Thomas Tuchel bemoans ‘slapstick’ Bayern Munich performance

ROME – Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel described his side’s performance as “slapstick” in the

1-0 defeat by Lazio on Feb 14

that leaves them with a tough task to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Ciro Immobile’s 67th-minute penalty proved the difference in the first leg of the last-16 tie in Rome.

“In the first half, we had to take the lead. We had three clear chances. We have to do these things,” Tuchel told DAZN.

The second half was “characterised by uncertainty again”, he said, adding: “It was a bit slapstick.”

Bayern were hamstrung by the dismissal of Dayot Upamecano, who was shown a red card for crashing into Gustav Isaksen in the box and conceding the penalty which Immobile converted.

Bayern blasted racist insults directed at the France defender on social media in the aftermath.

“FC Bayern strongly condemn the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media,” said the German champions on X. “Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club.”

Immobile’s strike came days after he netted his 200th top-flight goal in Italy and allowed a raucous home crowd to dream of a first quarter-final in Europe’s top competition in 24 years.

“We prepared for this match so that we could give Bayern a game. Even if we’d had only a 10 per cent chance, the team would have given everything on the pitch,” the 33-year-old told Amazon Prime Video.

“We wanted to give our supporters a good night and I think we’ve done that.”

Lazio won the Italian title the last time they reached the quarter-finals in 2000, when they fell to Valencia.

And in order to emulate that star-studded team that featured the likes of Juan Sebastian Veron, Marcelo Salas and Sinisa Mihajlovic, Maurizio Sarri’s side still need to hold out in Bavaria on March 5.

However, Bayern are in a slump and a toothless display in Rome where they did not have a single shot on target will do nothing to help embattled coach Tuchel.

“We made a lot of individual mistakes and we conceded a penalty and red card from out of absolutely nothing,” he said after the match.

“With the performance we did everything to lose this game, which was completely in our hands.”

The defeat followed the 3-0 reverse against Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Feb 10 which left them five points off the pace.

But asked if he feared for his job, Tuchel said simply: “No.”

Bayern created early chances for Joshua Kimmich and Harry Kane, who both missed the target.

The Italians, who lost 6-2 on aggregate to Bayern at this stage of the competition in 2021, responded with a fierce Luis Alberto strike that flew wide of Manuel Neuer’s goal.

The tempo gradually dropped. Bayern struggled with the disciplined Italian backline and had to wait until the 40th minute to threaten again when Jamal Musiala fired over the bar from close range.

Two minutes after the restart, Isaksen had only Neuer to beat, but the goalkeeper stood his ground to block his shot.

The Dane then made amends by winning the penalty when Upamecano arrived late in the box and stepped on his ankle.

England striker Kane admitted Bayern were suffering a “really tough week”.

“We’re in a difficult spell. We have to fight. We have to turn it around. We have big games and big things to fight for,” Kane told TNT Sports.

“We’re not out of it, we will never give up. One game or spark can turn it around.”

AFP, REUTERS