Bayern Munich‘s technical director Michael Reschke has revealed that Pep Guardiola wanted Thomas Tuchel to be his successor at the club.
Guardiola left the Allianz Arena at the end of last season following three years at the club, dominating domestically and performing well in Europe, despite failing to win the Champions League. He joined Manchester City this summer, replacing Manuel Pellegrini, with the Citizens hoping that they can taste a similar level of success.
Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as the Catalan’s successor at Bayern, but it could’ve been very different if Guardiola got his way. Tuchel enjoyed an impressive spell at Mainz before making the move to Dortmund last summer, catching the eye of the Catalan boss ahead his switch to the Westfalenstadion.
Guardiola met with his opposite number in a restaurant to discuss the potential move, with the City boss loudly proclaiming: “Thomas has to be my successor in Munich.”
However Reschke disagreed, telling football magazine 11Freunde (via tZ): “I Pep and Thomas predicted that the BVB coach by the start of 2015/16 would be Thomas Tuchel.”
Tuchel has done an impressive job at the Westfalenstadion since replacing the outgoing Jurgen Klopp, stabilising the club following a tough 2014/15 campaign. He helped Dortmund to a second-placed finish on 78 points last term, 10 behind Bayern at the summit but 18 clear of Bayer Leverkusen in third.
The pair met on Thursday in the International Champions Cup as City took on Dortmund in the Far-East, but it was Guardiola who came out on top again, with his side winning on penalties.
Bayern begin next term with a home clash against Werder Bremen, before travelling to Schalke the following week, as Ancelotti looks to build on the foundations set in place by his predecessor.
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