The title race in the Bundesliga may take a defining turn on Saturday as Bayern Munich travel to Bay Arena on Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen are leading the points table by two points. They are yet to lose a league game this season, so Bayern have their task cut out in Leverkusen.
The start to Ruckrunde was far from straightforward for Bayern. They succumbed to a defeat against Werder Bremen at Allianz Arena in the second game after the winter break. However, Tuchel’s men have bounced back with three consecutive wins against Union Berlin, Augsburg, and Borussia Monchengladbach.
The defeat against Werder Bremen raised a lot of eyebrows in Germany since it was a defeat at Allianz Arena. Moreover, Bayern never looked like coming back in the game after conceding Bremen's solitary goal. Tuchel was under the spotlight after he couldn’t explain the stark difference between training and game performances.
Tuchel’s future at Bayern became a subject of debate in the German media. There was speculation about his future in Munich. However, the German coach was baffled by the level of scrutiny after the defeat against Werder Bremen. While talking to media on Friday (via iMiaSanMia), Tuchel insisted that scrutiny in the last few weeks was over the top considering how well Bayern performed in Hinrunde.
""We played one of the best half-season in recent years. I don't understand why people aren't happy about that. I don't expect a 4-0 win like in Dortmund every game. We're playing against a lot of 'neutral' fans who want Leverkusen to win the title. But we're playing for our expectations and for the title.""Thomas Tuchel
Bayern have not lost many games this season. They have precisely lost three games across all competitions, but all these defeats have been very damaging for Die Roten’s campaign. The defeat against Saarbrucken in DFB Pokal knocked Bayern out of the competition. Meanwhile, the 5-1 defeat away at Eintracht Frankfurt didn’t paint a good picture of the team and coaching staff.
Tuchel’s men have shown more resilience on the pitch than last season. However, there is still a tendency for complete capitulation. The German coach will hope that his players don’t repeat the same mistake in the latter part of the season.
Apart from the team’s capitulation in a few games, Tuchel has also been criticized for not implementing a fixed style or pattern of play in the last ten months. The criticism around the style of play is harsh since Bayern have played good attacking football on several occasions this season.
A win on Saturday against Bayer Leverkusen will help Tuchel to further silence the critics. Die Roten will be coming into Saturday's game on the back of an impressive win against Borussia Monchengladbach. Considering how Gladbach have troubled Die Roten home and away over the last few seasons, last weekend’s performance and result was massive for the team. It gives them the right sort of momentum before the big game against Bayer Leverkusen.