As their top choice to succeed Thomas Tuchel as manager, Bayern Munich has set their sights on Xabi Alonso.
After a dismal sequence of results, the German powerhouses announced that the former manager of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain would step down after the current season.
After Julian Nagelsmann was shockingly fired midway through the previous season, Tuchel joined Bayern and helped the team narrowly win the Bundesliga.
With Harry Kane joining in the summer, Tuchel was supposed to construct a team that could rule the local scene and mount a serious challenge for Champions League glory.
Alonso’s rejuvenated Bayer Leverkusen is now eight points ahead of Bayern in the title fight after the German team had a stellar start to the season.
Bayern’s prospects of qualifying for Europe now hang precariously after a narrow loss to Lazio in the away leg of their last 16 Champions League tie. As a result, rumors about Tuchel’s future have reached a boiling point.
To shed light on the matter, Bayern has now officially announced that the 50-year-old will leave his position in the summer. Chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen stated, ‘After a candid and constructive dialogue, we have decided to part ways in the summer.
For the 2024–2025 season, we intend to implement a sporting realignment under a new coach. Up until that point, every member of the team is specifically tasked with doing their absolute best in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
I also hold the team members directly accountable. We are confident that, with the support of our supporters, we will move to the quarterfinals in our sold-out Allianz Arena following the 0-1 loss in the first leg against Lazio, particularly in the Champions League.
“We have decided that we will terminate our partnership after this season,” Tuchel continued. Naturally, my coaching staff and I will keep working tirelessly to guarantee the greatest possible success up to that point.
Sky Germany reports that Alonso, who spent three years playing for Bayern at the end of his career, has already been in contact with the club.
However, the Spaniard has told Bayern that, at this point, he doesn’t really plan to think about his future and is only focused on leading Leverkusen to an unexpected championship win.
Liverpool, who are eager to name Alonso as their manager in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s unexpected decision to step down after nine trophy-filled years at Anfield, will give Bayern serious competition.
Although Klopp won’t be involved in the hiring process, he seemed to support Alonso’s qualifications last week when he praised him as one of the most interesting coaching prospects in world football right now.
“Xabi is performing exceptionally well,” Klopp remarked on Friday before Liverpool’s trip to Brentford.
“Oh my God!” would have been my response if you had asked me about Xabi Alonso eight weeks ago.
We won’t be able to succeed, maybe myself, maybe Mourinho, but the rest of the dinosaurs—Ancelotti (Carlo), Mourinho (Jose), Guardiola (Pep)—will not succeed for the next 20 years.
“The next generation is here already, and Xabi stands out in that regard,” the author said.
The former all-star player who came from a coaching family, which helps a little. As a player, he was almost like a coach already. His play on the football pitch, the teams he forms, and the transactions he makes are all very remarkable.
