Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel will be largely absent from the dugout when European powerhouses Bayern Munich and Manchester United face off in the opening game of the Champions League in Group A at the Allianz Arena, Soccernet NG reported. Reported.
The German coach was suspended for Wednesday night’s match between two European giants.
Tuchel’s suspension stems from his sending off in last year’s quarter-final second leg against Manchester City. He vehemently protested the decision of French referee Clement Tulpin.
Therefore, he will not be in charge of the showdown with Manchester United.
In his place, Tuchel’s assistants Zsolt Loew and Anthony Barry will take command on the touchline. Loew will be in charge of tactics and substitutions.
Tuchel will watch the match from the stands with third assistant coach Arno Michels and will not be allowed to enter the locker room on match day.
This development is a glimmer of hope for Manchester United, who have been struggling with poor form in the Premier League. They suffered a miserable 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, their third defeat in four games.
With Tuchel out of the game, Manchester United will be looking to do something they have never done before. It’s a home victory for Bayern Munich. The German Giants have a perfect record at home against the Red Devils with three wins and two draws.
Adding to Bayern’s worries is the fact that key winger Kingsley Coman could also be absent.
It is doubtful whether Coman will be able to play against Manchester United due to a muscle problem. He missed the game against Leverkusen and according to Bild, with limited training on Sunday, he has little hope of featuring.
Despite these setbacks, Bayern Munich remains the favorite team to defeat Manchester United.
The two clubs have shared nine European Championship titles, most recently meeting nine years ago in the quarter-final second leg, with Bayern winning 3-1. His last match in the group stage was back in 2001.
