Harry Kane is reportedly at the center of a chasm in the Bayern Munich dressing room as Thomas Tuchel’s reign in Bavaria crumbles.
Tuchel will reportedly leave Bayern at the end of the season, a year before his contract ends, according to BILD.
Die Roten’s season is in free fall as three consecutive defeats have left them eight points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen and facing possible elimination in the last 16 of the Champions League.
A 3-0 defeat at Leverkusen was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Lazio last week, and the crisis deepened when they suffered a shock 3-2 defeat at VFL Bochum on Sunday.
TO BILD The report claims six key players are in an anti-Tuchel camp, with another six supporting him.
Mail Sport dives into the divide… and reveals where Harry Kane stands on the fence.
Harry Kane is at the center of Bayern Munich’s division as Thomas Tuchel’s reign crumbles
Tuchel will reportedly leave Bayern in the summer, with six players in his favor and six against him.
Anti-Tuchel
One big name opposing Tuchel is Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller, according to Bild.
Müller, 34, has been at Bayern his entire career and speaks publicly of support for Tuchel, but privately he is concerned about his playing time.
The vice-captain has been reduced to a mix of starting and substitute appearances, playing only around 40 per cent of possible minutes, because his free-spirited attacking nature does not fit with Tuchel’s master plan.
Another influential player against Tuchel is third captain Joshua Kimmich.
Their relationship began to deteriorate in the summer, when Bayern were linked with the addition of a new number six, even though Kimmich was only 29 and still a top player.
He recently did not start against Bayer Leverkusen, despite risking his health to be ready to play after a shoulder injury, and was substituted after 70 minutes against Bochum.
Other players included in the anti-Tuchel faction are Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, Matthijs De Ligt and Mathys Tel.
Goretzka and De Ligt have suffered from the move from Julian Nagelsmann to Tuchel as their status in the team has been reduced.
Thomas Müller is one of the key players against Tuchel due to his reduced playing time
Josua Kimmich is also against the coach and in the summer he was concerned about transfer talks
Serge Gnabry hardly appears today despite having been a very influential star in the past.
Bild claims De Ligt could even be sold in the summer, such is his decline, while Goretzka feels “explosive” and struggles to understand why Bayern sacked Nagelsmann.
Former Arsenal player Gnabry has only played 11 times in all competitions, a far cry from his peak in previous seasons where he scored two campaigns in a row, so his discontent is no surprise.
Tel, BILD reports, is still working hard in training, but after a prolific start to the season his role has been reduced to a supporting role.
Pro-Tuchel
Despite all his detractors, Tuchel still has players who back him to the core. It is worth remembering that before the last three games, they had only lost two Bundesliga games and were unbeaten in the Champions League.
Harry Kane heads the group behind the embattled manager.
Tuchel reportedly met the striker at his home in the summer and became passionate about his persuasion.
A few days ago he revealed that Kane is currently unhappy with the lack of service he receives in games, but he still made a bright start in Germany with 29 goals and is loyal to Tuchel.
Alongside Kane is captain Manuel Neuer, who swears loyalty to Tuchel for how he supported him during his injury problems.
Kane still supports Tuchel, who convinced him to sign for Bayern by visiting his house in the summer
Captain Manuel Neuer also supports Tuchel because he was by his side while he was injured
Eric Dier, who has played more for Bayern than for Spurs this season, is grateful to Tuchel
Neuer missed most of last season and the start of this season due to a broken leg, but returned to the fold and was reinstated as their number one goalkeeper.
Eric Dier has only been at Bayern for a short time and is grateful that Tuchel has given him a chance. He has already played more games for Bayern (five) than in the entire season with Spurs (four).
Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Raphael Guerrero complete the sextet of players who approve of Tuchel’s authority.
Guerrero, who played with Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, and Musiala are considered by BILD as the Bayern coach’s “favorites.”
Tuchel is supposedly “looking for a connection” with Musiala in training, probably recognizing that he is one of Europe’s supreme talents who can improve further.
Former Manchester City player Sané has become frustrated and fallen out with his teammates, but continues to support Tuchel.