Bayern crisis: Gündogan 'surprised', Matthäus wants new club 'faces'

Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan has expressed surprise about the crisis at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and backed their coach Thomas Tuchel, while former Bayern captain Lothar Matthäus called for new leaders with a club history.

"I am very surprised that Bayern are in such difficulties," Gündogan told dpa.

Bayern have lost their last three games in all competitions, 3-0 at leaders Bayer Leverkusen and 3-2 at Bochum in the Bundesliga and 1-0 at Italy's Lazio in the Champions League.

They have slipped eight points behind Leverkusen and must overturn the deficit against Lazio to stay in Europe.

A first season without silverware since 2012 looms, and there is a debate whether Tuchel, who arrived only 11 months ago, is still the right coach.

Gündogan, who led Manchester City to a title treble last season before joining Barcelona and played under Tuchel in the past at Borussia Dortmund, heaped praise on Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and has also coached Paris Saint-Germain.

Gündogan named him "one of the best coaches in Europe" as well as ""tactically outstanding and an extremely honest and open person.

"I can only say positive things about him from my one year with him at Dortmund," he said.

Matthäus said in his Sky TV column that clear decisions are needed in this area.

"If you stand by Thomas Tuchel, then you shouldn't make his future dependent on the next game against Leipzig, but rather say that you will continue with him until the end of the season. No matter what happens," Matthäus said.

The 1990 World Cup winner added he is missing faces like Franz Beckenbauer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß were in the past, ex-players who then led the club.

He said current bosses such as CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and president Herbert Hainer deserve to hold these positions but that none of them has won championships and or has a Bayern history.

"We also used to play badly but there was always someone there who woke us up, who the players listened to, who we looked up to," Matthäus said.

"Why aren't former players like Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger or Arjen Robben not involved? If I want to, I can approach these strong Bayern personalities and find a position for them."

Matthäus also mentioned forward Thomas Müller as such a potential candidate after his playing career, and warned that the expected arrival of Max Eberl as board member for sport won't change everything.

"He has a history at the club but he is no saviour and not a face of Bayern either," Matthäus said.