After rumours intensified in recent weeks and months, the inevitable news was finally announced on Sunday morning. Bayern Munich confirmed that Pep Guardiola would not be staying with the club past the end of the season, and that Carlo Ancelotti will take over as head coach on a three-year deal.
Can Pep go out on a high?
The Spanish boss will leave the reigning Bundesliga champions after three full seasons in charge, and will be aiming to add to his current haul of two league titles, a DFB-Pokal triumph, the UEFA Super Cup and also the FIFA Club World Cup. Bayern are leading the Bundesliga by a huge eight points going into Christmas, and are in the UEFA Champions League last 16 and Pokal quarter-finals; another treble for the Bavarian giants is still on the cards.
Bayern Munich chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge gave his thoughts on the news: “We are grateful to Pep Guardiola for everything he has given our club since 2013." He added that he was "convinced that Pep and our team will now work even more intensively towards achieving our major sporting goals", saying that he thinks this will only become focused with him set to leave the club.
Ancelotti the successor
Rummenigge continued, “Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed success everywhere as a coach and has won the Champions League three times.” The chairman called the Italian a "calm, balanced expert", and one "who knows how to deal with stars and favours a multifaceted style of play". He concluded, "We were looking for this, and we have found it. We are looking forward to working with him.”
Ancelotti commented: “I am very honoured that I will be coach of the great club FC Bayern from next season.” The 56-year-old comes with a phenomenal record as coach, having won three Champions League titles and the league in three different countries. He'll be hoping to add another one to each of those categories in the coming years, and could be the man to take Bayern to the next level.