Lahm, Alonso say goodbye

– Bayern Munich’s beersoaked head coach Carlo Ancelotti conceded it will be tough to replace Philipp Lahm (above) and Xabi Alonso after the pair played their final game before retiring.

Lahm, 33, and Alonso, 35, hung up their boots after Saturday’s 4-1 win over Freiburg as Bayern celebrated lifting the Bundesliga trophy for the fifth season in a row.

The German giants ended up 15 points clear in Ancelotti’s first season since replacing Pep Guardiola.

Germany’s World Cup-winning captain Lahm played his 517th and final game in the Bayern shirt, lifting the Bundesliga shield for a record-equalling eighth time.

Alonso, a 2010 World Cup winner, as well as Euro 2008 and 2012 champion with Spain, proved he is going out at the top after his superb diagonal pass set up Arjen Robben for the opening goal.

“It was an emotional day for Xabi Alonso and for Philipp Lahm,” said Ancelotti, who has now won league titles in Germany, Italy, England and France.

“I want to thank both players, they have had a fantastic season, but now we have to try to find good replacements.”

Hoffenheim’s German internationals Niklas Suele and Sebastian Rudy will join Bayern next season to fight to fill the vacant positions.

Ancelotti was a prime target after the final whistle for the traditional beer shower as his team hunted him down with three-litre glasses of wheat beer.

Goalscorer Robben raised his arms in triumph when he won the race to soak Ancelotti, who wisely wore a tracksuit for the occasion.

“I’m still alive. It was funny, but a bit cold,” joked a sodden Ancelotti. – AFP