Bayern confirm Tuchel as manager after sacking Nagelsmann | Why now?

Julian Nagelsmann has been sacked by Bayern Munich, with Thomas Tuchel confirmed as his successor.

The Bundesliga champions are struggling domestically this season and lie second behind Borussia Dortmund.

Nagelsmann, who has not been at the training ground this week, is understood to have lost his job because the team has gone backwards in the league and the hierarchy have not seen enough player development.

Players and bosses at Bayern were also surprised to see that the 35-year-old was on a skiing holiday this week at such a pivotal time as they feel it sends the wrong signal, according to Sky in Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.


Saturday 1st April 5:20pm


Kick off 5:30pm

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Sky Sports Football HD

Tuchel, 49, has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in September under the new ownership of Todd Boehly.

The 49-year-old, who has been living in Munich for some weeks, has previously managed Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern’s players were already aware earlier in the week that Tuchel would be their new manager.

The former Chelsea boss is expected to take his opening training session on Monday with his first game set to be against former club Dortmund, who sit top of the table, on April 1 – live on Sky Sports.

Tuchel convinced the Bayern hierarchy with his plans for the club and his track-record of managing high-profile players like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

The German club have won 10 consecutive Bundesliga titles and they face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals next month.

The tie sees Pep Guardiola take on his former side with the winners set to face Real Madrid or Chelsea for a place in the final.

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Bayer Leverkusen forward Amine Adli was incredibly given two yellow cards for simulation on two separate occasions against Bayern Munich and had them both overturned and given as penalties as Leverkusen won 2-1

But Bayern’s poor Bundesliga form has left the club feeling the need to act to avoid losing their crown.

Nagelsmann won 60 of his 84 games in charge since taking over in July 2021 but has lifted just one Bundesliga trophy and two German Super Cups across his tenure.

Bayern lost 2-1 against Bayer Leverkusen before the international break and host Dortmund in Der Klassiker when they return to domestic action. They would slip four points behind Edin Terzic’s side if they were beaten.

CEO Oliver Kahn told the club website: “When we signed Julian Nagelsmann for FC Bayern in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis – and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end.

“Julian shares our aspiration to play successful and attractive football. But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often.”

Why Bayern moved swiftly to secure Tuchel

Bayern slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Leverkusen
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Bayern slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen

Sky in Germany’s Bayern Munich reporter Uli Kohler:

“This was a surprise for everyone. Even Julian Nagelsmann was completely surprised when he heard he would be sacked.

“It was a journalist that asked, ‘Do you know that you will be sacked tomorrow?’, and he said, ‘No, I only got a phone call that I have to show up today at the headquarters”.

“It was the last 10 games, Bayern won only five. This is a record that is not suiting to Bayern Munich. There have been rumours for a long time that he doesn’t get on with the bosses.

“Nagelsmann is a very good coach as you can see in the Champions League. They won all the games against Barcelona in the group stage and PSG [in the knockouts] with clean sheets.

“Next weekend is Der Klassiker against Dortmund. It is the most important game because Dortmund is the number one team in the table, with Bayern one point behind.

“With all of these things together, no one could understand the decision.

“But the Bayern bosses were not convinced that he could solve Bayern’s problems, which I cannot understand.

“One thing which is very important – Thomas Tuchel will be the new coach. He has so many offers from Tottenham and Real Madrid, so Bayern thought they had to do it now because if something goes wrong in the summer he will not be available anymore.

“But sacking Nagelsmann is a very risky thing.”

Spurs assessing options in case Conte leaves | Keeping an eye on Nagelsmann

Bayern's head coach Julian Nagelsmann, center reacts at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich at the Borussia Park in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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Could Nagelsmann be heading to Tottenham if Antonio Conte leaves?

Tottenham are assessing managerial options if Antonio Conte leaves the club. The Italian’s future is uncertain following his outburst after the 3-3 draw at Southampton and it is thought Spurs’ hierarchy are considering a number of managers to succeed Conte.

That includes keeping an eye on Nagelsmann, who on Friday was sacked as Bayern Munich manager and replaced Tuchel.

Interestingly, Nagelsmann is someone Tottenham have looked at twice before when recruiting a new manager. Tuchel is another man Tottenham sounded out – but they quickly became aware he wanted to take on the Bayern job.

Live Bundesliga football on Sky Sports | Bayern host Dortmund

The Bundesliga title race is reaching its conclusion and Bayern Munich host rivals Borussia Dortmund after the international break – follow the second half of the season live on Sky Sports.

Confirmed Bundesliga fixtures live on Sky Sports

Saturday April 1: Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 2: Cologne vs Borussia Monchengladbach, kick-off 2.30pm, live on Sky Sports Mix

Sunday April 2: Werder Bremen vs Hoffenheim, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports Mix

Saturday April 8: Hertha Berlin vs RB Leipzig, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 9: Borussia Monchengladbach vs Wolfsburg, kick-off 2.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 9: Bochum vs Stuttgart, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 9: Hoffenheim vs Schalke, kick-off 6.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Friday April 14: Schalke vs Hertha Berlin, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the Sky Sports app and Sky Sports’ YouTube channel

Saturday April 15: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Monchengladbach, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 16: Werder Bremen vs Freiburg, kick-off 2.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 16: Union Berlin vs Bochum, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 16: Wolfsburg vs Bayer Leverkusen, kick-off 6.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Friday April 21: Augsburg vs Stuttgart, kick-off 7.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Saturday April 22: Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 23: Freiburg vs Schalke, kick-off 2.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 23: Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Sunday April 23: Borussia Monchengladbach vs Union Berlin, kick-off 6.30pm, live on the Sky Sports app and Sky Sports’ YouTube channel

Bayern set to sack Nagelsmann | Tuchel to be appointed

Julian Nagelsmann is on the verge of being sacked by Bayern Munich, with Thomas Tuchel set to take over from him, according to Sky in Germany.

The Bundesliga champions are struggling domestically this season and lie second behind Borussia Dortmund.

Nagelsmann, who hasn’t been at the training ground this week, will meet with Bayern bosses on Friday when he will be officially informed of the decision.


Saturday 1st April 5:20pm


Kick off 5:30pm

Sky Sports Football HD
Sky Sports Football HD

Tuchel, 49, has been out of work since being sacked by the Stamford Bridge club in September under the new ownership of Todd Boehly.

Tuchel, who has been living in Munich for some weeks, has previously managed Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern’s players are already aware that Tuchel will be their new manager.

Bayern slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Leverkusen
Image:
Bayern slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Leverkusen

The German giants have won 10 consecutive Bundesliga titles and they face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals next month.

The tie sees Pep Guardiola take on his former side with the winners set to face Real Madrid or Chelsea for a place in the final.

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Bayer Leverkusen forward Amine Adli was incredibly was given two yellow cards for simulation on two separate occasions against Bayern Munich and had them BOTH overturned and given as penalties as Leverkusen won 2-1.

But Bayern’s poor Bundesliga form has left the Bavarians feeling the need to act to avoid losing their crown.

Nagelsmann has won 60 of his 84 games in charge since taking over in July 2021 but has lifted just one Bundesliga trophy and two German Super Cups across his tenure.

Bayern slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Leverkusen before the international break and host Dortmund in Der Klassiker when they return to domestic action. They would slip four points behind Edin Terzic’s side if they were beaten.

Potter’s Chelsea to face Real Madrid, Pep’s City drawn with Bayern

Graham Potter’s Chelsea have been paired with Champions League holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, while Pep Guardiola faces a reunion with former club Bayern Munich for Manchester City.

Both Premier League sides will meet each other in the semi-final, should both Chelsea and City advance through their last-eight ties.

Meanwhile, there will be an all-Italian derby in the quarter-finals as Serie A champions AC Milan face current leaders Napoli, while Inter Milan will take on Benfica.

Champions League quarter-final draw in full:

First legs on April 11 or April 12, second legs April 18 or April 19

Real Madrid vs Chelsea

Benfica vs Inter Milan

Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

AC Milan vs Napoli

Champions League semi-final draw in full:

First legs on May 9 or May 10, second legs May 16 or May 17

AC Milan or Napoli vs Benfica or Inter Milan

Real Madrid or Chelsea vs Manchester City or Bayern Munich

Chelsea played Real Madrid in the Champions League last season
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Chelsea played Real Madrid in the Champions League last season

The first legs of the quarter-finals will take place on April 11 and 12, with the return fixtures on April 18 and 19.

Meanwhile, the semi-final first-legs are due to happen on May 9 and May 10, with the return legs on May 16 and May 17.

Chelsea beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on aggregate in their last-16 tie, but now face a major task to reach the last four against holders Real.

The Blues exited last season’s Champions League to Real at the same stage – losing the first-leg 3-1 at Stamford Bridge before putting in a valiant outing at the Santiago Bernabeu,

Chelsea, then managed by Thomas Tuchel, went 3-0 up to lead the tie but goals from Rodrygo and Karim Benzema – the latter strike coming in extra-time – saw the Blues crash out 5-4 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, Man City manager Guardiola will face a familiar foe in former side Bayern – the club he won seven major titles with between 2013 and 2016, including three Bundesliga titles.

City and Bayern also have a connection through Joao Cancelo, who will be able to play against his parent club after moving on loan to the German side, with an option to make the deal permanent for around £60m.

Medhi Benatia (left) clashes with Pep Guardiola during Bayern Munich's Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on March 5, 2016
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Pep Guardiola managed Bayern Munich between 2013 and 2016

Should Chelsea and City go on to meet each other in the Champions League last four, it will lead to six meetings between the two clubs in this season alone.

Both Premier League clubs were paired against each other in the third rounds of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup earlier this season.

Potter excited by Madrid test but focused on Everton

Chelsea boss Graham Potter is excited by the prospect of facing reigning champions Real Madrid in the last eight but insists his focus is firmly on this weekend’s Premier League clash with Everton.

The Blues were drawn against the reigning champions in Friday’s draw, with the winners facing Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semis.

It follows footage of Potter earlier this week drawing cheers from Chelsea supporters at a fan event by saying they would try to “win the ******* Champions League”.

“Well, I said we would try to win the Champions League and that’s the same I’m sure for the other seven clubs as well,” he said at his press conference.

“The other clubs will say you can lose in the quarter-final, because that’s the nature of the Champions League.

“We’ll focus on Real Madrid when we get there but at the moment it’s Everton.

“The feeling is excited but as I said, I’d rather speak about Everton because that game is tomorrow and the other stuff is a long way away.”

Can Cancelo face Man City?

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (left) and Joao Cancelo, who has played down suggestions a rift with Guardiola prompted his surprise deadline-day loan move to Bayern Munich.
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Joao Cancelo left Guardiola’s Man City to join Bayern Munich on loan in Janua

Manchester City have confirmed that Cancelo is eligible to face them.

Cancelo joined Bayern Munich on loan in January after becoming dissatisfied with his number of minutes at City.

Since moving to the Allianz Arena, the Portuguese international has started four out of Bayern’s six Bundesliga matches – but only played 49 minutes of their two-legged victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16.

Opta stats on Chelsea and Man City draws

  • Chelsea have only lost one of their seven games against Real Madrid in European competition – indeed, they have the lowest percentage of losses against Real Madrid (14%) of any side to have played them 5+ times in Europe.
  • Chelsea’s only defeat in seven matches against Real Madrid in Europe came in their most recent one at Stamford Bridge, losing 1-3 in the 2021-22 quarter-final first leg.
  • Real Madrid have won their last four UEFA Champions League ties against English sides, beating Chelsea in last season’s quarter-final, Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals and Liverpool in last season’s final and this season’s round of 16.
  • All six previous meetings between Man City and Bayern Munich came in the UEFA Champions League group stages (2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15), with each side winning three times.
  • This will be Pep Guardiola’s first meeting with Bayern Munich since leaving the club. His only managerial games against them came in the 2008-09 Champions League quarter-finals, knocking them out with Barcelona en route to lifting the trophy.
  • Man City have progressed from all four of their previous UEFA Champions League knockout ties against German clubs, including one quarter-final (2020-21 v Borussia Dortmund).

Who will Man City and Chelsea face in Friday’s CL quarter-final and semi-final draws?

With Man City and Chelsea through to the Champions League quarter-finals, find out when the draw for the last eight and the semi-finals will take place, who will be involved, and who the Premier league sides could face…

Manchester City and Chelsea are the English sides through to the quarter-finals after overcoming Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on aggregate and RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate respectively in the last-16.

Chelsea's Raheem Sterling, left, shoots to score his sides first goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Chelsea FC and Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge, London, Tuesday March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
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Chelsea defeated Borussia Dortmund in the last 16

However, Liverpool and Tottenham will not be involved in the draw after round of 16 defeats to Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Brahim Diaz of AC Milan celebrates with team-mate Theo Hernandez (R) after scoring vs Spurs
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AC Milan knocked out Tottenham to reach the quarter-finals

Bayern Munich and Benfica are also through, with Inter Milan and Napoli joining them in the last eight.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the quarter-final and semi-final draws…

When are the quarter-final and semi-final draws?

The draws take place at 11am UK time on Friday March 17 in Nyon, Switzerland at UEFA’s headquarters.

You can follow the draw with Sky Sports’ live blog, so you can keep across everything right here.

How do the draws work?

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The Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draws take place on Friday at 11am

The eight last-16 winners are involved in an open quarter-final and semi-final draw.

There are no seedings and no country protection, so clubs can face opposition from the same country. They can also draw teams they previously played in the group stage.

A final draw will also take place to determine the ‘home’ side for administrative reasons for the showpiece event in Istanbul, Turkey on June 10.

Who will be in the quarter-final and semi-final draws?

  • AC Milan
  • Bayern Munich
  • Benfica
  • Chelsea
  • Manchester City
  • Inter Milan
  • Napoli
  • Real Madrid

When are the quarter-finals?

The first legs of the quarter-finals will be played Tuesday April 11 and Wednesday April 12.

The second legs will be played Tuesday April 18 and Wednesday April 19.

When are the semi-finals?

The first legs of the semi-finals will be held on May 9 and 10, and the second legs on May 16 and 17.

When is the final?

The final takes place on June 10 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.