team-mates after the loss to Leverkusen, claiming they lack “courage” and it’s “not about the coach.”
But The Athletic report that Tuchel has “undermined” his players with his public criticism of them and he doesn’t have a bond with the team.
Although Bayern are ready to stick it out with the manager, they are believed to have already sounded out a return for former boss Hansi Flick.
They are also keen on Leverkusen gaffer Xabi Alonso.
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The highly-rated Spanish boss looks set to be the man that ends Bayern’s dominance of the Bundesliga that has seen them lift the title 11 times in a row.
Leverkusen are eight points clear at the top and have not lost a match this season.
Bayern are in danger of losing their run of 11 straight Bundesliga titlesCredit: Getty More

THOMAS TUCHEL is in danger of being sacked after Bayern Munich suffered a THIRD defeat in eight days to leave their title hopes in tatters.Bochum, who sit in the bottom half of the Bundesliga table, beat the German champions 3-2 in a game interrupted TWICE by fan protests against selling a future stake in the league to a private equity investor.
Harry Kane missed a great chance as Bayern Munich lost yet againCredit: Rex
Thomas Tuchel is now on the brink of being sackedCredit: Reuters
The referee halted the match in both halves as spectators threw tennis balls onto the pitch – one of many protests in German football across the weekend.
But when play resumed Bayern failed to get the job done as they fall eight points adrift of league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Jamal Musiala’s opener was cancelled out by two first-half goals from Bochum duo Takuma Asano and Keven Schlotterbeck.
The quick-fire double came after Harry Kane had a sensational chance to put Bayern 2-0 in front, but he blazed his one-on-one over the crossbar.
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Kevin Stoger made it 3-1 from the penalty spot in the 78th minute as Dayot Upamecano was sent off just four days after being dismissed in their 1-0 defeat to Lazio.
Kane pulled one back for Bayern late on, but it proved to be merely a consolation as the champions lost more ground to Leverkusen in their pursuit of a 12th successive Bundesliga title.
And attention will now turn towards the future of ex-Chelsea boss Tuchel, 50.
A 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Leverkusen last weekend was followed up by the 1-0 loss to Lazio on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
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Another defeat to lowly Bochum will pile even more pressure on the German coach.
Tuchel has won 28 of his 44 games in charge of Bayern since taking over from Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
Harry Kane reacts to Bayern Munich’s shock Champions League defeat
They won the title on the final day of last season, leapfrogging Borussia Dortmund in dramatic circumstances.
But they exited the German Cup to third-tier side Saarbrucken back in November.
And now they look set to miss out on the Bundesliga, while they also have ground to make up in the second leg of their Champions League clash with Lazio. More

BAYERN MUNICH’S defeat to Bochum was temporarily suspended TWICE after fans hurled tennis balls on the pitch.Several games in Germany have been impacted by protests against a private investment firm obtaining part ownership of the top tier.
The players were forced to stop the game for seven minutesCredit: AFP
Bochum fans threw tennis balls onto the pitchCredit: AFP
The referee stopped the match due to the protest
And the domestic champions were the latest to be disrupted on Sunday as their shock 3-2 loss at Bochum was stopped for SEVEN MINUTES.
The referee took both sets of players into the dressing room while the protest was taking place as Harry Kane and Co were led down the tunnel.
They then returned to the field minutes later with Bayern leading 1-0 thanks to a Jamal Musiala goal.
But Bochum came roaring back to lead 2-1 before half-time.
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It was then briefly stopped again shortly after the hour mark as fans disrupted the match once more.
Play resumed within a few minutes of the players heading back down the tunnel.
When they returned, Bochum went 3-1 up before Kane cut the deficit. It wasn’t enough though as Bayern’s poor form continued.
It was the latest in a string of protests from German fans amid reports of a future stake in the league going to a private equity investor.
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On Saturday, the 2. Bundesliga clash between Hansa Rostock and Hamburg was interrupted when remote control cars carrying blue and white flares came onto the pitch.
And on Friday, Werder Bremen’s clash with FC Koln was halted for ten minutes in the second half as fan protests took over.
Matches stopped as remote control cars enter pitches and cause chaos with player booting one and others with flares on
Meanwhile, amid the chaos involving protests, there is also an intriguing title race in the Bundesliga.
Bayern, who are bidding for a 12th successive league title, were thrashed 3-0 by rivals Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
The result extended Leverkusen’s lead over Bayern to five points.
And Xabi Alonso’s men increased that to eight points on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Heidenheim. More

WHEN you leave £60,000 in the back of a taxi you’d imagine it can’t get much worse.Yet it did for Max Kruse in 2016, who ended up building a chicken coop, having a Nutella addiction exposed and being fined by his club all within seven days.
Max Kruse helped build a chicken coop after a strange week
Kruse ended up being dropped from the German national teamCredit: EPA
The disastrous episode all started when the then-Wolfsburg star snuck off to Berlin for a poker tournament.
Kruse is an avid player and previously made the final of a World Series event.
At the tournament in the German capital, the striker competed late into the night and walked away with £60,000 in winnings.
But his first calamity struck when he somehow lost the earnings in a taxi home.
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Kruse, now 35, phoned the police but the money was never recovered.
He managed to keep the incident under wraps for months.
But Wolfsburg, and the German press, eventually found out.
And that led to another financial hit – as Kruse was fined £20,000 as punishment for playing in the first place.
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Now £80,000 down, many would turn to their comfort food.
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But not Kruse, as his peculiar seven days continued when German press then got wind of his addiction to Nutella.
The Germany star had been told by his Bundesliga club to lay off the sugar-rich treat after he had been seen scoffing it at breakfast during a winter training camp.
Leroy Sane PUNCHES TV camera after Bayern Munich concede third goal in devastating defeat to Bayer Leverkusen
Questioned about the two incidents, fuming Wolfsburg chief Klaus Allofs said: “Some people would have never seen so much money in their lives and certainly not in cash.
“There was a conversation between Max, myself and our coach. We explained to him what kind of behaviour we expect from our players in their free time in public.”
On his sweet tooth, Allofs added: “This sort of thing is dealt with internally. Max does need to correct a few things.
“We speak with all of our players. The aim is support them in such a way that will put them in a position to deliver their optimum performance.”
Chicken coop
The week from hell for Kruse was then topped off as he was sent to take part in a community project on behalf of his club.
The 14-time forward was mocked by Bild after being snapped putting on a pair of dungarees to help construct a chicken coop.
By that point, it was all too much for national team manager Joachim Low.
He ranted: “We need players who are focused on football and also understand their role as role models.
“I talked with Max about what I expect from players on and off the pitch. His actions in the last weeks were unprofessional.”
Kruse was never selected for a Germany squad again.
He retired last summer after a lengthy career, having scored 97 Bundesliga goals.
The legend played for the likes of Freiburg, Borussia Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen, Fenerbahce and Union Berlin.
And he’s enjoying more hold’em in his retirement, regularly competing in World Series of Poker Europe events.
Speaking in 2022, after winning an event, Kruse said: “I think this ranks pretty high.
“This is a completely different thing. I’ve been training for soccer my whole life and normally I play (poker) just for fun so it’s nice to know that I’m not that bad. Hopefully, it won’t be the last one.” 
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“I can only play as a hobby right now because of my (soccer) career but we’ll see after my career if I continue playing more poker.”
Kruse is still playing poker and is a regular on the World Series of Poker tourCredit: WORLD SERIES OF POKER More