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Thomas Tuchel: From Mainz to Dortmund
By Amit Nathwani
Published
6:31 AM EDT, Fri October 2, 2015
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In April, it was announced that Thomas Tuchel would replace Jurgen Klopp as coach of Borussia Dortmund. Under Klopp, Dortmund had achieved great success, winning two German league titles in 2012 and 2013 and also reaching the Champions League final.
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One sabbatical ends, another begins. When Klopp decided to take time out of football following seven years at Dortmund, it paved the way for Tuchel to end his own spell away from the sport. Tuchel enjoyed a productive spell as coach at Mainz -- where he also succeeded Klopp -- and guided the team into the Europa League.
Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Klopp coached Mainz for seven seasons before Dortmund came calling. It paved the way for Tuchel to take over the reigns at the Rhineland club.
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Will Tuchel be asking Klopp for advice on how to beat Bayern? Klopp enjoyed eight wins over the Bavarians during his time at Dortmund.
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After a career-ending injury, Tuchel moved into coaching. He made his name as a youth coaching at Mainz, winning the league with a team that contained future German World Cup winner Andre Schurrle.
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Last December, while still taking time away from football, Tuchel met Pep Guardiola (pictured) at a bar in Munich. The bar is a favored haunt of Bayern Munich players, the team of which Guardiola is head coach. The two discussed football at length, with waiting staff wary of interrupting the intense discussion. Here, Guardiola -- revered for his all-conqeuring time as Barcelona coach between 2008 and 2012 -- enjoys a Oktoberfest drink, dressed in traditional Bavarian attire. Guardiola and Tuchel will be in opposing dugouts when Bayern and Dortmund go head-to-head on Sunday.
Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Robert Lewandowski has been in imperious form this season for Munich -- scoring 10 goals in his last three games. The Pole swapped Dortmund for Munich in 2014.
Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Although they can no longer rely on Lewandowski, Dortmund can call on the goalscoring prowess o Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon striker became the first player to score in the first seven games of a Bundesliga season and his nine goals so far this campaign have propelled Dortmund into second place -- four points behind Bayern.
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Tuchel has tasted success at Bayern's Allianz Arena previously in his career. He coached Mainz to a 2-1 victory in 2010.
Alexandra Beier/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
After Mainz's surprising loss to Romanian minnows Gaz Metan in the Europa League, Tuchel used a famous quote from NBA legend Michael Jordan to inspire his players. "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games," Jordan once said. "Twenty six times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."