Bayern hire Tuchel to replace Nagelsmann

MUNICH, March 25, (AP): Bayern Munich hired Thomas Tuchel as coach to replace Julian Nagelsmann after losing the lead of the Bundesliga and ahead of a potentially titledeciding game.

Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn blamed “big fluctuations in performance” and said the squad wasn’t showing its true potential under Nagelsmann.

Tuchel will take over training from Monday with a contract until the end of the 2024-25 season. His first game in charge will be a “Klassiker” against Borussia Dortmund on April 1 that could play a key role in the title race.

The decision to remove Nagelsmann came after the team lost at Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, dropping to second place, a point behind Dortmund.

“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,” Kahn said.

“After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now.”

Bayern’s domestic league form over the last two months has been mixed, but the removal of Nagelsmann was widely seen as a surprise, especially following an assured win over Paris SaintGermain this month to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. In a sign of loyalty to Nagelsmann within the squad, midfielder Joshua Kimmich praised him as an “outstanding” coach on Friday.

Tuchel led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 and previously coached PSG - with whom he lost the 2020 Champions League final to Bayern - and Dortmund.