Leon Goretzka is still undecided about his future.
Munich, the ‘German stronghold’. After 11 consecutive league titles, the Bavarians are looking to win the league again this season, but it’s hard to tell if they’re the same team. They’ve already failed to win the Super Cup and the Pokal, and are second in the league behind Bayer Leverkusen. There’s still time left on the schedule, but the gap between them and Leverkusen is a whopping seven points. With Leverkusen having played one game less, Munich’s chances of an upset are even less likely. They’re even in a “crisis of indifference” following their shock loss to Lazio in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
Most of the blame is pointed at head coach Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel, who took over from Julian Nagelsmann last season, hasn’t been able to bring the same tactical flair that he had at Chelsea. This season, Tuchel has added Harry Kane and Kim Min-Jae to his squad, but his tactical flair has disappeared even further.
It’s not just the results. Tuchel has been embroiled in several feuds this season. Matthijs de Ligt, who has lost out to Kim Min-jae, Dayo Upakemano, and even Eric Dier, has publicly expressed his frustration with Tuchel’s decisions. After the last match against Leverkusen, Tuchel was accused of saying to the squad, “You’re not good enough, I’ll beat you.” While this was of course untrue, the mere fact that the controversy arose shows just how low the mood in Munich had fallen.
There’s another player who doesn’t get along with Tuchel. The main one is Goretzka. “The relationship between Goretzka and Tuchel is not that good,” according to Bayern News World, a Munich-based publication.
He was recently linked with a move to Juventus. However, he hasn’t decided on his future yet. He wants to wait to see who replaces Tuchel before deciding. According to Toby Altchapel of German outlet 토토 Bild, Juventus have Goretzka on their transfer list, but the player hasn’t thought about a move yet and will wait to see who the next coach is.
Meanwhile, there is also the possibility of an “early sacking” of Tuchel. European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media on Wednesday, “Munich believe Tuchel will be in charge against Lazio. But the game will be important. The Munich board wants the team to reach the UCL quarterfinals. If not, there is a possibility that Tuchel will be sent packing.”