Bayern Munich on Wednesday announced that former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will be leaving his role as the head coach of the club at the end of the season following runs of bad results.
Back-to-back Bundesliga defeats to Bayer Leverkusen, Bochum and first-leg setback against Lazio in the UEFA Champions League last-16 could have cost Tuchel his job.
Bayern suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Leverkusen and were also beaten 1-0 by Lazio in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at Bochum was their third in a row in all competitions.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said both parties agreed to mutually part ways after a closed-door conversation.
“FC Bayern Munich and head coach Thomas Tuchel have jointly decided to end their working relationship, which was originally set to run until 30 June 2025, on 30 June 2024,” Jan-Christian Dreesen said as reported on Bayern website.
“This is the outcome of a constructive discussion between CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and Thomas Tuchel.
“Our goal is to carry out a sporting realignment with a new coach for the 2024-25 season,” he added.
“Until then, every individual in the club is expressly challenged to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and the Bundesliga.
“I also explicitly hold the team responsible. Especially in the Champions League, we are convinced after the defeat at Lazio we will advance to the quarter-finals with our fans behind us.”
The 50-year-old took the Bayern job in March 2023 on a deal until June 2025, replacing the sacked Julian Nagelsmann
Tuchel led Chelsea to Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup titles during an 18-month spell from 2021 to 2022,
He also won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain and took them to the Champions League final.
He led Bayern to last season’s Bundesliga title after taking over in the spring but they now sit eight points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen after back-to-back league defeats.
The German tactician, who led Chelsea to a Champions League win in 2021, oversaw a quarter-final defeat at the hands of eventual winners Manchester City in Europe last season.
