Sportv
Updated: May 18, 2024, 01:04 pm
Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of an Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in the Bundesliga finale on Saturday, ending a disappointing season in third place as head coach Thomas Tuchel bowed out.
Saturday’s performance was indicative of Bayern’s first season without a trophy in over a decade, having played outstandingly to reach the Champions League semi-finals, but also falling prey to weaker opponents, including third-tier Saarbruecken who beat them in the German Cup.
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Tuchel said that he was unhappy with his team’s lack of focus in his final match in charge.
“We started really well but then we had a string of string of individual mistakes,” Tuchel said in a short news conference.
The 50-year-old is leaving Bayern after just over a year in charge.
Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies put an injury-depleted Bayern 2-0 up after six minutes.
They were without leading striker Harry Kane, back in England to treat an injury ahead of Euro 2024, as well as Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sané.
Hoffenheim did not give up and pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier two minutes later and the hosts gradually took some of the early pace out of the game.
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“In the second half we played well for 15 minutes but then it was again a series of individual mistakes and loss of possession,” Tuchel said. “We gave away a two-goal lead for a completely unnecessary and bitter defeat.”
Croatia international Kramaric delivered a stunning 19-minute hat trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, to send them down to third place in the standings on 72 points.
“It happens far to often, like that. It happened in Stuttgart where we conceded two late goals [for a 3-1 defeat]. In Heidenheim the same [for a 3-2 loss], here the same. It just happens too often,” Tuchel said.
“I have an explanation for that but it is not for the public.”
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Tuchel was told in February he would be leaving at the end of the season, a year before the end of his contract. He confirmed there had been talks last week to potentially reverse that decision, but no agreement was reached.
Bayern are struggling to find his successor after several other coaches, including Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, Austria manager Ralf Rangnick and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, opted to remain in their jobs.
Bayer Leverkusen claimed top spot with 90 points. Stuttgart finished second with 73 points with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Monchengladbach, while Bayern ended up third on 72 points.
