As of: February 10, 2024, 10:19 a.m
By: Marius Epp
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Which team does Thomas Tuchel trust in the most important game of the season?
The FC Bayern coach suddenly has a lot of options again.
Update from February 10th, 10:17 a.m.:
National goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was able to train individually again at FC Bayern before the top game against Bayer Leverkusen.
After “slight knee problems” at the beginning of the week, the 37-year-old was active again on Thursday on one of the side pitches on the training ground on Säbener Straße, as the Munich-based company announced.
Neuer had paused training on the previous two days.
According to the current status, a new use seems quite possible.
Bayern line-up against Leverkusen: Tuchel and his top game puzzles
First report from February 9th, 3:22 p.m.:
Munich - At the end of the press conference, Thomas Tuchel made an urgent announcement to his Bayern stars before the Leverkusen smash: "We need better games than last, we need our absolute maximum." Before it happens on When things finally get serious on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (TV information can be found here), the FC Bayern coach himself is asked: Which personnel promise the maximum required?
The club has responded to the injury misery of the past few weeks on the transfer market.
Tuchel can also rely on the returnees Joshua Kimmich, Minjae Kim and Dayot Upamecano.
The Bayern squad again offers a lot of options - and Tuchel has to make unpopular decisions.
These are his four line-up riddles before the big game against Bayer Leverkusen:
Lineup puzzle 1: Neuer or Ulreich?
Captain Manuel Neuer missed most of the training sessions during the week due to knee problems.
At the press conference, Tuchel gave him an accommodating deadline that only a four-time world goalkeeper gets: “It's Manu, we give him until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Then he says whether it’s possible – and if not, Ulle
(Ulreich, editor’s note)
is in the goal.”
Of course: the optimal case would be a new deployment.
However, this seems to remain questionable until shortly before the game.
Thomas Tuchel has several question marks before the Leverkusen game.
© Simon/ActionPictures/Imago
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Lineup puzzle 2: What to do with Thomas Müller?
Tuchel has had to justify himself countless times for not taking Thomas Müller into account - but in the few appearances that the veteran gets, he shows that every question is justified.
Especially in groundbreaking games like the one against the Werkself, Müller could be worth his weight in gold with his leadership qualities on the pitch.
The loss of Kingsley Coman has increased Müller's chances of playing.
He was allowed to play against Gladbach from the start.
There are many signs that things are going to go wrong again against Leverkusen.
With Bryan Zaragoza he has a new competitor on the offensive, although the Spaniard missed the week of training due to a flu-like infection.
Lineup puzzle 3: Kimmich, Pavlovic, Goretzka
Tuchel said about the returnee Kimmich on the PK: “He also comes into training with one arm and says: It's working, everything is completely satisfactory.
You can wake up Josh at three in the morning with influenza and he'll say he's ready." Kimmich is on fire - but after two great performances, youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic has become an integral part of Bayern's starting eleven.
At his side, Leon Goretzka also delivered strong performances; the duo harmonizes well.
If Tuchel wants to bring Kimmich back, he would have to break it up.
If he doesn't bring him, he would open the next barrel for a leading player à la Müller - a real dilemma.
Lineup puzzle 4: The back four
With the loss of Alphonso Davies, Tuchel has to realign his backline.
New signing Eric Dier impressed alongside Matthijs de Ligt, but the returnees Kim and Upamecano are also scratching their feet.
Tuchel tried out a completely new constellation in training.
It is possible that winter transfer Sacha Boey will be in the starting line-up for the first time, and it is also conceivable that Tuchel will rely on proven players in Noussair Mazraoui and Raphael Guerreiro.
The expected Bayern lineup against Leverkusen
Neuer – Mazraoui, Kim, de Ligt, Guerreiro – Kimmich, Goretzka – Sané, Müller, Musiala – Kane