Bayern Munich’s recent form took another hit last night as they suffered a 1:0 loss to Lazio, marking a concerning trend for the Bavarian giants. FC Bayern failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match, a stark follow-up to managing just one in their previous outing, a heavy 3:0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen. The loss in Italy also represents the first time Bayern have fallen in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in over a decade, highlighting a rare moment of vulnerability for the club on Europe’s biggest stage.
🚨0️⃣ Zero shots on target tonight for FC Bayern vs Lazio.
This follows just 1 shot on target in their defeat vs Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend.
Bayern have also lost the first leg of UCL round of 16 for the first time in 11 seasons. pic.twitter.com/8c4M9DYDVq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 14, 2024
Harry Kane, reflecting on the team’s performance, expressed his disappointment, particularly with the second half. “It’s been a tough week” he admitted. “The second half was disappointing. We came out with less energy and less confidence.” Despite the setback, Kane remains optimistic about the return leg in Munich, emphasizing the need to reverse the team’s fortunes: “We’re still in this. They come to Munich in a few weeks. We have to look forward and try to turn our momentum around.”
Bayern’s manager Tomas Tuchel is certainly feeling the pressure, and firmly stated “No, I’m not worried about my future or potential sack.” He candidly critiqued the team’s performance, recognizing the self-inflicted nature of the defeat: “We did everything to lose this match… it was in our hands. At a certain point, we stopped believing, I’ve no idea why.” Tuchel also noted the impact of “many individual mistakes” on the game’s outcome.
Further questions by BILD regarding his future were met with Tuchel’s desire to focus on the match itself, reiterating his stance with a simple “No. I’m not worried.”
Bayern’s director, Freund, also commented on the situation, underscoring a collective resolve within the club: “Of course, Tuchel is struggling with the situation, which is very difficult for all of us.” He continued, “Our goal is to fight our way out of this together. We’re all in the same boat, we are together.”