Tuchel: ‘Lazio did not win, Bayern Munich lost it’

Thomas Tuchel ‘cannot explain’ why Bayern Munich lost confidence so drastically, but suggests they ‘lost the game, I’m not sure Lazio won it.’

The coach was already under very strong pressure after a 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend that left them five points adrift of the Bundesliga leaders.

They only managed one shot on target in that game and did even worse at the Stadio Olimpico, failing to ever trouble Ivan Provedel.

The German giants had not played a Champions League match without a shot on target since the 0-0 with Liverpool in the 2018-19 Round of 16.

“We’re frustrated and angry about the defeat. I think we lost the game, I’m not sure Lazio won it. I’m not sure why we lost our conviction in the second half, but we did, and then we fell behind,” Tuchel told UEFA and Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“I can’t explain it because we told the team to maintain their intensity and be even braver going forward, but we seemed to lose face at the start of the half.”

The turning point saw Dayot Upamecano give away a penalty and receive a red card for his studs-up challenge on Gustav Isaksen’s ankle, allowing Ciro Immobile to send Manuel Neuer the wrong way and convert from the spot.

“We did everything possible to lose this game. It was in our hands. At a certain point, we stopped believing. There were many individual errors too.”

Bayern Munich had not lost to an Italian side in 13 Champions League games, since their 3-2 defeat to Inter in 2011.

Tuchel was asked if he was worried about his own future on the bench.

“No.”

Meanwhile, the club released a statement on social media condemning “racist abuse” aimed at Upamecano from their own supporters.

#ChampionsLeague | #BayernMonaco, #Tuchel: "Abbiamo fatto di tutto per perdere questa partita, era nelle nostre mani. A un certo punto abbiamo smesso di crederci. Se sono preoccupato per il mio futuro? No"https://t.co/fyDpNxKflr

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) February 14, 2024