"Only Real!"

Tuchel: He doesn’t want to know anything about Hoeneß

Thomas Tuchel at the press conference preview of the first leg against Real Madrid

(Bild: AP)

The journalists' hopes for another upbeat headline remained unfulfilled: Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel didn't want to know anything about Uli Hoeneß at Monday's pre-match press conference against Real Madrid.

The very first questioner tried. Whether there had been a discussion between him, Tuchel, and Bayern boss Hoeneß. "I won't say anything more about that," Tuchel reflexively rebuffed. A few minutes later, a reporter tried again. She asked him what it was doing to him that Hoeneß had not apologized, but instead had only added to it and made further statements. Tuchel's response: He pointed to his head with both index fingers and said: "The focus is completely on Real Madrid." The press spokesman at his side followed up with a request to the journalists: "Please focus on the game."

Experts puzzled
Understandable: ahead of tomorrow's CL semi-final first leg against the Whites in Munich, Bayern probably don't need any more background noise than they already have. Uli Hoeneß recently criticized the departing Thomas Tuchel out of the blue - completely incomprehensibly for many experts. He, Tuchel, had failed to develop young players. He then went further and said that he was "determined" to articulate his opinion more clearly in future. Why? Nobody really seems to understand at the moment. It is possible that the honorary president (who should no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the club) wants to deter Ralf Rangnick in this way. Along the lines of: "If you come to Bayern, you'll never be safe from my shouts." It is also possible that Hoeneß had no ulterior motive and simply wanted to have his say once again.

Laimer questionable
And what else? What does Tuchel have to say about the injured Konrad Laimer and his possible involvement against Real? "I can't say yet," said the Bayern coach, as the final tests are still being carried out. Only then will it be decided whether Laimer will be able to play. Not exactly an upbeat headline either.