Bayern coach Tuchel to stay in charge next week despite third loss, CEO says
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel will remain in his position for next week’s Bundesliga game despite Sunday’s shock 3-2 loss at VfL Bochum in the side’s third straight defeat across all competitions, club CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said.
“Of course,” Dreesen told reporters when asked whether Tuchel would be in charge for next Saturday’s game against RB Leipzig.
“I am not a fan of monstrous coach-backing statements,” he said. “They usually run out after a week. But this (the coach’s future) is not an issue we are dealing with at the moment.
“We have to focus on our next matches,” he said.
The Bavarians are out of the German Cup, are second in the league, eight points off the top, and lost their Champions League round-of-16 first leg at Lazio 1-0 on Wednesday.
They went in front against Bochum but conceded twice late in the first half after the game was interrupted by fans who threw tennis balls to protest against a planned foreign investment in the Bundesliga.
“That interruption threw us off our rhythm. Today it was a win of mentality over quality,” Dreesen said.
For Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka the current run feels like a bad film.
“It feels like a horror movie that is not ending. Everything is going against us at the moment.”
“We can again sit here and say we started well. But now you feel stupid to limit yourself to half an hour. In the end we tried everything, so you can’t blame us.”
Depleted Milan miss chance to go second with 4-2 loss at Monza
AC Milan missed out on the chance to move into second in the Serie A standings when they lost 4-2 at mid-table Monza on Sunday after being reduced to 10 men early in the second half.
Milan remained third in the standings on 52 points, two adrift of second-placed Juventus and 11 behind leaders Inter Milan, who have a game in hand.
The Rossoneri, who beat Stade Rennais 3-0 at home in the Europa League in midweek and travel to France for the second leg on Thursday, suffered their first league loss in more than two months to end their unbeaten run of nine games.
“We made mistakes that ruined the match. When you concede four goals it feels wrong to say our first half-hour was good, but that is true,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli told DAZN.
“Going a man down made it even more difficult. After equalising we should’ve been sharper to defend better. The team felt confident and wanted to go on to win.”
Ten-man Brest climb to second with win over Marseille
High-flying Brest earned a dramatic 1-0 home win over Olympique de Marseille on Sunday courtesy of Pierre Lees-Melou’s late goal to climb to second place in the Ligue 1 standings.
Brest, winless in their last four matches in all competitions, moved up to 40 points, one clear of Nice, who lost 1-0 at Olympique Lyonnais on Friday.
Paris St Germain top the standings with 53 points.
Lees-Melou scored two minutes from time after stealing a Marseille ball from a throw-in to make a fine individual run into the box and beat goalkeeper Ruben Blanco.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side had better possession throughout the game but could not capitalise on their numerical advantage after Brest striker Steve Mounie was sent off in the 60th minute.
Terzic calls for a quick solution to Bundesliga fan protests
Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic called for a “quick and sensible solution” to end supporter complaints against proposed foreign investment in the Bundesliga after matches on Saturday endured frequent disruptions from protesting fans.
Clubs in Germany’s top two divisions voted in December to approve a proposal allowing a financial investor to acquire a share of the German Football League’s (DFL) media arm in a deal valued at between 900 million and 1 billion euros ($1.08 billion).
Dortmund were held 1-1 at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday with play repeatedly being stopped to allow stadium staff to clear the pitch as fans continued to throw tennis balls and other items.
All of the matches affected resumed after disruptions, two games saw teams briefly sent to the changing rooms. DFL managing director Marc Lenz warned on Saturday that the league will not tolerate match cancellations.
The DFL had requested fans to not “indulge in horror scenarios” in a statement on Feb. 8, stating that they will not suffer any disadvantages as a result of the deal.
Ten Hag urges United to be more clinical after narrow Luton win
Manchester United must become more clinical in front of goal and put teams to the sword, manager Erik ten Hag said after his side squandered a host of chances in Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Luton Town.
United, who are sixth, have won their last four league games but three of those wins have been by one-goal margins.
Two early goals from striker Rasmus Hojlund put United in the driver’s seat on Sunday but after Carlton Morris halved the deficit in the 14th minute at Kenilworth Road Ten Hag’s side were unable to restore their two-goal cushion.
The Dutchman told reporters United had been “fragile” at times after failing to kill the game off.
“We missed some really massive chances and we should have scored and we know that,” he added.
“On the other hand, Luton Town have lost games this season, but only two times by more than two, so it is not easy here.
“The way we started was perfect and that’s the way we want to do it, it was a perfect game plan but the only thing we didn’t do is be more clinical in front of goal.
“We must score more goals because today we could have easily scored five goals.”
United next host Fulham on Sunday before travelling to Nottingham Forest for a fifth-round FA Cup tie.
Haaland frustration spills over after bad day at the office
Erling Haaland pushed aside a television camera after the final whistle on Saturday, his frustration spilling over after he took nine shots but scored no goals for the first time in his Manchester City career.
Rodri netted a late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 Premier League home draw for the champions against Chelsea as they avoided their first loss at the Etihad in 15 months.
“That’s good, it’s good to have nine shots,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “Next game he is going to score. I was a football player, I played 11 years, I scored 11 goals. One goal a season. It’s football, it’s human beings.”
As the players gathered on the pitch after the final whistle, Haaland pushed aside a live TV camera focused on the striker’s face.
Haaland, who rewrote the scoring record books in his Premier League debut season last year, continued his prolific form before a broken foot sidelined him for nearly two months.
He scored twice in City’s 2-0 win over Everton last weekend to reclaim sole possession of the league scoring lead with 16 goals.
City remained third in the table on 53 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but with a game in hand. They can climb to second with victory over visiting Brentford on Tuesday.
“If Haaland put away the chances we’re not even talking about this,” former City player Micah Richards said on Sky Sports.
“I never worry about Haaland, his mentality is completely different to most strikers in world football. He always gets an opportunity,” he added.
“He misses a lot of chances…if he wasn’t getting these chances, that’s when I would be worried.”
The 23-year-old Norwegian looked frustrated all game long, sending two headers over the crossbar before hitting a volley just wide. His best chance was a late unmarked close-range header he sent over the bar before burying his head in disbelief.
Many City fans around the world did the same.
Juventus continue poor Serie A run with 2-2 draw at Verona
Juventus’ fading title hopes suffered another blow after they had to come from behind twice to rescue a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday.
Second-placed Juventus are on 54 points from 25 games, nine points behind Inter Milan who have a game in hand.
“We have to improve in choosing the last pass and put aside the post-Empoli dross,” Allegri told DAZN.
“That draw had an impact on the psychological level, it’s no coincidence that two defeats and another draw followed.
“Until mathematics gives us certainty, it would be a mistake to think that we have already qualified for the next Champions League.”
Juve missed Europe’s top-tier competition this season after they were docked 10 points last year in a case regarding the club’s player transfers.
Juventus, who won their previous four Serie A matches against Hellas Verona without conceding, next host Frosinone on Feb. 25.
Verona, who are 18th with 20 points, travel to fifth-placed Bologna on Friday.
Last-gasp Lewandowski penalty gives Barcelona win at Celta
Robert Lewandowski’s penalty deep into added time earned Barcelona a fortunate 2-1 win at Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Saturday ahead of their Champions League game at Napoli.
It was another uninspired performance by Barcelona until a moment of brilliance from Lewandowski gave the visitors the lead just before halftime.
The match grew in tension with the raucous Galician stadium roaring support for their team who had suffered five losses in their last six games in all competitions and managed only four wins in 26 league games this season.
Xavi Hernandez’s side are third in the standings on 54 points, two behind Girona and seven adrift of leaders Real Madrid, both of whom have a game in hand.
“In the second half we didn’t play well. They were lucky in their goal, but we did little offensively. If you want to win a game 2-0 or 3-0, you can’t just play for 45 minutes,” Lewandowski told DAZN.
“I am happy. We won a very important match for us. These are three important points. Now we can look at the Champions League.”
