"A disgrace" - Liverpool legend slams Thomas Tuchel for publicly flirting with the idea of joining Barcelona
Liverpool icon Dietmar Hamann has slammed Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel for entertaining the idea of joining Barcelona.
Following his side's 5-3 defeat to Villarreal on Saturday (January 27), Xavi announced that he will resign as the Blaugrana's manager at the end of the season. During his post-match press conference, the Spaniard explained that the club needs a 'change of dynamic'.
During a fan event the following day, Tuchel was asked by a Bayern Munich supporter if he would like to manage in La Liga one day. The German manager praised the Spanish league, stating that a move to Spain would be appealing.
His comments did not sit well with Hamann, who labeled Tuchel's actions a disgrace. The Liverpool icon said (via the Daily Mail):
"He sits down and talks about Xavi, about the successor and that he would like to train in Barcelona or Spain. That's a disgrace! He [Tuchel] is a very intelligent man, something like that doesn't just slip out of his mouth."
He added:
"Only he has to know one thing: If you are an employee of Bayern, taking on the management - that is rarely a good idea. When I look at the last three home games, it's subpar by Bayern Munich's standards. Against three teams that are at the bottom, that's simply not enough."
Barcelona are currently fourth in the La Liga table, ten points behind second-placed Real Madrid. Girona are leading the league, one point ahead of Los Blancos.
"If he decides to come back" - Jurgen Klopp backed to join Barcelona after Liverpool exit announcement
Just two days before Xavi broke out his news, Jurgen Klopp announced that he would leave Liverpool at the end of this season after nine years at Anfield. The German manager attributed his decision to fatigue, having managed at the highest level for years on end.
Klopp was adamant that he would not manage a club or national team for the next 12 months and that any Premier League side would be off the table.
Liverpool icon Graeme Souness has named three potential destinations for the former Borussia Dortmund boss. He has tipped Klopp to join one of Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich. Souness said (via the Echo):
"Going forward for Jurgen, and if he decides to come back, I think there's only three clubs for him - Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, depending on their financial state. And then there is international football that may be appealing because of its fewer demands."
He added:
"As for Liverpool, he will leave behind enormous shoes for the next man to fill. But he is also leaving behind a dream job and that is why it must have been a super difficult decision for him to come to."
Klopp has brought massive success to Anfield and will certainly be considered a Liverpool legend. The German helped the Merseyside outfit end their 30-year wait for a Premier League title in 2020 after winning the UEFA Champions League the year before that.