Bayern Munich to part ways with coach Tuchel after the season

Bayern Munich will part ways with coach Thomas Tuchel after what has so far been a disappointing season by their standards, the Bundesliga champions said.

Tuchel was appointed in late March 2023 in succession to Julian Nagelsmann on a contract until 2025 but the agreement to end it earlier came in the wake of three straight defeats.

"In a good, open discussion, we came to the decision to end our working relationship by mutual agreement in the summer. Our goal is to pursue a new footballing direction with a new head coach for the 2024/25 season," Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said in a club statement.

Bayern lost 3-0 in the league at leaders Bayer Leverkusen on February 10, 1-0 in the Champions League at Italy's Lazio four days later, and 3-2 at Bochum in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Tuchel won the Bundesliga title with them in 2023 but this term they have slipped eight points behind Leverkusen, were ousted in the German Cup by third division Saarbrücken, and need to overturn the deficit against Lazio on March 5 to reach the quarter-finals.