MUNICH: New Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Saturday he faces a challenging start to his new job after his surprise hiring Friday to replace Julian Nagelsmann.
Tuchel goes straight into crucial games, starting with German title rival — and Tuchel’s former club — Borussia Dortmund on April 1. “The challenge can’t be any greater,” Tuchel said.
Ten days later, Bayern play Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. There will be little time to rest or practice new tactics, with many Bayern players currently away with their national teams and then seven games in the first 22 days of April. “I was relatively naive in the first conversation (with Bayern).
In the first 30 seconds I didn’t know what we were discussing or what it was about,” Tuchel said. Once it became clear Bayern wanted him to take charge immediately, “it occurred to me that it actually begins right away with Dortmund with an international break beforehand.” Bayern against Dortmund is “the” game in German soccer, he added.