Pep Guardiola vs Thomas Tuchel: Complete head-to-head record

Guardiola and Tuchel have locked horns at the highest level
Guardiola and Tuchel have locked horns at the highest level / Joe Prior/Visionhaus | Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
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The rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel has become more and more intense as the years have gone.

What started off with meetings in bars in Munich discussing tactics has evolved into battles between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City and Chelsea.

While results were decidedly one sided over in Germany, the tide turned ever so slightly when Tuchel rocked up in west London - though you have to be absolutely exceptional to ever come out on top overall against the Spaniard.

Here's how Guardiola and Tuchel have fared when their teams have battled it out in the past.


1. Bayern Munich 4-1 Mainz (19/10/2013)

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"Yeah...this is going to be difficult." / CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

Guardiola was at the beginning of his Bayern stint here, and the team at his disposal was pretty immense.

Philipp Lahm sat in front of the back four with Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger afforded a little more freedom, while Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller enjoyed themselves out wide with Mario Mandzukic up front.

Tuchel's Mainz actually grabbed the opener through Shawn Parker, but Robben equalised before Muller scored twice either side of Mandzukic's effort.


2. Mainz 0-2 Bayern Munich (22/3/2014)

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Schweinsteiger opened the scoring / DANIEL ROLAND/Getty Images

The return fixture proved to be one of Tuchel's final games at Mainz, as he left at the end of the season.

The deficit of defeat shrunk from the first game and Mainz actually held out until the 82nd minute before Schweinsteiger broke their resistance, substitute Mario Gotze soon doubling the lead.

That win left Guardiola needing just one more victory to wrap up the Bundesliga title. They did it with seven games to spare courtesy of a 3-1 success at Hertha Berlin.


3. Bayern Munich 5-1 Borussia Dortmund (4/10/2015)

Thomas Tuchel, Pep Guardiola
All smiles just before the storm / Boris Streubel/Getty Images

Tuchel's next job came at Borussia Dortmund, where he replaced Jurgen Klopp who had seen BVB finish seventh after two title wins and two second place finishes.

Dortmund have had a tendency to roll over and have their tummies tickled by Bayern over the years and that's what Tuchel saw in his first taste of Der Klassiker.

The forward pairing of Muller and Robert Lewandowski tore Dortmund to shreds, with each scoring twice. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did manage to briefly reduce the scoring before it all got messy, with Gotze scoring the fifth for Bayern after the hour mark.


4. Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Bayern Munich (5/3/2016)

Arturo Vidal, Mats Hummels
An all-action affair ended goalless / Boris Streubel/Getty Images

This was hardly an enthralling contest between Germany's two biggest clubs, but it did yield Tuchel's first league point against Guardiola.

Good form for BVB before this clash had them in the title picture, though the win they needed to take them within two points of Bayern never looked like materialising.

Arturo Vidal hit the bar and Aubameyang twice tested Manuel Neuer, but the game ended goalless.


5. Bayern Munich 0-0 Borussia Dortmund (4-3 on penalties) (21/5/2016)

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Celebrations begin for Guardiola and Bayern / CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

The third meeting between the two sides in 2015/16 came in the DFB-Pokal final, and Bayern continued Guardiola's unbeaten run over Tuchel with victory on penalties.

It was again goalless in normal time, with Aubameyang missing the best opportunity, and Bayern prevailed on spot-kicks as Neuer saved from Sven Bender before Sokratis missed.

Guardiola ended his three-year stay in Germany with a second league and cup double, while the loss was Dortmund's third consecutive defeat in DFB-Pokal finals.


6. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City (17/4/2021)

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Chelsea will face Leicester in the FA Cup final / ADAM DAVY/Getty Images

Tuchel and Guardiola's first meeting in England came in the FA Cup semi finals, and it gave the former his first ever victory over the latter.

Chelsea strong-armed Man City in a 1-0 victory at Wembley, Hakim Ziyech scoring the winner while Tuchel's side kept the usually free-scoring Citizens at bay.

From the doom and gloom of the Frank Lampard era, Chelsea suddenly had the chance to finish the 2020/21 season with two trophies and a top four spot.


7. Manchester City 1-2 Chelsea (8/5/2021)

Marcos Alonso
Alonso celebrates his winner / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

This was probably the point where the odds on Chelsea winning the 2020/21 Champions League final started to drop. City remained the favourites, but Tuchel had now beaten Guardiola's outfit twice with his Blues.

Raheem Sterling's finish put City ahead just before half time, but Sergio Aguero's Penenka penalty was comfortably saved by Edouard Mendy before strikes from Hakim Ziyech and Marcos Alonso ensured the visitors left with all three points.


8. Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea (29/5/2021)

Chelsea win Champions League title after beating Manchester City 1-0 in final
Chelsea beat City for their second Champions League title / Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Tuchel stretched his record against Guardiola's City to three wins from three games with his Chelsea with the grandest victory of them all.

Kai Havertz, who had endured a decidedly mixed debut season at Stamford Bridge, wrote himself into Blues folklore with his 42nd minute winner in Porto.

While City dominated possession, Tuchel's side performed brilliantly in defence and their opponents never looked like scoring. Three wins from three for Thomas, with Pep left drinking bottled water frantically.


9. Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City (25/9/2021)

Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva
Gabriel Jesus scored the winner / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The 2021/22 season started off with Chelsea storming out of the blocks and looking a good shout for the Premier League title, but City gave everyone a timely reminder of their talents and prestige with victory at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues struggled to create clear chances and Gabriel Jesus gave the visitors the goal they deserved, one which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides.


10. Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea (15/01/22)

Kevin De Bruyne bent home a superb winner for City
Kevin De Bruyne bent home a superb winner for City / OLI SCARFF/GettyImages

Just eight months after Chelsea's Champions League success over City, Tuchel took charge of his final game for the Blues against Guardiola.

The difference maker on the day was Kevin De Bruyne, who showed all of his magic to bend a superb 25-yard effort over Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the top corner.

It was a vital win for City and a sign of what was to come in the Premier League title race.


11. Manchester City 3-0 Bayern Munich (11/04/23)

Erling Haaland
Manchester City blew Bayern away at the Etihad / Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

With Tuchel surprisingly sacked by Chelsea little over a year after winning the Champions League, the German's next opportunity to come up against Guardiola and City came after taking charge at the Spaniard's former club Bayern.

The pair met in a heavyweight Champions League quarter-final clash, with City this time coasting to victory in the first leg at the Etihad.

Rodri set City on their way with a superb finish, bending the ball past Yann Sommer from range, before Bernardo Silva doubled the advantage with a close range header. Erling Haaland, who else, made it 3-0 before the final whistle to wrap up a comprehensive win.


12. Bayern Munich 1-1 Manchester City (19/04/23)

Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland scored, obviously / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages

Bayern needed a miracle to overcome that first leg defeat, but it wasn't forthcoming when Tuchel squared off against Guardiola again just eight days later.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City, having missed a first half penalty, though Tuchel was spared defeat on the night by Joshua Kimmich's second half spot kick.


Pep Guardiola vs Thomas Tuchel H2H record

  • Games played: 12
  • Guardiola wins: 6*
  • Draws: 3*
  • Tuchel wins: 3

*Guardiola's Bayern eventually won in a penalty shootout.

Goals scored

  • Teams managed by Guardiola: 18
  • Teams managed by Tuchel: 7

Top scorers in Pep Guardiola vs Thomas Tuchel fixtures

Player

Team represented

Goals

Thomas Muller

Bayern Munich/Guardiola

4

Robert Lewandowski

Bayern Munich/Guardiola

2

Hakim Ziyech

Chelsea/Tuchel

2

Erling Haaland

Manchester City/Guardiola

2


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