Bayern Munich are facing the prospect of a first trophyless season since 2012 after falling eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race.
The Bavarians are also out of the DFB-Pokal and have lost their last three matches, increasing the pressure on manager Thomas Tuchel who told his players that they are “not as good as I thought” after last week’s 1-0 defeat at Lazio in the Champions league.
However, Tuchel’s job is currently safe, with Bayern president Jan-Christian Dreesen stating that there are no plans to relieve him of his duties.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
Despite this, Bayern are reportedly monitoring former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a potential interim manager.
Read More: Bayern loss 2-3 to VfL Bochum: Tuchel’s status, Kane’s frustration
Xabi Alonso has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for Tuchel at Bayern Munich, while Hansi Flick’s name has also been mentioned as a possible interim manager if Tuchel is sacked immediately.
However, former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also being considered for the role.
Sky Germany reports that there is no concrete agreement between Solskjaer and Bayern at this time.
The club is said to be “monitoring” the 50-year-old, who is reportedly eager to return to management after a hiatus of over two years.
Despite this, Bayern’s current preference seems to be to stick with Tuchel until at least the end of the season, despite reported issues with his management style and clashes with key players such as Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.
Could Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Replace Tuchel at Bayern Munich?
Solskjaer has been without a job since he was sacked by Manchester United in November 2021.
He initially took over as the interim manager of Manchester United in December 2018, following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
His impressive performance during this period led to him being appointed as the permanent manager in March 2019.
Under his management, Manchester United achieved a commendable second-place finish in the Premier League during the 2020/21 season.
However, his tenure ended without any silverware, marked by humiliating defeats, including a 6-1 loss to Tottenham and a 5-0 defeat against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
His final season at Manchester United started with a mixed performance, culminating in a 4-1 defeat to Watford, which left the team in seventh place with 17 points from their opening 12 matches.
Reflecting on his dismissal from Manchester United, Solskjaer revealed to The Athletic last year that he sensed his fate was sealed during half-time of the match against Watford, despite no official communication from the club.
“Nobody told me, but I knew at half-time against Watford,” Solskjaer said.
“We didn’t look like a Man United team; the players weren’t running for each other. At half-time, I told the players it was probably going to be the last time we worked together and to play with pride. We almost turned it around, until Harry Maguire got sent off.”
Tuchel and Bayern are under immense pressure after their recent 3-2 loss to Vfl Bochum, which has left them eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga standings.
Another defeat on Saturday could prove to be the tipping point for the Bayern hierarchy.
Additionally, Bayern face the challenge of overturning a 1-0 deficit at the Allianz Arena in the second leg of their last-16 clash against Lazio on March 5 in order to remain in contention in European competition.
