Lothar Matthäus sees Thomas Müller in a complicated situation at FC Bayern under Thomas Tuchel. The record national player can therefore even imagine a change of club for the 33-year-old in the summer.
“It’s not an easy time for ‘Mister FC Bayern’. Thomas Tuchel doesn’t see the ideal position for him in this squad,” Matthäus wrote in his sky-Column.
Müller was again only a substitute in Munich’s 2-0 win over Hertha BSC on Saturday. In the eight games since Tuchel took office, the 2014 world champion was “only” five times in the starting XI. Ironically, in the two quarter-finals in the Champions League against Manchester City, Müller first had to sit on the bench.
Against Berlin, Tuchel justified Müller’s bench with a tactical decision and back problems. The team’s alignment was the main argument against City (Tuchel: “We’re not expecting a typical Thomas Müller game.”).
“The fact is that I’m wondering what the ideal game and opponent would be for Müller after what Tuchel said. The important games against Manchester City weren’t either, and neither was a game against the bottom of the table,” said Matthäus.
The explanation of the 62-year-old: Since Jamal Musiala has become almost indispensable for FCB, it has become even more difficult for Müller. “Musiala has made Müller more replaceable,” said the former Bayern professional.
Matthäus about Müller: “He doesn’t do that”
Müller needs “a coach who can play a system that Müller fits into, as was the case with Hansi Flick. If you play in a 4-2-3-1, with a clear 6, an 8 and a 10 , then one can conclude that Muller is not a player who can be ascribed to one of those positions unequivocally. He is a nine-and-a-half ideally buzzing around a target player like Robert Lewandowski.”
Matthäus can therefore not imagine that Müller will have better cards under Tuchel in the future. “If you do an analysis after the season and the coach explains to both the team and those responsible what he wants and imagines for the coming season, then I would be surprised if Müller suddenly became a regular player again,” wrote Matthäus: “And then the point has probably been reached where he at least takes a very close look at the transfer market, not to say goes, because he doesn’t do it.”
Thomas Müller: Only two goals under Tuchel
Müller has now been playing at Bayern for 23 years and his contract runs until 2024. Under Tuchel, the Bavarian has only scored two goals (both in the 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund) and has not had an assist.
He has already made it clear several times that Julian Nagelsmann’s successor thinks a lot of Müller.
“I’m super happy that he’s here. He’s a leading player with Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich. He embodies everything we expect from a Bayern player. Endless professionalism and a certain looseness, tactical understanding and insane diligence. And a very natural self-confidence that he can also have in his career,” the coach said after the game against BVB, for example.
FC Bayern Munich: The remaining program in the Bundesliga
