BERLIN – Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said his side cannot afford to be patient in the Champions League last-16, second leg against Lazio on March 5 as they attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit at home.
“The time is on Lazio’s side. We’ve got no time to lose. We can’t be patient if it’s just about keeping ball possession. We have just 90 minutes,” he said on March 4.
“We can’t take time to wait for our first attack or pass to the other side instead of taking an opportunity.
“We need to play with a cool head but we need to play to score goals.”
In February, Bayern announced Tuchel will leave the club at the end of the season, less than a year after replacing the sacked Julian Nagelsmann.
Winners of the past 11 league titles in a row, Bayern are second and 10 points behind Bayer Leverkusen with 10 games to play.
With Bayern’s hopes in the Bundesliga fast disappearing, bringing the Champions League trophy to Munich may be the club’s last chance to avoid a first trophyless season since 2012.
Despite a promise from the club’s hierarchy that he will see out the season, German media reports the notoriously prickly coach could be out of a job as soon as March 5, depending on the side’s performance.
Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, a year after he took Paris Saint-Germain to the 2020 final, which they lost to Bayern.
“Talking about titles does not bring you titles – you need to show evidence every day,” said the 50-year-old.
“We need to show our unity at training today and a good game minute by minute tomorrow. Everything else will just hinder us.”
Calling himself a “bad loser”, Tuchel said “in the last weeks it has been difficult to see the positive side of the job”.
He added: “Things are not ‘usual’, but it’s football. It’s my big love, my big passion.”
Tuchel also lauded star striker Harry Kane, who has shone despite Bayern’s struggles, with 31 goals in 32 games in all competitions since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
“There’s not 1 per cent doubt about what he does and how he behaves. Harry has an impact for every team he plays for and on every player.
“He will perform tomorrow. We can rely on him 100 per cent.”
Six-time champions Bayern have played in Europe’s top competition 40 times, failing to reach the quarter-finals on only six occasions.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt said on March 4: “We are in the s**t. We all know it – but we’re in this phase together and we need to get out of it together.”
“Football is never only beautiful,” the 24-year-old added. “Sometimes you just have difficult phases.”
De Ligt played one season under Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri at Juventus and said he was familiar with the Italian’s style.
“I learnt a lot from him. I was influenced by his tactics and that can help, of course.” AFP
