Tuchel Eyes Real Madrid Starter for Bayern; No hattrick for Kane

Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea manager who recently took the helm at Bayern Munich, appears to have his sights set on one of Real Madrid’s key players. 

It’s one player that Tuchel himself moulded – Antonio Rudiger – the player who was an anchor in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph under Tuchel’s guidance.

Rudiger’s career took a dramatic turn for the betterment when Tuchel came onto the scene. 

The German defender had been sidelined from the first-team squad but was brought back into the fold by Tuchel, who subsequently transformed him into one of the world’s top centre-backs.

Tuchel’s ability to revitalize Rudiger’s career caught the attention of Real Madrid, leading them to sign him as a free agent. This move seemed unlikely 18 months earlier when Rudiger struggled for form. Now, Tuchel appears to be eager for a reunion.

Tuchel is reportedly urging Bayern Munich to make every effort to secure Rudiger’s signature. And those with Bayern Munich tickets are also rooting for it. 

The prospect of reuniting with the player who excelled under his management at Chelsea undoubtedly appeals to Tuchel and everyone with Bayern Munich tickets.

Rudiger’s outstanding performances with Tuchel at Chelsea elevated him to one of the best centre-backs globally, a level he’s yet to reach at Real Madrid consistently.

This reunion could benefit Tuchel and Rudiger, with Bayern Munich being the stage for their next collaboration.

The End of Muller? 

It may look depressing for those with Bayern Munich tickets, but Thomas Muller is becoming the odd man with no real impact on the Bayern team under Tuchel. 

With Jamal Musiala fit and Tuchel currently unwilling to play the M&M Boys together, minutes could be few and far between for the veteran attacker.

Tuchel, however, thinks it will be fine since he understands that Muller is a professional player. Speaking to the press, he added, 

“He is very positive. Thomas is never a quiet player; he cares about things and how a game and training session goes. Because of his experience and his nature, he has a certain easiness. He played a lot of games, maybe not all of them,” 

“His inimitable characteristic comes into play in the opponent’s penalty area. He’s positive and takes it the way you could hope for.”

Every other time Muller has come under threat from a new manager, he has outshun himself on the field. But, this time around, it is a bit different. 

A little bit older and to compete against a fit and confident Jamall Musiala, whom the club needs to keep happy, Müller — for the first time — does appear to be the odd man out for the long term.

“It’s not just Thomas Müller who is out; there are a few others out who deserve to play,” said Tuchel to DAZN before his team downed Manchester United 4-3.

As Tz noted, “The change from Müller to Musiala was the only change.”

Thomas Tuchel has discussed his expectations for Jamal Musiala and his role within the team, emphasizing his importance in the squad. 

Tuchel noted that he anticipates a slightly deeper possession game, particularly in the middle third of the pitch. 

He praised Musiala as a critical player and highlighted his best position as half-left. Tuchel also compared him to Thomas Müller, noting that while they have different preferred places (Müller is best half-right), the combination of Musiala, 

Serge Gnabry and Alphonso Davies on the left side are formidable. He emphasized Musiala’s fitness as contributing to his inclusion in the lineup.

Muller Responds Positively 

It is no secret that your best XI starts the game in the football world. Being in the system for a while, Muller understands it is the same for him. 

In response to Tuchel’s comments, Thomas Müller appeared to take a pragmatic approach, acknowledging the team’s depth and the presence of strong players in the squad. 

He mentioned the competition among forwards and emphasized the importance of teamwork and collective effort. Müller expressed confidence in his place within the squad and remained optimistic about the team’s depth in attacking positions.

However, the situation with lineup choices and player dynamics can evolve, and Müller’s perspective could change if the team faces challenges or a decline in performance.

Harry Kane’s Hattrick Not a Hattrick? 

Any new fan with Bayern Munich tickets, watching Harry Kane score three goals in the 7-0 win against Bochum would say he scored a hattrick.  But, in German football terms, it will not be a hattrick. 

Despite Kane bringing in three goals in the match, with no disallowed goals or changes, the German league dictates that there needs to be specific circumstances in the game to be recognized as a hat trick. 

This situation might sound alien since the general rule of thumb is that you score three goals, and it is a hat trick.  However, it is not uncommon for different countries to have unique criteria to recognize these achievements. 

This situation is normal for the Bundesliga fans, as regular Bayern Munich ticket fans know. But for new players, it might seem a little off.  In German leagues, the term ‘hattrick’ is given to a player who scores three goals within the same half of the match. 

This distinctive definition differs from the standard English use of the term, where three goals in a single match constitute a hat trick regardless of the half they are scored in.

This difference will explain why Kane’s three goals for Munich in their 7-0 onslaught did not qualify as a hat trick. His goals came in different halves of the game and thus did not account for a hat trick. 

The term used in German for three goals scored in a match is not ‘hattrick’ but ‘Dreierpack’, which translates to ‘three pack’. It refers to the three items and originates from the term three beers. 

It might seem new for English fans tuning in to the Bundesliga for the first time, but it has been the norm all throughout.