Thomas Tuchel now needs a good friend
FC Bayern start the new year with a public training session. There is a lot for the Munich team to do in January. The record champions must attack from second place in the table with a squad that has recently been in the "red zone". Coach Thomas Tuchel needs reinforcements, but none are yet in sight.
Thomas Tuchel did not have overly high expectations of himself. "No sugar, sport every day," replied the Bayern Munich coach when asked about his New Year's resolutions, before adding with a grin: "Everything will be broken by 2 January at the latest." Although Tuchel did not make a direct connection with the start of Munich's training session, it is at least not out of the question that he might reach for something sweet in the stressful weeks ahead.
After all, the record champions are facing an eventful January. With the start of training, the professionals around Harry Kane and Thomas Müller will return to their busy everyday lives after almost two weeks of Christmas vacation. For the management team led by sporting director Christoph Freund, on the other hand, the focus behind the scenes is on building Tuchel's squad for the hot phase of the season. To put it bluntly, Tuchel needs a good friend.
The fact that the squad is too thin for Munich's ambitious goals became clear once again at the end of last year. After the absences of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, Tuchel had to improvise more than ever in the last two games. Despite convincing performances from youngsters Aleksandar Pavlovic and Raphaël Guerreiro, the 50-year-old saw his team "in the red".
Two defenders missing in the first few weeks
According to reports, at least one defender should ease the personnel situation somewhat - preferably one who can defend both inside and out on the right. In addition, they are probably still looking for a defensive midfielder (Joao Palhinha?) at Säbener Straße. However, the priority is the defense - also because of the continental tournaments in Asia and Africa.
Min-Jae Kim, who played in the center of defence in the first half of the season, and right-back Noussair Mazraoui, who is currently injured anyway, will be missing until mid-February in the "worst" case scenario, which means up to six games including the summit clash with Bayer 04. This means that two positions are vacant for an indefinite period of time - which is why Bayern are forced to act, especially in view of the championship battle with Bayer Leverkusen. The record champions are currently four points behind super coach Xabi Alonso's team with one game to go.
But Munich do not have too much time left. The record champions travel to FC Basel for a dress rehearsal on January 6 and then host TSG Hoffenheim in their first competitive match of 2024 on the 12th to round off the first half of the season. There should be more clarity by then at the latest. Bayern will then prepare for the second half of the season in a short training camp in Faro, Portugal (January 14-18). After all, they still have a long way to go in the Champions League, but in January the focus will initially be entirely on the league.
With three games in seven days, including the catch-up match against Union Berlin, Munich will end the first month of the new year. In view of this program, Tuchel will probably also be looking for reinforcements as quickly as possible - otherwise the sugar abstinence will probably not work out.
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Source: www.ntv.de
