Julian Nagelsmann’s management agency has disputed claims from Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn that the coach was made aware of the club’s decision to sack him before media outlets reported the information.
Ahead of Bayern’s 4-2 win over Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, Kahn told Sky Germany the circumstances of Nagelsmann’s departure was a “disaster” and very difficult for the club’s hierarchy.
However, he insisted no one from Bayern leaked the information, adding: “It was clear from the start that Julian was the first to know. There was no contact with any media”.
Bayern’s CEO Oliver Kahn faced questions about Nagelsmann’s sacking before Der Klassiker
However, Nagelsmann’s management agency, Sports 360, has dismissed these claims, insisting that they had to contact Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic after reading reports of the 35-year-old’s imminent departure from the German champions.
“There has been no contact or try to get in contact from Bayern,” a representative from Sports 360 told Sky Germany in a statement. “After all the rumours in the media, the management of Julian Nagelsmann contacted Hasan Salihamidzic by themselves.”
Bayern announced Nagelsmann’s departure and Thomas Tuchel’s appointment in the same statement on March 24, with reports of the change in manager emerging the day before.
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Highlights of the thrilling ‘Der Klassiker’ Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
In the build-up to the Dortmund clash, Sky Germany pundit Lothar Matthaus asked Kahn whether Bayern had an agreement in place with successor Tuchel before telling Nagelsmann of their decision, which the 53-year-old denied.
Kahn claimed the club wanted to speak with Nagelsmann in person instead of over the phone but that meeting was delayed due to the head coach still being on holiday during the international break.
Nevertheless, he reiterated his claim that the club were in contact with Nagelsmann before any agreement was reached with Tuchel.
Thomas Tuchel secured a win in his first game in charge of Bayern
Following the news of Nagelsmann’s sacking, Sky in Germany’s Bayern Munich reporter Uli Kohler said: “This was a surprise for everyone. Even Julian Nagelsmann was completely surprised when he heard he would be sacked.
“It was a journalist that asked, ‘Do you know that you will be sacked tomorrow?’, and he said, ‘No, I only got a phone call that I have to show up today at the headquarters’.
“It was the last 10 games, Bayern won only five. This is a record that is not suiting to Bayern Munich. There have been rumours for a long time that he doesn’t get on with the bosses.”
Bayern crush Dortmund in Tuchel’s first game
Bayern Munich overran a hapless Borussia Dortmund to win Der Klassiker 4-2 as three goals in the opening 23 minutes helped them reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga and hand new coach Thomas Tuchel a winning start.
The Bavarians, who face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals, were in ominous form as they went back into top spot on 55 points, leaving Dortmund two behind in second place with eight matches remaining.
With Tuchel, who also coached Dortmund from 2015-2017, having replaced Julian Nagelsmann on the Bayern bench, the hosts were all over their title rivals from the start.
They went in front thanks to Dortmund ‘keeper Gregor Kobel’s 13th-minute howler when he completely miskicked his attempt to clear a Dayot Upamecano punt from the Bayern half and saw the ball roll into the net for an own goal.
Before Dortmund managed to regroup, Bayern scored again with Thomas Muller turning the ball in with his hip at the far post after a Joshua Kimmich corner was headed on by Matthijs de Ligt in the 18th minute.
Kobel’s comeback from a five-week injury break turned into a complete nightmare five minutes later as he punched a Leroy Sane shot into the path of Muller to score an easy tap-in that left the Dortmund players in complete disbelief.
The visitors’ ordeal was not over, with Bayern scoring seemingly at will and Kingsley Coman racing in to slot in their fourth goal six minutes after the restart.
With Dortmund’s defence torn to shreds and club bosses frozen in their seats at the Allianz Arena, Bayern never took their foot off the gas.
Some sloppy finishing, however, saw them squander half a dozen golden chances in the second half before Dortmund struck twice late in the game, with an Emre Can penalty in the 72nd minute and a stoppage-time effort from Donyell Malen.