As of: April 2, 2024, 11:47 a.m
By: Philipp Kessler, Manuel Bonke
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FC Bayern around striker Harry Kane loses in the classic against Dortmund. © Dennis Ewert/Imago
Bayern are on the back burner under Thomas Tuchel. Sports psychologist Matthias Herzog explains how the Munich team can rekindle their fire in time for the Arsenal duel.
Munich - Bayern are running on the back burner this season. The most recent setback: the 2-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund last Saturday. Joshua Kimmich (29) then criticized the Munich team's attitude: “Against BVB you don't need anyone standing on the sidelines or teammates to motivate you. You have to burn yourself, actually the day before.” Bayern are now 13 points short of league leaders Leverkusen, and coach Thomas Tuchel (50) has virtually checked off the championship. Last chance for the title: the Champions League. There's a real challenge waiting there in the quarter-finals with Arsenal FC. Sports psychologist Matthias Herzog (47) explains in the
tz
how Bayern can rekindle the fire before the first leg on April 9th in London
. His nine-point plan for the Arsenal miracle.
1. Common goals
: “It doesn’t look like Bayern have common goals. Everyone is languishing. The championship has been written off. It currently looks like a don't give a damn attitude along the lines of: 'We're no longer interested in the Bundesliga.' Clear goals could still be set, such as: 'We will score at least 77 points by the end of the season.' Or: 'We'll do everything we can to ensure that Leverkusen becomes champions with a maximum lead of nine points.' Double digits would hurt twice as much. It can't be that there is only the Champions League goal. The team needs a sense of success in the Bundesliga in order to survive against Arsenal. The team should meet for a workshop to formulate common goals. It’s about developing a collective vision for the rest of the games so that every player knows what they are fighting for.”
2. Mental training
: “Regular mental training can help increase concentration and improve mental strength in pressure situations. Visualization techniques can help you think through positive moves in advance and, above all, keep the common goal in mind.”
3. Team building measures
: “Strong team spirit can move mountains. Joint activities off the pitch strengthen the sense of community and build trust. But to think that a little bit of karting will build team spirit is ridiculous. TEAM doesn't mean: Great, someone else can do it. When driving a kart, everyone drives alone. Team building measures are needed, for example in the high ropes course, ideally under the supervision of a coach, with exercises that really promote team spirit. There are spider web exercises, trust runs and others where everyone can really tackle things together. It would also have to be determined who is prepared to take on how much responsibility. It is not clear in the team who is really the leader. The captain’s armband no longer has any meaning.”
4. Individual coaching
: “One-on-one conversations with players can help resolve personal blockages and increase self-confidence. Here it is particularly important to respond to individual needs. This is also best done by an external coach who doesn’t pass on all the information to the trainer straight away.”
5. Feedback culture
: “An open and constructive feedback culture should be established in which both coaches and players can give and receive feedback. This promotes self-reflection and mutual understanding. Even at the end of the season. Tuchel has so far given the impression that he is not interested in the players' opinions. And there also seems to be little exchange between the players. The season is already very advanced. But the question is what Bayern still want to achieve this season - especially in the Champions League. At the moment everyone seems as if the season has been written off.”
6. Pressure management
: “Stress management and relaxation techniques can help players stay calm in crucial moments. Due to the lack of success, Bayern are currently finding it difficult to deal with pressure situations. Your shoulders will quickly sag. The belief in success is missing.”
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7.
Positive psychology
: “Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses. The team only talks badly about itself and is talked bad about by the media and also the coach. However, if we are honest, the team can deliver. They showed that in parts against Rome in the second leg and then briefly in the Bundesliga.”
Bavaria's communication should be optimized
8.
Communication optimization
: “This means clear, supportive announcements and non-verbal signals that strengthen the team structure. The team is also required to develop strategies on how to support each other on the pitch and every player is also required to contribute to this. The prerequisite, however, is that the team acts as a team and not as a bunch of loners and egomaniacs.”
9. Now-more-right attitude:
“Bayern have been written off. Hardly anyone believes they can do anything this season. However, there are still chances in the Champions League and there is currently no team that is dominating. Real Madrid and Manchester City can be beaten if Bayern deliver their top performance. That should lead to a now-first attitude, provided Bayern believe in themselves and the title and really want it. As Kimmich says: Bayern have to want it and be prepared to push themselves to the limit of their performance.”
Philipp Kessler, Manuel Bonke