Oliver Kahn criticised Bayern Munich's players for their display in Saturday's 3-1 loss at Mainz but absolved head coach Thomas Tuchel of any blame for their current slump.

Bayern dropped points for the second Bundesliga game running to relinquish top spot to Borussia Dortmund, who beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 later in the day.

Tuchel replaced Julian Nagelsmann last month but has already overseen Bayern's exits from the Champions League and DFB-Pokal at the quarter-final stage of both.

Despite winning just two of his opening seven games in charge, Bayern CEO Kahn does not believe Tuchel deserves any criticism for results over the past month.

"Thomas Tuchel is the last person we need to talk about now," Kahn told reporters. "He is doing everything he can to help the boys progress. 

"There are 11 men on the pitch who have to work hard to achieve the goals of this club. What the team showed on the pitch is not enough."

Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic are under growing pressure, with Bayern at risk of missing out on the Bundesliga title for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

"I have no problem with criticism," Kahn said. "I have been through a lot in my career and I know what it means when things are not going well at Bayern. We are all responsible. 

"Despite this poor performance, we can still become German champions this season. My only objective is to finish the season as champions and to set off again next season."

Sadio Mane gave Bayern the lead at Mainz, but goals from Ludovic Ajorque, Leandro Barreiro and Aaron Martin in the space of 14 second-half minutes stunned the visitors.

Bayern have now gone four games without a win across all competitions, and Kahn was particularly concerned by his side's collapse at Mewa Arena.

"We played a catastrophic second half," he said. "Who was the team that wants to become champions? It will be very difficult to become champions with such performances."

According to German outlet Sport1, Kahn, Salihamidzic and president Herbert Hainer spoke to the Bayern squad for 15 minutes in the dressing room after the game.

Echoing the views of Kahn, Hainer accepts something has to change with Bayern's mindset if they are to catch Dortmund – one point better off – in their final five matches. 

"We had the game completely under control in the first half, were 1-0 up and forgot to score the second goal," he said. "After their equaliser we broke up completely.

"The second half was disappointing – I have to say that very clearly. When you see two halves that are so different and we collapse like that, it's really difficult to explain.

"You've seen that a few times in the last few games, and I don't know why. The coach will work on it. You can tell there's no security. There's more when they're a goal down."

Bayern return to action a week on Sunday with a home match against bottom side Hertha Berlin.

Thomas Tuchel slammed speculation about the Bayern Munich future of Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic by stating the off-field leaders "shaped the club".

This has been a tough week for Bayern, with Champions League elimination coming at the quarter-final stage for a third successive season after a 1-1 draw with Manchester City meant a 4-1 aggregate defeat.

Tuchel allowed himself a joke in Friday's pre-match conference, ahead of the clash with Mainz, when he reacted to the arrival of set-piece mastermind Anthony Barry from Chelsea by saying: "Finally there is a good coach."

Most focus has fallen on the possibility of departures, however, with reports casting some doubt on whether Bayern will continue to back CEO Kahn and sporting director Salihamidzic.

"I read absolutely nothing," said head coach Tuchel. "I come here in the morning and I feel a good energy here. I try to influence what I can influence.

"I don't want to comment on the rumours. My cooperation with the club management is goal- and solution-oriented. Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic shaped the club."

He added: "I don't rule out that some unrest affects the players. But it will never be completely calm. We focus on the things that we can influence ourselves. I don't know any other way."

Tuchel's team must reset and train their focus on the Bundesliga, their last remaining trophy target. Bayern head into this weekend's games with a two-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund after both drew their last league matches.

According to Tuchel, Bayern are not themselves at the moment. "I rather sense an insecurity, an unrest that paralyses us a bit," he said.

He said the team should look to "turn dissatisfaction into energy", and Tuchel, appointed on March 25, has seen plenty of cause for dissatisfaction.

Bayern exited the DFB-Pokal to Freiburg under his watch in early April and have not gone beyond the quarter-finals of that competition in the last three seasons.

But Tuchel said: "This is not a crisis. We must not question everything. There is always a sense of reality involved. Many big clubs didn't make it to the [Champions League] quarter-finals. But we remain ambitious and we always want more. We're still first in the Bundesliga."

The arrival of coach Barry is a timely boost, with a deal agreed to take him from Chelsea, where he and Tuchel previously collaborated.

"He just arrived," Tuchel said. "Finally there is a good coach. I am very happy. We really wanted to have him with us. The whole package is right for him: his personality, the love of the game, the love of his job, his passion and his quality. He brings a lot of energy. His work with set-pieces at Chelsea was on a whole new level for me."

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has been promised a new striker for next season after president Herbert Hainer accepted the team lacks a ruthless goalscorer.

A 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Wednesday saw Bayern exit the Champions League 4-1 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage.

They are in danger of being left behind as the likes of big-spending City make a concerted effort to push for European dominance.

Although Bayern saw off another wealthy pretender to the Champions League crown in the previous round, by sinking the hopes of Paris Saint-Germain, there have been obvious shortcomings in the German giants' ranks this season.

This might be largely because they sold Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona last July and did not recruit a player of the same mould and calibre to replace the Polish striker.

Lewandowski hit 50 goals for Bayern last season, and although the team have not been goal-shy, they have been without a top-class predator.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has shown willing, netting 17 in 29 games in the central role, but with the best will he has been a stop-gap option.

"We're missing the goalscorer who can clean things up. That's what we'll definitely need in the future," said Hainer, quoted widely on Thursday in the German media.

Bayern's shot conversion rate has dipped slightly season on season, from 15.34 per cent last term to 15.02 per cent this time around.

Their 'big chance' conversion has tumbled from 43.54 per cent to 40.74 per cent, having been as high as 47.65 per cent in the 2020-21 campaign.

Last season saw Lewandowski put away 25.13 per of his chances, and 53.16 per of his big chances.

Hainer said it was "obvious" Bayern were not scoring often enough, but he indicated it would not be easy to find a player to make the difference.

Bayern have been linked with Tottenham's Harry Kane and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, but getting either man would involve a major financial outlay, and potentially a wrestle with other clubs.

"If you could name the one that hits the spot immediately, we would buy him immediately," Hainer said. "But you can assume that we will strengthen the team in such a way that we can again have a say in the Champions League title. Our goal is very clear to be at the forefront in Europe."

He said Bayern were "very, very well positioned" to be able to afford such a top-class player, as recently appointed coach Tuchel looks to put together a winning side.

Questions are being asked about the future of Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn, with reports in Germany claiming his position could be in some doubt.

If Kahn stays, he would likely have a key say in whom Bayern target as their next number nine.

The former Germany goalkeeper, quoted by Sport 1, said Bayern would have their work cut out to find a striker of Lewandowski's redoubtable prowess.

"It is also a question of price," Kahn said. "How many nines at the level of Robert Lewandowski are there in Europe? There aren't many. And if so, then it is in price regions that are extremely high."

Julian Nagelsmann's representatives have denied claims from Bayern Munich chief executive Oliver Kahn that the coach was informed of his sacking before it was reported by the media.

Nagelsmann was replaced as head coach by Thomas Tuchel during the international break, with the new boss leading Bayern to a 4-2 win over Bundesliga title rivals Borussia Dortmund in his first game in charge on Saturday.

The 35-year-old was said to have learned of his imminent exit while enjoying a skiing holiday in Austria, with Bayern's decision widely reported 24 hours before it was officially announced. 

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic denied anyone at the club leaked the news, an assertion that was repeated by Kahn on Saturday.

Speaking to Sky Germany ahead of the win over Dortmund, Kahn referred to Nagelsmann's departure as a "disaster" but insisted the coach was "the first to know" about his sacking.

However, Nagelsmann's management agency Sports 360 has now disputed those claims, saying Bayern did not make contact with the coach before his exit was reported.

"There has been no contact or attempt to get in contact from Bayern," a representative from Sports 360 told Sky Germany.

"After all the rumours in the media, the management of Julian Nagelsmann contacted Hasan Salihamidzic by themselves."

Bayern cruised into a four-goal lead within 50 minutes as they leapfrogged BVB at the Bundesliga summit on Saturday, posting a ninth successive win in home meetings with their Klassiker rivals.

Thomas Tuchel denied joining Bayern Munich was a backwards step and claimed the team he has inherited from Julian Nagelsmann would be title contenders if given a chance to play in the Premier League.

The former Chelsea boss had been recently linked with Tottenham and conceded on Saturday he had not expected his next job to be one in the Bundesliga.

Such a stance is understandable, given Tuchel would have looked at Bayern, perhaps the only team that could presently tempt him back to Germany, and believed they were planning a long-term tenure for Nagelsmann.

Until his sacking, that remained the Bayern stance, with Nagelsmann's departure and Tuchel's arrival announced simultaneously by the German giants on Friday.

Tuchel could scoop a treble in his first months in charge, with Bayern through to quarter-finals in the Champions League and DFB-Pokal and sitting just a point behind Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

He said it was "an honour" to be handed the job, revealed he almost joined Bayern five years ago, and scoffed at suggestions he had other offers that pushed Bayern to move quickly.

Asked about Bayern's position in relation to offer opportunities that might have come his way, Tuchel said: "I think it's fair to say the Premier League is an extremely incredible league, and with the highest level of competition in Europe right now.

"It's not a step back to come to the Bundesliga though. I think Bayern have a squad that could compete for the Premier League title."

Tuchel has signed up until the end of the 2024-25 season, dismissing any implication a two-and-a-half-year contract represented any sort of negative reflection on him, given Nagelsmann signed a five-year deal when he was appointed in April 2021.

"For me, the length of contract doesn't play a big role," Tuchel said. "We can be very honest about it. If things go well we can talk about extending it.

"It's a profession that's about performance and right now there's a lot of things changing: squads changing, clubs changing, hierarchies – if you look at Chelsea – that are changing completely. The length of the contract is perfect for me."

Tuchel said he was first contact by Bayern on Tuesday, when a call from sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic caught him by surprise.

He had become an in-demand boss, with Spurs rumoured to be keen as Antonio Conte looks set to depart, but Tuchel denied using any such factor in negotiations.

"My idea was my career would continue abroad and I wasn't expecting anything like this," Tuchel said. "Reports I used other offers as a means of applying pressure are not true."

He did not immediately jump at Bayern's proposal, needing time to consider if this was the sensible career path.

"I had to sleep on it first," Tuchel said. "The excitement and the thrill of taking on such a big task started outweighing everything else. We started communicating clearly between each other. There was nothing about other clubs."

It was confirmed Tuchel was in the frame for the Bayern job in 2018, when Jupp Heynckes was at the helm and looking set to depart at the season's end, but there was no certainty over that.

"I was very close to joining Bayern," Tuchel said. "At the time, Bayern had every right to wait for Jupp's decision."

Tuchel instead accepted an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, and he said of that moment: "The fact is, I couldn't wait for Jupp to make a decision on his own career.

"On this occasion, things did go very quickly, and it's a fantastic solution for me."

He described Bayern's group of players as "one of the most talented squads in Europe right now" and reflected they must not only win games and titles, but "it's about the way you win as well".

Oliver Kahn believed Bayern Munich's hopes of trophy success this season and in the next campaign were under threat with Julian Nagelsmann at the helm.

The tacit admission that the 10-in-a-row Bundesliga champions would surrender their crown if Nagelsmann stayed in charge came in a press conference on Saturday.

Bayern CEO Kahn sacked Nagelsmann and has brought Thomas Tuchel to the club as head coach, with their hopes of a treble remaining alive going into the closing weeks of the season.

The shock departure of Nagelsmann, less than two years after he was acquired at great expense from RB Leipzig, was one the Bayern hierarchy decided was essential.

"The last few days have been hard for us all," Kahn said. "They certainly weren't easy days, and it's safe to assume there was the odd night where I didn't sleep well.

"That's one side of this job that is no longer fun but unfortunately is part of the business. When you let a head coach go, ultimately there's a person behind that decision.

"Nothing big changed, we all see him as an excellent and very good head coach, and on a personal level we understood each other over the course of the last year and three quarters.

"But it's our responsibility and duty to sort out the sporting success of this club, and so we asked ourselves the question of what's the reason behind the big changes in performance.

"So, this isn't a panic decision. It's got nothing to do with panic. We had a close look at everything, and we took the emotions out of the decisions."

Bayern were beaten 2-1 by Bayer Leverkusen last Sunday and as a result relinquished top spot in the Bundesliga to Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund are Bayern's next opponents, and incoming boss Tuchel is a former Dortmund coach.

A beaming Tuchel was presented by Bayern on Saturday, having been first contacted on Tuesday.

"We might have taken the decision on Monday, but we took a chance to look at everything," Kahn said. "It's all about finding out where these big swings in performances come from."

Kahn pointed to last season's Champions League exit at the hands of Villarreal and a 5-0 DFB-Pokal loss to Borussia Monchengladbach in October 2021.

"The fact is there were vulnerabilities that were hard to understand that kept raising their head over several games, despite the fact we strengthened the squad before the start of the season and have one of best squads in Europe," Kahn said.

"The continuity in performance of the team never really got better.

"If you look at the start of the second half of the season, we were often not happy with the performances.

"It's the expectation for a club like Bayern that we are a stable ship, so we started with three 1-1 draws in a row – a tough start to the second half of the season – and you see where we are today. Out of 10 Bundesliga games, we have five wins and three draws. That's not where our expectation levels are.

"That's ultimately why we had to make a decision. The expectations are always at their highest here at Bayern.

"We saw and felt our season targets for this season and next season were in danger, and that's why we came to the decision to let Julian Nagelsmann go. It was a well thought through process, certainly not an emotional decision down to one game."

Kahn said he and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had supported Nagelsmann until reaching this decision.

They took no satisfaction in parting company with the 35-year-old Nagelsmann, who will be eager in his next job to prove Bayern made a rash choice.

"Of course, there are nicer things in life," Kahn said. "It was frustrating and he was trying to understand. We explained it as we have explained it today.

"He took it on board and understood. The bottom line is it really did not go how we expected things to go."

Kahn said his open-door policy to the club's players had provided some insight into the vibe of the squad under Nagelsmann's leadership.

"I let players come into my office, have a coffee and listen in," he said. "I think this is one of the strengths of the club. I think everyone had a very clear picture of how the players were feeling and what kind of situation they found themselves in."

Oliver Kahn says Bayern Munich's decision to replace Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel as head coach was due to the team playing "less successfully and less attractively" since the World Cup.

The Bundesliga giants lost their lead at the top of the table at the weekend after a 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, with Borussia Dortmund leapfrogging them with a 6-1 win over Koln.

Despite an impressive Champions League last-16 success against Paris Saint-Germain, Nagelsmann has paid the price for a dip in domestic form, with two of their three league defeats this season coming in their last five games.

"When we signed Julian Nagelsmann for FC Bayern in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis, and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end," Bayern chief executive Kahn told the club's website.

"Julian shares our aspiration to play successful and attractive football. But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often. After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively. 

"The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now. 

"Personally and on behalf of FC Bayern, I would like to thank Julian and his coaching team, and wish everyone the best of luck for the future."

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic echoed Kahn's words, saying it was "the most difficult decision in my time as a board member".

He added: "I have had an open, trusting, friendly relationship with Julian from day one. I regret the parting of the ways with Julian. But after a thorough analysis of the sporting development of our team, especially since January and with the experience of the second half of the previous season, we have now decided to release him. 

"I am very grateful to Julian for what he has done for FC Bayern and I wish him all the best."

Bayern have appointed former Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea head coach Tuchel on a contract until June 2025.

Hasan Salihamidzic believes Bayern Munich will be ready to face Manchester City after being paired with the "strongest possible opponent" in Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw.

City recovered from a shaky first leg against RB Leipzig to thump them 7-0 at home and secure their place in the last eight with an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Bayern, meanwhile, impressively eased past French champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 on aggregate to set them up for a tie against City which will see Pep Guardiola return to the club he coached between 2013 and 2016.

Bayern sporting director Salihamidzic is relishing the opportunity to face off against one of the favourites, telling reporters: "I like playing against the good teams.

"Our boys are very focused and this is a top tie. It's a tough opponent, the strongest possible in my opinion.

"So this is another little final. After Paris, this is again a group we have to play that has a lot of quality.

"They won very convincingly against Leipzig. We will see Pep Guardiola again and I'm looking forward to the games."

Prolific striker Erling Haaland has scored 39 goals in all competitions since signing for City, including five against Leipzig in City's second-leg rout on Tuesday.

But while Salihamidzic acknowledged the quality Haaland and City possess, he has confidence in his team's defence to hold up against such a formidable attacking force.

"Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world," Salihamidzic added. "He does it very, very well.

"But we defended very well against Paris. I believe that we perform best against the best teams.

"These are also the highlights of the season for the fans. This is a top pairing. I'm looking forward to it."

Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn feels games against the likes of City are a great litmus test for whether the Bavarian side have what it takes to go on and lift their seventh Champions League.

Like Salihamidzic, he appeared to be relishing the challenge.

"Manchester City are an absolute top team, but we are Bayern Munich," Kahn said.

"We must and will be ready for this big opponent. If you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat the best.

"That's the challenge - and we're happy to take it on."

Bayern Munich and Los Angeles FC have joined forces in an agreement designed to bolster both clubs' development of young players.

The Bundesliga champions and the MLS Cup holders have set up a joint venture named "Red&Gold Football" based in Munich, with the aim of developing players for both teams internationally.

Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn said the partnership with LAFC will enable Bayern to continue to compete with their European rivals, saying improvements in the quality of MLS will benefit the Bavarian giants.

"On an international level, soccer is developing rapidly, which is also evident in the transfer market," Kahn told the club's website. 

"We see this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen FC Bayern in the sporting competition with the best clubs in Europe and the Bundesliga. 

"The fact that the 2026 World Cup will largely take place in the United States, where we already have an office in New York, makes Los Angeles even more attractive. 

"I expect a boost in quality and young talent in Major League Soccer, which will have a positive impact on our partnership."

LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said: "A partnership of this magnitude is the next step in our evolution as a club. We are extremely excited to work together with FC Bayern to identify and develop young talent in Southern California and beyond.

"We believe this relationship will provide players throughout our systems with the ability to maximise their potential and see a clear pathway to first-team football."

The sides envisage the partnership could grow to include other clubs and development academies across the game in the future "as part of a global development initiative".

Thomas Muller surpassed Gerd Muller as the outfield player with the most Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich after being named in the starting XI for the German champions' meeting with Bochum.

Muller's 428th league outing for Bayern takes him beyond his legendary namesake's tally of 427, with just two goalkeepers now standing between him and the outright club record.

Three-time European Cup winner Sepp Maier leads the way with 473 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern, while former captain-turned-chief executive Oliver Kahn played 429 times.

Muller was selected to make his 13th league appearance of an injury-hit season against Bochum, though he has still recorded seven goal involvements this term (three goals, four assists).

The 33-year-old's 140 Bundesliga goals put him fourth in Bayern's all-time goalscoring charts in the competition, behind Gerd Muller (365), Robert Lewandowski (238) and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (162).

Muller penned a contract extension with Bayern after helping them win a 10th consecutive league title last May, ensuring he will remain at the club until 2024.

Having made his league debut with the Bavarian giants in 2008, Muller has won 31 club trophies, including 11 Bundesliga titles and two Champions Leagues.

Manuel Neuer may end up leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season after his scathing criticism of the move to dismiss the club's goalkeeping coach, claims Stefan Effenberg.

Bayern captain Neuer said the sacking of Toni Tapalovic was "the most brutal thing I've experienced in my career", and those comments drew a sharp rebuke from club CEO Oliver Kahn.

Kahn, himself a former Bayern goalkeeper, said Neuer's remarks were not befitting of his role as captain and promised the club would directly confront the 36-year-old about the comments.

Tapalovic made his Bayern exit soon after Neuer suffered a broken leg while on a skiing trip in December, after the World Cup.

In an interview with The Athletic, published this week, Neuer said news of his mentor's departure was "a blow – when I was already down on the ground".

Reports claimed Tapalovic and head coach Julian Nagelsmann had become incompatible, with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic saying in a January 23 announcement: "Differences, particularly over the way we worked together, have now led to us going our separate ways."

Former Germany midfielder Effenberg, who was a key figure at Bayern in two separate playing spells, believes Neuer may have written himself out of Bayern's future with the tone of his remarks.

Effenberg described it as "an interview that will probably go down in football history", saying Neuer should appreciate coaching changes only ever happen for a reason.

"This is the way it is in life and in football," Effenberg wrote in his t-online column. "Sometimes paths separate when certain things have happened.

"Those responsible certainly had their reasons for making a change – and they did. With this, FC Bayern makes decisions for the future of the club.

"A player simply has to accept that, even if he's the captain. Because nothing and nobody is above the club. No player, no coach is bigger than Bayern Munich."

Neuer has 18 months left on his Bayern deal, and he may struggle to displace Yann Sommer, who has been brought in from Borussia Monchengladbach to cover for his absence.

For many years, Neuer was widely regarded as the world's best goalkeeper, but he is in the autumn of his career now.

Effenberg wrote: "He should think about whether it makes any sense for him to still fulfil his contract with FC Bayern, which is valid until 2024, after these allegations, or whether it might be better to leave the club. From the feeling it could well be that it will even come down to that. I wouldn't be surprised if they split up this summer."

A Champions League winner in 2001 with Bayern, Effenberg said the emotional nature of Neuer's comments "are no longer good prerequisites for further good and harmonious cooperation".

"Both sides now have a few months to think about how things should continue beyond the summer – or not," Effenberg added. "With this interview, Neuer certainly made life very difficult, if not impossible, for Bayern for the future."

Bayern Munich chief executive Oliver Kahn has warned Manuel Neuer his comments on the sacking of the Bundesliga champions' goalkeeping coach do not align with the club's values.

Germany veteran Neuer, speaking in an interview with The Athletic, questioned the dismissal of long-time mentor Toni Tapalovic as he acknowledged the "blow" of the goalkeeping coach's sacking.

The 36-year-old, who is out of action for the season after suffering a season-ending skiing injury, said the decision "came out of nowhere" and "really knocked me down".

Kahn was not impressed with Neuer's public comments, firing back at the Bayern star ahead of a crucial run-in for Julian Nagelsmann's side in February.

"What Manuel said in parts of these two interviews in connection with the release of Toni Tapalovic does not do justice to him as captain or to the values of FC Bayern," he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

"Moreover, his statements come at an inopportune time because we are facing very important games."

Kahn sympathised with Neuer's situation, having seen his own goalkeeping coach Sepp Maier dismissed by Germany in 2004, but said he cannot understand his motivations.

Kahn added: "He is personally affected, you have to understand that to a certain extent. We were also aware of that when we explained to him that the decision on the question of the goalkeeper coach, which was not taken lightly, was the best thing for our team at that moment. I was faced with a similar situation as an international in 2004.

"Our goalkeeper coach Sepp Maier felt badly treated by the DFB and it came to a separation. I had worked with Sepp for years and we had a friendly and trusting relationship.

"I was also disappointed at the time, and I was angry with the DFB. But the common goals were in the foreground for me.

"They were more important to me than my personal feelings. And for that reason, I decided at the time not to speak out publicly. Manuel has now done the opposite.

"We will talk to him about it very clearly."

Fashionista Serge Gnabry has been told to smarten up his act by Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn.

After a dressing-down from sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, the fallout continued on Saturday after Gnabry's trip to Paris Fashion Week on his recent day off.

Salihamidzic branded Serge Gnabry "amateurish" after the Germany forward returned from Paris to put in a disappointing display in the Bundesliga draw against Koln on Tuesday.

Rather than spending his downtime in Paris last Sunday, Salihamidzic felt Gnabry should have been resting between games to ensure he was in his best condition to turn on the style for Bayern.

Gnabry was only a substitute for Saturday's game with Eintracht Frankfurt. It was the third game in succession where Bayern have been held 1-1, seeing their Bundesliga lead whittled down to one point.

Kahn, speaking ahead of the game, said the best way for a player to answer any critics would be to ensure their on-field performance was unimpeachable.

"If I know that it's not the best time, then I have to go on the pitch, score three goals and be the best man. That would be my answer to a topic like that," Kahn told German broadcaster Sky, addressing the Gnabry situation.

Bayern's players had plenty of time off after the World Cup, where Gnabry was a member of the Germany squad that tumbled out at the group stage.

"We now simply expect performance – and we demand it," Kahn said. "We discussed this with Serge. Hasan spoke to him and made it clear. I think he understood."

Finding a mid-season replacement for injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is proving "extremely difficult", according to Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn.

Neuer was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a broken leg in a skiing accident while on holiday in the wake of Germany's shock group-stage exit at the World Cup.

The 36-year-old's injury has given Bayern a headache between the sticks as they bid for silverware at home and in Europe.

The German champions hold a four-point lead at the Bundesliga summit and are expected to bring in a goalkeeper in January, with Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer reportedly their top target.

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic also suggested they could recall Alexander Nubel from his loan at Monaco, but Nubel himself stated it "doesn't make much sense" for him to return to Bayern and has started both of Monaco's games since Ligue 1 returned after the World Cup.

Kahn says replacing the absent Neuer in the January transfer window is tricky, telling Bild: "We are discussing various options without hesitation.

"But replacing Manuel Neuer during the winter break is of course extremely difficult, especially since not many clubs want to give up their number one goalkeeper."

Neuer is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the 2023-24 season, but Kahn still feels it is necessary to bring in a shot-stopper, even if just for a brief period, explaining: "Football is a short-term business, we have to think about the here and now.

"We know Manuel. He will give everything he can to get back into top form. And a Manuel Neuer in top form is absolutely world-class."

Bayern return to competitive action away at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on January 20, while they will likely already have one eye on their tricky Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain, with the first leg set to take place at the Parc des Princes on February 14.

Bayern Munich will not make a move for Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic as a replacement for Manuel Neuer, says Oliver Kahn. 

The Bundesliga champions are set to be without their first choice man between the posts after he suffered a leg injury on holiday following Germany's exit from Qatar 2022.

With Neuer out for the season, it remains to be seen whether Bayern will stick with Sven Ulreich as his understudy or look further afield.

Dinamo Zagreb keeper Livakovic has enjoyed an excellent World Cup with Croatia so far, and was the hero in their penalty shoot-out win over Brazil, but Kahn says they will not be looking at him as an option.

"The man who stopped Brazil will always be a hero to me," Kahn said. "Livakovic is worthy of praise. Such a goalkeeper must play at a top club.

"I have no doubt that this will be the case in the new season, but at the same time, he is not within the scope of our interests."

Kahn refused to comment on speculation Bayern will dip into the market in the new year in pursuit of a new goalkeeper, though he acknowledged the club needed to consider their options.

"We've lost our goalkeeper before the end of the season," he added. "It's terrible because he is one of the best in the world. It's a very serious loss for the team.

"We believe that the recovery will go well and his return too, but for now, we have to solve the problem of a replacement. This is temporary. Manuel will be back."