Bayern's CB Matthijs de Ligt: Players responsible for Tuchel's exit

Matthijs de Ligt, center-back of Bayern Munich, told reporters on Monday that the club's players are responsible for the exit of their manager, Thomas Tuchel, at the end of the 2023-23 season.

Tuchel was appointed to succeed Julian Nagelsmann as Bayern's boss in March 2023. After winning their 11th straight Bundesliga title last season, the Germany heavyweights find themselves struggling in their 2023-24 campaign. They are 10 points behind the Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen after 24 games and are unlikely to defend the title.

Bayern have been performing poorly in the UEFA Champions League as well. They lost to Lazio 1-0 in the first-leg game of the Round of 16 in February. The club then announced that Tuchel will step down after the 2023-24 season.

"We players are responsible (for the situation). We do everything together," De Ligt said. "When the coach has to go, then we also have to say we didn't do well. We're in this spell together and have to come out of it together. That's why tomorrow is a hugely important game."

De Ligt joined Bayern in July 2022 from Juventus in a 67-million-euro (about $76.7 million) transfer. He has since won one Bundesliga championship and one DFB Pokal title with the club. He made only 19 appearances for Bayern this season, partly because of injuries.

Bayern will host Lazio at the Allianz Arena in Tuesday's second-leg game of the Champions League Round of 16. Judging by the fact that they are so far behind Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and have already been eliminated from the DFB Pokal, the Champions League may be Bayern's only hope for winning a trophy this season.

"Talking about titles doesn't win you titles," Tuchel said. "We need to train well today and play well tomorrow. We have enough things we can do better. We definitely need a stadium full of emotion. That's on us to pass on that emotion to the stands. We need a top performance."