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Tuchel doesn't Believe that The Lazio Match Will Be his Last Game with Bayern
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, who will not be on the team's bench next season, stated on Monday that he does not consider an early end to his career at the Bavarian club or a "final game" for him if eliminated on Tuesday from the Champions League against Lazio.
The pressure on Tuchel is enormous as he faces his future at the Allianz Arena and Bayern's qualification for the Champions League quarterfinals. The match on Tuesday has already been labeled by the German press as the "final game" for the coach.
The coach himself doesn't think about the end of his career at Bayern. "At least not from my side," he emphasized in the pre-match press conference with Lazio.
"I don't know what others at the club think," but "they can be sure that no one has more ambitions than I do to win the match tomorrow," Tuchel stressed.
"For me, winning is very important. I'm a sore loser and deal poorly with it on a personal level," he admitted. But, he added, "everything is a lesson for a coach, even though at this moment and in recent weeks it has been difficult for me to see the positive sides of this profession."
Tuchel believes that adversity makes him grow daily and that it is important to remain positive. Football, he stressed, is ultimately "his greatest passion, his great love."
"I will give 100% and more until the last match with Bayern. So that we have the best possible result. Things are difficult, but they are there to grow. That's what I demand of myself," he emphasized.
The Bayern coach aims not to concede any goals at home against Lazio and recommends that the players be more tenacious in duels and have more "life" in the structure of the game.
"We have to be more tenacious in duels," said Tuchel in a press conference, where he also called for a more disciplined game and more concentration in passes.
"Tomorrow every minute counts," said the German, who will not be on the bench next week.
He indicated that forward Serge Gnabry has not yet regained his rhythm as he has been out of play for many months, but there is good news for another player: Leroy Sané could return to play after an injury that kept him out against Freiburg.
Tuchel explains that the winger is not completely pain-free and "has not played without pain for a long time." "But we assume he will be in the squad and play."
"We need an outstanding performance" against Lazio, a strong opponent that demands Bayern to play "more aggressively and with conviction."
Tuchel admitted that in the first leg in Rome, they made too many mistakes in the second half.