There have been recent developments in the search for the next coach of FC Barcelona. According to Mundo Deportivo, Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has been offered the opportunity to take charge at the Montjuic Stadium. This comes after Xavi Hernandez announced his decision to step down as Barcelona's coach after almost three years.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have been actively looking for a successor for the upcoming season. Speculations have been rife, with names like Jurgen Klopp and Hansi Flick being mentioned in the press. Laporta has shown a particular interest in coaches from the German school of modern football, given their success against Barcelona in recent Champions League campaigns.
The current Bayern Munich boss, Thomas Tuchel, is no stranger to inflicting pain on Barcelona. His team was responsible for one of the darkest nights in Barcelona's history - the 8-2 defeat in the quarter-finals of the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League in Lisbon. Furthermore, Bayern played a significant role in Barcelona's failure to advance beyond the group stage in the past two seasons.
However, things are not going smoothly for Tuchel at Bayern Munich at the moment. The team recently suffered a 3-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, leaving them five points behind Bayer at the top of the Bundesliga table. Interestingly, Xabi Alonso, who is also a candidate for the Barcelona job, oversaw the defeat as the coach of Bayer Leverkusen. The current Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp, is expected to leave his position on June 30, and Alonso is rumored to be Barcelona's top choice.
In response to these rumors, Tuchel's camp has reportedly started exploring alternative options. There are even talks of Jose Mourinho potentially managing in the German league for the first time, which may have prompted Tuchel to offer himself to Barcelona. Tuchel has also expressed his desire to work in Spain in recent weeks.
If Barcelona were to secure Thomas Tuchel as their next coach, they would be getting a highly experienced figure in European football. Tuchel led his former team, Chelsea, to victory in the Champions League in 2021. He also won the Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund in the previous season.
As of now, the Barcelona board is carefully considering their options for the next coach. While Tuchel's offer adds an interesting twist to the search, it remains to be seen who will ultimately take charge of the Catalan giants for the 2024/2025 season. Only time will tell if Tuchel's impressive credentials and previous success against Barcelona will ultimately sway the decision-makers at the Montjuic Stadium.
