LAST UPDATE | 21 Feb
BAYERN MUNICH HAVE announced that head coach Thomas Tuchel will leave the club at the end of the season.
Anthony Barry, Tuchel’s assistant manager, is likely to depart too. The highly-rated Barry was part of Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland coaching team, and his name has been linked to the current vacancy for the Ireland job.
Tuchel’s position has come under scrutiny following a woeful run of results that has left the Bundesliga champions facing the prospect of a first season without winning a trophy since 2011-12.
Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen told the club website: “In an open, good conversation we came to the decision to mutually end our collaboration in the summer. Our goal is to carry out a sporting realignment with a new coach for the 2024/25 season.
New direction for the new season: FC Bayern and Thomas Tuchel to end their working relationship in the summer.
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) February 21, 2024
🔗 https://t.co/nKsSeKx3kk pic.twitter.com/1q22LRSMcy
Until then, every individual at the club is expressly called upon to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and Bundesliga.
“I also explicitly hold the team accountable in this regard. In the Champions League in particular, after losing 1-0 in the first leg at Lazio, we are convinced we will reach the quarter-finals at a packed Allianz Arena with our fans behind us.”
Former Chelsea boss Tuchel, who took over in March 2023, said: “We have agreed that we will end our working relationship at the end of this season. Until then, I will of course continue to do everything I can with my coaching staff to achieve maximum success.”
Bayern’s shock 3-2 defeat to Bochum on Sunday meant they lost three games in a row for the first time since 2015.
That followed a 3-0 setback at title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, who now lead the Bundesliga by eight points after 22 rounds of fixtures, and the 1-0 Champions League first-leg loss to Lazio.
Jurgen Klopp, who is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, and Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso have been suggested as possible successors to Tuchel at the Allianz Arena.
Former Bayern and Liverpool midfielder Alonso has also been strongly linked to succeeding Klopp at Anfield.
