Bayern Munich confirmed that Manager Pep Guardiola will leave the club at the end of the season, with Carlo Ancelotti "taking over at the Bundesliga champions," according to Howard Swains of the SUNDAY TIMES. Bayern won 1-0 against Hanover 96 on Saturday and "will head into the winter break with an eight-point lead at the top of the table." But the victory was "overshadowed by ongoing speculation about the future of Guardiola, who has won the title in both seasons he has been in charge at the club, since joining from Barcelona." Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the rumors that Guardiola "would not renew his contract when it expired at the end of the season but was also able to announce Ancelotti as his replacement." Rummenigge: "We are thankful to Guardiola for all he gave our club and hope to celebrate more success in the current season. With Ancelotti we have another very successful coach coming to Bayern. We are looking forward to working together." Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League three times as a manager -- twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid -- has signed a three-year contract at Bayern, "committing him to the club" until '19. Guardiola won 14 trophies in four seasons with Barcelona, before taking over in Munich in June '13. Guardiola has "long been linked" with a move to the Premier League and both Manchester clubs "are reported to be interested in securing his services" (SUNDAY TIMES, 12/20).
NEXT DESTINATION?: In Sydney, Jamie Marcuson reported Man City is the favorite to "gain the Spaniard's services after almost 18 months of courtship, but many other names have been mentioned." ManU, which is "looking stagnant under Louis Van Gaal," is rumored to be "very interested" in Guardiola, while Chelsea, which just sacked Jose Mourinho and hired Guus Hiddink in a caretaker's role, "would also be interested." Guardiola's influence on his players has been "so significant that he is credited as being a major factor in Spain and Germany's World Cup victories" in '10 and '14, respectively (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/20).
INTERNAL DISAGREEMENTS: In London, Marcus Christenson reported there have "also been disagreements with the Bayern medical staff, which led to a parting of the ways with the highly regarded team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt last season and three other members of staff." Guardiola has reportedly "been unimpressed with the medical team this season as well, and especially in regards to recent injuries to Franck Ribéry and Philipp Lahm" (
GUARDIAN, 12/20).
