Tuchel: 'No excessive pressure on Bayern with Lazio'

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BySusy Campanale

Feb 14, 2024 19:55

Thomas Tuchel insists Bayern Munich ‘do not need to put excessive pressure’ on themselves in tonight’s Champions League Round of 16 tie with Lazio.

The first leg kicks off at 20.00 GMT at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Bologna-Fiorentina in Serie A on the LIVEBLOG.

The second leg will be in Munich on March 5 and the Bundesliga giants enter this fixture under pressure after falling five points behind Bayer Leverkusen domestically.

“We prepared in a very normal way, training first on the attacking phase and today on defending,” Tuchel told Sky Sport Italia.

“We faced various situations trying not to put excessive pressure on ourselves. The objective was to give the players the necessary information to prepare for a match like this. We do not need more pressure in such important nights.”

Bayern Munich are coming off a 3-0 defeat to Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, so was there a tactical reason behind that heavy loss?

“We played many times against five-man defences, but perhaps the game was blocked because both teams had that approach. I think we didn’t get enough of the ball down the flanks, we got stuck going through the middle without enough diagonal passes.”

Today is Valentine’s Day, so Tuchel probably did not expect to spend it in the Eternal City at the Stadio Olimpico.

“I hope for a gift from my team. We must work hard, as this will be a difficult match and we need a top performance.”

Bayern Munich are undoubtedly considered the favourites going into this game, and that adds further pressure on the coach, who is already facing reports Hansi Flick could return until the end of the season.

Another rumour in Bild had it that Jose Mourinho, recently fired by Roma, was lining himself up for next term.

Bayern Monaco, #Tuchel: "Contro la #Lazio serve una prestazione top" https://t.co/UFL2QcpNpQ

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) February 14, 2024