Tuchel dismisses talk of ‘a miracle’ ahead of City game

Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel wasn’t keen to talk about “a miracle” despite Manchester City holding a big lead over Bayern Munich in their quarter-final tie

Tuchel has urged Bayern Munich to find the necessary inspiration to stage a remarkable Champions League comeback against Manchester City, stating that they need to find the “spark” to achieve it.

Bayern suffered a 3-0 loss to City in the first leg of the quarter-final, making it a daunting task for Tuchel’s team to overturn the deficit in the return leg on Wednesday.

Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged the challenge that Bayern Munich faces in overturning a 3-0 deficit against Manchester City in their quarter-final tie. Although Bayern’s coach had claimed that his team had played well in the first leg, Manchester City were dominant and won convincingly at the Etihad Stadium.

The German media has been discussing the need for a miracle for Bayern to progress, as only four teams in the history of the Champions League have been able to overcome such a deficit.

Tuchel believes that Bayern needs to take control of the game and ignite the spark required to have any chance of a comeback, including capturing the attention of the Allianz Arena crowd.

Tuchel believes Bayern have to be realistic

“We can’t conjure up a miracle. Therefore, of course, the approach is different,” he said. “At 1-1, everyone believes. At 3-0, it’s all about finding a realistic level.

“Our game on Saturday [a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim] certainly didn’t contribute to that.

“We believe in ourselves and in winning both halves. Anything is possible in football, so small moments are part of it. It’s about finding faith and having faith.

“At the same time, believing does not mean dreaming. We are responsible for ensuring that the spark is ignited and that we take the crowd with us.”

Tuchel admitted that his team lacked the “spark” in their recent match against Hoffenheim, which would make their task even harder as they face a Manchester City team in excellent form, having won their last ten matches.

Describing “an absolute challenge”, Tuchel said City have “been in top form for weeks” while Bayern are “missing a bit right now”.

According to Tuchel, Mane, who was suspended for the Hoffenheim match and fined for his confrontation with Sane in the dressing room, will be available for selection in the upcoming match.

In addition, there have been doubts about Upamecano’s performance after he made a crucial mistake in the first leg, which led to a goal for Bernardo Silva, and his form has been under scrutiny.

“I don’t think the duel with Erling Haaland was problematic,” Tuchel said of the center-back. “It was that one decision and the risk he took. He knows he needs to improve.

“There is no point in pointing the finger at individuals. We have been brutally punished. But we stand by him, he’s still young and has great potential.”