Tuchel’s midfield selection
Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka have been the first-choice midfielder for Bayern under different coaches in the past few seasons. However, this midfield axis is set to be broken by Thomas Tuchel this season. The German coach is reportedly unsure about getting the balance right in the center of the park by playing Kimmich and Goretzka together.
Konrad Laimer has jumped straight into the starting XI for Tuchel after completing a move to Munich in June. The Austrian midfielder has been started with Kimmich in the center of the park during all pre-season friendly games. This midfield duo also started against RB Leipzig last weekend.
Leon Goretzka had to be content with minutes from the bench. The German midfielder’s future is uncertain at the club, but he remains determined to stay. Meanwhile, Tuchel is pushing for the signing of a new number six. He reportedly plans to use Kimmich in the number eight role.
It will be intriguing to see which midfield pairing eventually becomes the mainstay under Tuchel next season. Considering the importance of dominating midfield battles in the Champions League, Tuchel needs to find the right balance to make sure they don’t falter in the knockout stages next season.