Tuchel wants ‘statement’ from Bayern as Leverkusen looms
Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel is targeting a “statement performance” to end the 30-match unbeaten run of title rival Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen holds a two-point lead over Sunday's (AEDT) visitor at the top of the Bundesliga after winning 16 and drawing four of its 20 league games this season.
Xabi Alonso’s side can also boast a 100 per cent record in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League and twice came from behind in the German Cup on Wednesday (AEDT) to beat Stuttgart 3-2 and advance to the semi-finals.
However, Bayern can call on its experience of winning 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles and Tuchel believes his side has room for improvement as it approaches the business end of the season.
“It’s exciting that two teams are earning points at such a high level,” Tuchel said.
“We’ve also had a very good campaign in terms of our history. We’re completely focused on what we can do. We want a statement performance. If we want to win, we need a top performance.
“It’s the week in which we want to prove ourselves. We’re playing for our own objectives, and our objective is to step things up a notch, and then we can be fine in every game. Then we’ve got the individual quality for it. We’re ready to improve.”
Tuchel’s side also has the first leg of its UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Lazio to look forward to and the 50-year-old added: “We have a very attractive week ahead of us.
“A win for Leverkusen opens up a gap, but it won’t be over, although it feels like a special moment to lay your cards on the table. It’s about challenging ourselves and therefore the opponent from the first second to the last.
“We want to take the next step. Leverkusen are having an outstanding season. We’ve still got room for improvement. We feel ready to take the next step and want to push Leverkusen.”
Alphonso Davies remains sidelined with a tendon injury but Joshua Kimmich, Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano have returned to training and are set to be in the matchday squad.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who has been struggling with a knee problem, was set to take part in training before a decision is taken over whether he or Sven Ulreich will make the starting XI.
Alonso believes his side will need to remain “almost perfect” to get the better of Bayern and stretch their lead at the top of the table to five points.
“We expect a strong opponent with a strong team and strong individual quality,” Alonso, who won three Bundesliga titles as a player with Bayern, said.
“It will be an emotional and intense game. Our goal is to play a very good game on the pitch and to win we need an almost perfect performance.
“It will be very, very difficult but we want to give it our all because we are in a good moment. We want to give everything we have.”
