Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt was surprised by the club's decision to part company with head coach Julian Nagelsmann and says it has been "hard to swallow".
German heavyweights Bayern officially called time on Nagelsmann's 20-month reign on Friday and swiftly appointed Thomas Tuchel as his successor.
Nagelsmann won the Bundesliga in his only full season in Bavaria, but Bayern find themselves a point behind Borussia Dortmund with 25 games of this campaign played.
Bayern face leaders Dortmund in a huge clash on Saturday, while they also have DFB-Pokal and Champions League quarter-final ties to play in April.
And with the club still in the hunt for a treble, De Ligt – who has been away on international duty with the Netherlands – did not see Nagelsmann's sacking coming.
"I was surprised," he told Dutch TV broadcaster NOS. "We're second in the league and in the quarter-finals of the cups. We're still playing for everything.
"Those in charge decide who the coach is, but it was a difficult decision that is hard to swallow. But I also believe that Tuchel is a coach who suits us."
According to a report in the German media, certain Bayern players turned against Nagelsmann and effectively forced him out of the Allianz Arena.
But De Ligt, who has played 31 times since arriving at Bayern from Juventus at the start of the season, refuted those suggestions.
"Oh, the German media. That says it all," he said. "I had a good relationship with him and his team.
"I sent him a message and thanked him for everything he taught me.
"He really wanted me here at the club and was very important to me.
"Thanks in part to him, I have taken important steps in my development over the past few months."
Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City (4-0 agg): Whites book Wembley spot in emphatic fashion
Leeds United thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to seal their place at Wembley.
After a goalless draw in the first leg left it all to play for at Elland Road on Thursday, Leeds turned on the style in front of a raucous home crowd to cruise into the final on May 26.
Ilia Gruev settled the majority of Elland Road's nerves with just seven minutes played as he caught out Angus Gunn with a long-range free-kick, curling into the space vacated by the Norwich goalkeeper's expectation of a cross.
Joel Piroe then doubled the hosts' advantage 13 minutes later, again capitalising on poor goalkeeping to beat Gunn to Wilfried Gnonto's cross and nod home.
The tie was effectively over five minutes from half-time, Georginio Rutter getting on the end of Crysencio Summerville's squared pass to rifle off the underside of the crossbar and in.
And after Gunn spilled Gnonto's low shot in the second half, Rutter cut the ball back for Summerville to poke home and secure Leeds' place in next Sunday's final, where they will meet either Southampton or West Brom.
Data debrief
Leeds may have looked pretty blunt in attack at Carrow Road, but that was far from the case on home soil as they put the Canaries to the sword in brutal fashion while keeping a 21st Championship clean sheet this season, more than any other side.
Daniel Farke's men produced 2.45 xG (expected goals) to Norwich's 0.51, while Summerville made it 20 league goals for the season, more than any other Leeds player.
Sanderson predicting Chelsea to win 'down-to-the-wire' WSL title race
Lianne Sanderson believes Chelsea will get over the line in the Women's Super League (WSL) title race this weekend.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes previously declared the WSL title race as "done" following her side's 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in early May, but two wins since and a loss for title rivals Manchester CIty against Arsenal mean her team head into the final game top and with a superior goal difference.
Chelsea's goal difference of +47 to City's +45 could prove crucial as Hayes' side take on Manchester United this weekend looking to clinch the title.
City, meanwhile, travel to take on Aston Villa looking to overturn the goal difference deficit, but Sanderson feels Chelsea will get the job done.
"Obviously it's great for the neutral. For the fans, it's fantastic," Sanderson told Stats Perform.
"I think Emma Hayes obviously kind of somewhat accepted defeat a couple of weeks ago, which was surprising. Sometimes your emotions get the better of you. Emma Hayes is one of the best coaches in the world.
"Manchester City have had the best year I think they've had since Gareth Taylor has been there, taking over from Nick Cushing.
"It's going to go down to the wire. Personally, I still think Chelsea might do it."
With Sanderson predicting City to miss out on the WSL title, Sanderson feels Taylor's job should have come under more threat than it has.
"I've said many times that Gareth Taylor, I think hasn't come under as much pressure as he probably should have," Sanderson said.
"I think if he was in the men's game it would have been interesting because they've not qualified for the Champions League, they've been knocked out of preliminary rounds and those types of things."
However, Sanderson also gave Taylor credit for his persistence in what has occasionally been a challenging tenure.
"It's been interesting, but fair play to Gareth Taylor because he's persevered," Sanderson added.
"They've had loads of players over the years, you know Carli Lloyd, Rose Lavelle, the list could go on and it just hasn't really worked out, not due to those players, but sometimes you must find the right balance. I think finally, they found the right balance."
Zirkzee left out of Netherlands' Euro 2024 squad as De Jong makes the cut
Joshua Zirkzee was a surprise omission from Ronald Koeman's Netherlands squad for Euro 2024, as Frenkie de Jong made the selection.
A 30-man preliminary squad was confirmed on Thursday, with that pool to be whittled down to 26 for the tournament, which starts on June 14.
The Netherlands have been drawn against France, Austria and Poland in Group D, and Koeman somewhat surprisingly did not include in-form Bologna attacker Zirkzee, who has scored 12 goals this season, propelling his side towards Champions League qualification.
Koeman has preferred to go with the experienced Wout Weghorst, along with Memphis Depay and Brian Brobbey.
De Jong, though, did make the cut despite having not played for Barcelona in close to a month due to an ankle issue.
Ryan Gravenberch has earned a recall after a year away, and he is joined by Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo.
Micky van de Ven, who has impressed for Tottenham this season, has also been selected, as has wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, who has been in sensational form for Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen. Arsenal's Jurrien Timber, who sustained a serious injury in August, does not feature.
Georginio Wijnaldum, the former Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder who now plays in Saudi Arabia, has been included.
Koeman will confirm his 26-man squad by the end of May.
Netherlands squad
Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Mark Flekken (Brentford), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion), Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam); Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Girona), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Ian Maatsen (Borussia Dortmund), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur), Stefan de Vrij (Inter); Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Tijjani Reijnders (Milan), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Jerdy Schouten (PSV), Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig), Quinten Timber (Feyenoord), Joey Veerman (PSV Eindhoven), Georginio Wijnaldum (Al Ettifaq); Steven Bergwijn (Ajax), Brian Brobbey (Ajax), Memphis Depay (Atletico Madrid), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Wout Weghorst (Hoffenheim).
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