FC Bayern München

The public reason given was that the move was to protect the team’s chances at winning all three trophies this season. But that is too obvious, too facile. Every choice made at a sports club should be made to deliver better results on the pitch. There is no reason to doubt that the decision was made in the hope of better results but that tells us nothing. What we want to know is why the club decided that Nagelsmann didn’t give them the best chance of delivering optimal results.

Here are our talking points from the game:

A second half onslaught and fightback from Mainz saw the home side triumph to a 3-1 victory, keeping the Bundesliga title race well and truly alive between Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. Goals from Ludovic Ajorque (65’), Leandro Barreiro (73’) and Aaron Caricol (79’) rounded out the three points for Bo Svensson’s side, who were well deserving of the result with their second half fight. From Bayern’s point of view, it was yet another Bundesliga lead blown and they absolutely fell apart after Ajorque had equalized.

Carolin Simon’s gorgeous free kick delivery in the eleventh minute found her opposite full-back Maximiliane Rall at the far post in an early sign of things to come. Highlights below:

Seven games into his Bavarian adventure, his old club — now led by Bo Svensson — handed Tuchel and Bayern a heaping of humble pie. FCBayern.com gathered the joyous reactions from the victors.

Mainz returned the favor with an outright evisceration of the would-be champions and made all of them, including new manager Thomas Tuchel, look like mere pretenders to the throne. Tuchel earned a 6 in the Bild ratings, the lowest score, to his counterpart Bo Svensson’s 1.

Kahn was looking away, down and downcast, when the broadcast cameras panned to the stands. Beside him, sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidžić, offered a hearty handshake — belatedly noticed and glumly accepted.

The message? The odd rules are out the window and anything can go. “Bayern Munich will now be giving big money away,” Falk wrote, in a pointed departure to what had been longstanding but unwritten policy of not exceeding €100m on a single transfer.

According to Sky Sport journalist Florian Plettenberg (via @iMiaSanMia), the management is now pointing fingers at Thomas Tuchel – who has only been in charge for just over three weeks – for failing to deliver expected outcomes. Tuchel’s player rotation and his selection of the starting XI are currently under criticism by the front office.

Quotes are from Sport Bild journos Tobi Altschäffl and Christian Falk (via Twitter account @iMiaSanMia)