- Bayern Munich lost for the third time in eight days on Sunday evening
- Joshua Kimmich ended up in a tunnel with Thomas Tuchel’s assistant
- IAN LADYMAN: If I needed a new heart, I’d want Harry Maguire’s! Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Bayern Munich players were reportedly forced to stop Joshua Kimmich following a tunnel row with Thomas Tuchel’s assistant after the team slumped to their third defeat in eight days on Sunday.
After losing to Bayer Leverkusen in a top-flight match last Saturday and being beaten by Lazio four days later in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, Bayern traveled to VfL Bochum knowing they couldn’t afford another mistake.
However, they suffered a 3-2 defeat and had Dayot Upamecano sent off for the second game in a row on a disastrous night for Tuchel’s men, and things heated up after the final whistle.
According to ImageBayern midfielder Kimmich – who had been substituted just after the hour – got into an argument with Tuchel’s assistant coach Zsolt Low on the way back to the dressing room.
The fiery exchange appeared to be over, but Low then shouted something at Kimmich as he walked up the stairs in the tunnel, sparking another confrontation.
Joshua Kimmich reportedly got into an argument with Thomas Tuchel’s assistant on Sunday
The incident between Kimmich and Zsolt Low (pictured) took place after Bayern Munich lost for the third time in eight days
The Bayern Munich players had to intervene to ensure the confrontation did not escalate
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At this point, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer and several other teammates intervened to prevent matters from escalating further.
Following the incident, Tuchel refused to reveal the exact details of what happened but insisted that things had not gotten out of hand between the pair.
‘I know what was going on. This is not for the public,” he told reporters.
‘We’re in a football locker room. This is a fairly normal phenomenon if kept within limits. And it stayed within limits.’
Tuchel’s mandatory post-match press conference was cancelled, sparking speculation his job could be in jeopardy after another disappointing result left his team eight points behind Leverkusen in the Bundesliga standings.
But Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen vowed to stick with Tuchel for now after heading to the dressing room to listen to the former Chelsea manager’s team talk after Sunday’s defeat.
Tuchel has now lost 11 of his 44 games in charge, which is more defeats than his predecessor Julian Nagelsmann suffered in 84 games.
Thomas Tuchel is under a lot of pressure after Bayern’s recent run, but the club will stand by him for now
Kimmich’s furious row with Low came after Tuchel admitted that star striker Harry Kane is also unhappy with the service he has received in recent matches.
Kane got back on the scoresheet on Sunday with a late tap-in, but also missed big chances in both halves.
Tuchel pointed to that and other opportunities his team failed to capitalize on as the reason for their latest defeat, claiming his team had simply been unlucky in Bochum.
But time appears to be running out to turn things around, with Bayern next in action when they host fifth-placed RB Leipzig on Saturday.