Bayern Munich resumes Bundesliga title race after Champions League ouster

A few weeks ago, Bayern Munich was in the run for a treble as they were in the title race for the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, and DFB-Pokal. Then came the very surprising decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann, a manager who had seen them lose just three times all season before his dismissal and an unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League.

However, since sacking him and replacing him with Thomas Tuchel, Bayern Munich has lost four of their first seven games under the former Borussia Dortmund manager. If the DFB-Pokal exit in the hands of Freiburg isn’t as painful as it was Tuchel’s first game, the subsequent UEFA Champions League performances and eventual exit of the Bavarians hurts to the bone.

Bayern Munich was knocked out by Manchester City 41 on aggregate after beating them 3-0 in the first leg at Etihad Stadium before holding them to a win-win draw at Allianz Arena on Wednesday the result means that Bayern Munich can now only win the Bundesliga, where they lead with two points ahead of Borussia Dortmund.

There isn’t a better time for Bayern Munich and Thomas Tuchel to be more consistent and win games than now, when they have no other engagements to distract them from the Bundesliga title.

The league leaders have a game against Mainz away from home on Saturday; Bayern Munich must do all they can to put behind their recent troubles and focus on tightening their grip on the title and winning their 11th consecutive Bundesliga crown.

It will be self-destructive to think Bayern will win their fixture at Mainz as they have only won once out of their three visits to Mewa Arena, which was a 4-0 win in the DFB Pokal. This means Bayern are yet to win there since 2020, and with Mainz unbeaten at home in their last five with three wins and two draws, Tuchel may need to draw Mane and Sane closer if he doesn’t want their season to go further insane.

Akinnifesi Olumide