Ancelotti’s job is safe, say Bayern
CLUB CHAIRMAN HAS CLUB COACH’S BACKING Champions could retain their title as early as today.
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insists the German giants are backing head coach Carlo Ancelotti despite their Champions League and German Cup exits in a little over a week.
April has been a disaster for Bayern and Ancelotti, who is in his first season as head coach.
On Wednesday, Bayern lost their German Cup semifinal 3-2 at home to Borussia Dortmund, just eight days after being dumped out of the Champions League’s quarterfinals by Real Madrid.
The cup defeat leaves them winless in their last five games – their worst streak without a win for 17 years.
Rummenigge has made it clear he and club president Uli Hoeness are backing Ancelotti – for now.
“Carlo is a very good and experienced coach,” Rummenigge told German daily Bild yesterday.
“His contract (until 2019) is well known and will not be discussed.”
Bayern started April 13 points clear in the Bundesliga and in the running for a treble of Champions League, German league and cup titles.
Their league lead has now been cut to eight and Rummenigge says injury, plus unfavourable refereeing decisions, were behind the European and cup exits.
He means the shoulder injury which ruled star striker Robert Lewandowski out of the 2-1 firstleg defeat to Real and the red card shown to Arturo Vidal in the away defeat in Madrid, when Bayern lost 4-2 after extra-time.
Bayern have the consolation of being able to sign off with a fifth straight Bundesliga title today.
They will be confirmed 2016/17 champions if they a win at Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig lose or draw at home to Ingolstadt.
However, ex-Bayern and Germany midfielder Mehmet Scholl predicts big changes.
“The bosses will now ask, do we have the right people at Bayern?,” Scholl told broadcaster ARD.
“Do (Kingsley) Coman, (Douglas) Costa or (Renato) Sanches help?
“Uli decides on a gut feeling, Kalle (Rummenigge) with his head.”
Should Ancelotti be sacked, Hoffenheim’s Julian Nagelsmann, at 29 the youngest coach in Bundesliga history, would be a prime candidate to replace him.
He was named Germany’s coach of the year for 2016 and Bayern have already tried to poach him to work in their youth academy in 2015. – AFP