Ancelotti faces new challenge with Bayern
‘Father figure’ coach will try to build on Guardiola’s success
Bayern Munich will chase a fifth straight Bundesliga title when the regular season kicks off on Friday, with new coach Carlo Ancelotti aiming to continue the dominance forged by predecessors Pep Guardiola and Jupp Heynckes.
The Bayern hierarchy expects the 57-year-old Ancelotti to keep the Bavarian giant, which opens the new season at home to Werder Bremen on Friday, at the pinnacle of German soccer.
Guardiola resigned to take the helm of Manchester City at the end of last season, after sealing a third straight league title and the German Cup.
Heynckes signed off by delivering Bayern’s first major treble in 2013 when it lifted the Champions League,and German Cup titles.
But Ancelotti has already won some silverware after just two competitive games.
Bayern’s 2-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund earlier this month gave it the German Super Cup title, ending a run of three straight losses in the season curtain-raiser under Guardiola.
Like Heynckes before him, Ancelotti has a reputation of being a father figure who instills confidence in his players, in marked contrast to Guardiola, who dishes out specific instructions.
Bayern regards itself as a family club and Ancelotti has already followed that tradition by appointing his son Davide, a former AC Milan youth team player, to his backroom staff, as he did during his spell at Real Madrid.
It has not taken long for praise for Ancelotti to include some criticism of Guardiola from within the Bayern camp.
“Under Ancelotti, I finally feel like I’m trusted again,” winger Franck Ribery told German magazine Kicker, before taking a swipe at Guardiola.
“I don’t need a coach to tell me what I have to do right on the pitch when I have the ball,” said Ribery in reference to Guardiola, which earned him a reprimand from Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Lack of belief
But Ribery is not the only player to criticize Guardiola during his time with Bayern. Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri left Munich in 2015 over a lack of belief from his coach.
“He is a very good coach in terms of what happens on the pitch, but his communication wasn’t so good with me. He doesn’t say to the players why,” Shaqiri told the Daily Mail when asked about Guardiola’s manner when dropping players.
In contrast, Ancelotti will start with Bayern having been given the seal of approval by some of soccer’s big names.
“He just knows how to treat a man,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who worked with Ancelotti at Paris-Saint Germain.
“He is not just your trainer, he is your friend. It’s incredible.”
And Cristiano Ronaldo was full of praise for Ancelotti’s style after the Italian won the Champions League title in the first of his two seasons with Real Madrid in 2014.
“I wish every player had the opportunity to work with him, because he’s a fantastic guy, a fantastic coach,” said Ronaldo.
While Guardiola has won six league titles — three each with Barcelona and Bayern — Ancelotti has just three, in Serie A with AC Milan in 2004, the Premier League with Chelsea in 2010 and Ligue 1 with PSG in 2013.
But Ancelotti has won the Champions League three times, including twice with AC Milan, while Bayern lost three straight semifinals under Guardiola’s tutelage.
“I’m trying to bring my own ideas here, but Pep’s style of play was very good and I hope the players don’t forget that,” said Ancelotti, as he prepares for his first Bundesliga season.
He has already won the respect of his main Bundesliga rival.
“He has opened my eyes to how beautiful and spectacular football can be,” Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel said before watching his club go down to defeat in the Super Cup.
“He will bring us all, me as well, to a new level, because my team can be compared to his.”
I’m trying to bring my own ideas here, but Pep’s style of play was very good and I hope the players don’t forget that.” Carlo Ancelotti, Bayern Munich new coach