Sleepless nights for Tuchel ahead of City clash

Thomas Tuchel is so fired up for Bayern Munich's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City that the German has had trouble sleeping ahead of Tuesday's first leg.

Tuchel takes Bayern to the Etihad Stadium looking to move a step closer to winning the Champions League for the second time.

The 49-year-old led Chelsea to victory over Pep Guardiola's City in the 2021 final before being sacked by the Premier League club last September.

Now Tuchel is working overtime to come up with a plan to beat Guardiola again.

That means interrupted sleep patterns for the Bayern boss in the build-up as he mulls over his tactical plans.

"I will try to go to bed early. I just hope I will be able to sleep," Tuchel told reporters on Monday.

"The best preparation is sleep but sometimes it is hard to get that sleep when you're thinking about things.

"This morning I woke up really early and I just decided to go to the training ground because I couldn't get back to sleep. I just kept thinking about the match."

Tuchel, who succeeded the sacked Julian Nagelsmann at the Bundesliga leaders last month, will be coming up against Guardiola for the 11th time in his managerial career.

The German has won just three of their previous encounters, but the Champions League final trumps all the other meetings, even if Tuchel is keen to downplay the significance of that memorable night in Porto.

"I don't think I can learn much from other games I've played against Pep," he said.

"It's unique what Pep does. We'll try to find solutions but we'll need a complete performance to create problems for City.

"We did not mention this final and we will not do it. That would feel very awkward for me. We focus now on our team."

'Gold standard' 

City, who have won the Premier League in four of the past five seasons, go into the game in fine form after winning their last eight games in all competitions.

Conceding Bayern are underdogs going into the tie, Tuchel said: "It is a major task in front of us. They are the current gold standard for us.

"We want to live up to that but the team is entitled to be confident after our results and performances in the Champions League so far and we have to try to continue like that.

"Maybe we play in a role of slight underdog, which is not a problem. We'll try to make the most of it. We need to be confident and on top of our game."

Tuchel, whose side could face his former club Chelsea if they progress to the semi-finals, insists he does not feel any extra incentive to perform on his return to England.

"There's no more motivation needed. I enjoyed every single day being in England, coaching in England and in the Premier League. I'm happy to be back and to be back in this atmosphere," he said.

"When the whistle goes, there will not be so much enjoyment and sentimental thoughts. We will then compete until the last whistle."