Bayern Munich's Thomas Tuchel Expresses Frustration over International Duty Absences
In a candid conversation, Bayern Munich coach, Thomas Tuchel, voiced his dissatisfaction with the ongoing issue of releasing players for international competitions, particularly the Africa and Asian Cups, during the Bundesliga season. "It's always extremely unfortunate," he asserted, expressing his opposition to the disruptions caused by these mid-season breaks.
The German powerhouse is expected to face challenges with the absences of Minjae Kim (South Korea), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Cameroon). The situation might be further complicated by Noussair Mazraoui's torn muscle bundle in his left calf, which could potentially delay his nomination for the Africa Cup.
During the recent home game against VfB Stuttgart, Bayern's personnel situation was already tight due to short-term absences. Imagining the additional strain if Kim and Choupo-Moting were still missing, Tuchel mused, "Then I don't know if it would have been possible to put in the performance."
The management at Bayern has been carefully dealing with this issue, and Tuchel mentioned that he had discussed the topic with sporting director, Christoph Freund, but not as a team. Freund acknowledged the preparatory work he has been doing with an eye on the upcoming transfer window.
Bayern's honorary president, Uli Hoeneß, assured that they will not pull players out of the hat at the last minute like they did in the previous year. The team has time till January or mid to address these absences.
Tuchel emphasized the importance of a defensive-oriented midfielder, even with Aleksandar Pavlovic's impressive performances between the personnel shortages. Tuchel is keen to ensure that the youngster, who has been integral to the squad, is not burdened with too much responsibility.
With the Africa Cup and Asian Cup taking place concurrently from January 12 to February 10, Bayern will play six Bundesliga matches and host highly-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who are also expected to be affected by numerous international duties.
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The sources do not explicitly mention Minjae Kim, Noussair Mazraoui, or Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as players who will be absent due to international duties. However, recent news reports suggest that Alphonso Davies, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Harry Kane, who has a minor calf injury, are likely to be unavailable.
In the absence of Alphonso Davies, Raphaël Guerreiro and Adam Aznou have been identified as potential replacements for the left-back position. For Harry Kane's injury, the team might need to adjust their strategy, possibly relying more on other strikers or tweaking their formations.
The specific handling of these absences, given the lack of detailed information in the provided sources, would depend on the tactical decisions made by the coaching staff.
