‘Couldn’t agree on terms’: Tuchel confirms Bayern exit

Bayern Munich’s German head coach Thomas Tuchel gestures during the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg between Lazio and Bayern Munich at the Olympic stadium on February 14, 2024 in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Friday he will leave the club at the end of the season, saying he “couldn’t agree on terms” to stay on.

Bayern and Tuchel agreed to part ways in February after the club lost three matches in a row and fell eight points behind eventual champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, where they were narrowly defeated by Real Madrid, along with the club’s failure to secure a replacement for Tuchel, seemingly led to a change of heart among club bosses.

Tuchel confirmed he was in talks about continuing next season, but said would leave after Saturday’s final game against Hoffenheim.

“We will stick to the agreement that we had in February. We had talks, as you reported, but we couldn’t agree on terms,” Tuchel told reporters.

“It’s very difficult. The longer the season went on and the more you experience, the way we played against Arsenal and Real Madrid, it really glues you and the team together.

“These past few weeks were the basis to think about a U-turn, but we couldn’t find an agreement to keep working together and I’m not going to elaborate on details and motivations.

“It stays behind closed doors.”

Tuchel’s original deal was set to run until 2025 before his impending exit was first announced.

German media reported the former Chelsea coach wanted an extension until 2026 should he agree to stay.

Leverkusen’s Bundesliga triumph, with former Bayern player Xabi Alonso as coach, broke Munich’s 11-year stranglehold on the title.

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