Why did Müller Watch from the Sidelines? A Surprising Decision from Tuchel
Bayern Triumphs 1-0 in Cologne
In a shocking turn of events, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel decided against making any substitutions during the club's 1-0 victory against Cologne. Among those left out was Thomas Müller, who spent the full 90 minutes on the bench.
Alphonso Davies, Bouna Sarr, Raphael Guerreiro, Mathys Tel, Frans Krätzig, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and substitute goalkeeper Sven Ulreich followed suit, watching the game from the sidelines.
A Rare Occurrence
The last time this happened in Bayern's history was on December 11, when Louis van Gaal opted for no substitutions during the 3-0 win against St. Pauli.
But Why the Bench?
Tuchel Explains
In an interview with DAZN, Tuchel explained his reasoning:
"Yes, unfortunately, I didn't feel it was necessary. I didn't lack trust in my players on the bench. Our dominance in the game was complete. Choupo was doing well with Harry, so we wanted to keep him upfront for the headers. I was considering how to bring Müller in, perhaps give Tel and Guerreiro some extra minutes."
The Aftermath
Post-match, Tuchel addressed the reserves:
"I just told them I'm sorry for the situation, it's not usual. Keep up the spirit, don't hold it against me."
Leon Goretzka commented on the team's performance during the match:
"Our arrival at the game was quite dull. Many players had international matches. When you're run down from those matches, you manage the game better."
The Result's Message
Regarding the decision to keep the substitutions to a minimum, Goretzka added:
"We had excellent control in the second half, and our players did well up front. This showed that not making changes today was the right choice."
Sources:
Additional Insights
During the lead-up to Bayern's match against Bayer Leverkusen, discussions revolved around Tuchel's tactical strategies and the player dynamics involved. It's worth noting that the article does not detail the specific reasons behind Tuchel's substitution choices in the Cologne match.
However, it does mention Bayern's 3-1 win against Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Champions League, where strategic substitutions played a significant role in securing the victory.
