Thomas Tuchel, manager of Bayern Munich, looks on during the Bundesliga game against VfL Bochum at Ruhrstadion in Bochum, Germany, February 18, 2024. /CFP
Thomas Tuchel, manager of Bayern Munich, told reporters that they can reverse the situation despite the club's current struggle after the 3-2 loss to VfL Bochum at Ruhrstadion in Bochum, Germany, on Sunday.
Jamal Musiala scored in the 14th minute of the game for Bayern to lead 1-0 early, but Takuma Asano, Keven Schlotterbeck and Kevin Stoger got three goals for Bochum from the 38th to the 85th minute. The third one was a penalty kick resulted in a foul by Dayot Upamecano. It also earned him the second yellow card which threw him out of the game.
Harry Kane scored Bayern's second goal in the 94th minute, but it was not enough to change the result.
Keven Schlotterbeck (C) of VfL Bochum scores a header in the Bundesliga game against Bayern Munich at Ruhrstadion in Bochum, Germany, February 18, 2024. /CFP
Bayern had lost to Lazio in the UEFA Champions League and Leverkusen in the Bundesliga before Sunday's game. They hadn't suffered three straight losses since 2015, until now. The German powerhouse is eight points behind the undefeated Leverkusen after 22 games, dimming their hopes of winning the Bundesliga title this season.
"If you ask me, if I firmly still believe me and coaching staff can turn things around – yes," Tuchel said after Sunday's loss. "Growing pressure? That happens after every defeat. But today we never stopped, never stopped trying."
Tuchel took over Bayern in March 2023, replacing Julian Nagelsmann in a very sudden decision by Bayern, but he has faced criticism ever since his appointment. The club's recent disappointing performances raised the rumor of him likely being fired, but Bayern's CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen told reporters that Tuchel will be in charge for at least their next game against RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich leaves the field after receiving the second yellow card in the Bundesliga game against VfL Bochum at Ruhrstadion in Bochum, Germany, February 18, 2024. /CFP
"I am not a fan of monstrous coach-backing statements – they usually run out after a week," Dreesen said. "But this [Tuchel's future] is not an issue we are dealing with at the moment. We have to focus on our next matches."
Leon Goretzka, who assisted Bayern's first goal against Bochum, compared their three-game losing streak to a horror movie.
"It feels like a horror movie that is not ending. Everything is going against us at the moment," Goretzka said. "We can again sit here and say we started well. But now you feel stupid to limit yourself to half an hour. In the end we tried everything, so you can't blame us."