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Ancelotti wishes Guardiola good luck ahead of Bayern Munich handover
20 December 2015
Carlo Ancelotti says he is honoured to join Bayern Munich and has wished his friend Pep Guardiola good luck for the rest of the season.
Bayern confirmed on Sunday that Guardiola will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, with Ancelotti to take over on a three-year deal that runs until 2019.
Guardiola has won the Bundesliga in each of his first two seasons in charge and is on course to make it three in succession, with Bayern top by eight points going into the winter break.
The former Barcelona coach is yet to lift the Champions League in Bavaria though and, should he fail to do so this season, European Cup specialist Ancelotti will be charged with rectifying that situation.
The ex-AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid boss posted a message on social media following the confirmation of his appointment, expressing his excitement at taking the role.
"It's an honour for me to be part of this great club next season, Bayern Munich," he said.
"When I knew of the club's interest I didn't want to consider any other offer."
Ancelotti also offered his support for Guardiola as the outgoing coach chases domestic and continental success during his final months in charge.
"I honestly wish FC Bayern Munich and my friend Pep Guardiola the best for the current season," he added.
"I wish a merry and peaceful Christmas and a happy new year to all Bayern's fans and to all of you."
Ancelotti a safe pair of hands as Bayern Munich wait for Klopp
20 December 2015
Having been forced to accept they will lose the best coach in the world when Pep Guardiola leaves at the end of the season, Bayern Munich have moved quickly to secure the services of a safe pair of hands in Carlo Ancelotti.
Unable to match the headline-grabbing impact they made by snaring post-sabbatical Pep in 2013, for the administrators and decision-makers at the Allianz Arena and Sabener Strasse, Ancelotti represents the most likely available means of extending their dominance of German domestic football, while continuing to reach the latter stages of the Champions League with metronomic reliability.
Indeed, having Guardiola in charge has proved to be no guarantee of continental glory for Bayern. Twice a European Cup-winning coach at Barcelona, the 44-year-old has fallen at the semi-final stage in each of his first two seasons in charge and now has just one more chance to claim UEFA's top club prize in Bavaria before bowing out.
Ironically, Ancelotti captured the Champions League more by accident than design in 2013-14, securing La Decima for Real Madrid in the first of his two seasons in charge, despite his real priority being to clean up the toxic mess left behind at the Santiago Bernabeu by Jose Mourinho.
And if it is European success they crave, Bayern now have a specialist in the form of the former Italy international.
Ancelotti, who on Sunday was confirmed as Guardiola's successor on a three-year deal starting at the end of this season, has won the Champions League three times as a coach, twice with AC Milan and once at Madrid, as well as all three subsequent UEFA Super Cups.
There has been no shortage of domestic prizes either. The 56-year-old counts Serie A, the Coppa Italia, the Premier League, the FA Cup, Ligue 1 and the Copa del Rey among major honours earned from the touchline, with La Liga the only serious prize to elude him.
Other than a barren two-year spell with Juventus between 1999 and 2001, Ancelotti has never failed to deliver.
Some may question his domestic title-winning credentials, given he secured the Scudetto just once at Milan between 2001 and 2009, but he will never have a better opportunity to taste sustained league success than with the present Bayern squad.
The Bavarians, on course for their fourth consecutive title triumph, have an unprecedented stranglehold on the Bundesliga, which they lead by eight points from Borussia Dortmund.
It will take a remarkable collapse in form, or a miraculous performance from a rival team, to prevent that streak from continuing.
In recent decades Bayern have only jeopardised what often appears their God-given right to dominate German football by making questionable coaching appointments.
Jurgen Klinsmann proved a major failure in the dugout and, while Felix Magath and Louis van Gaal delivered success, they ultimately outstayed their welcome, making enemies of players and members of staff alike.
Even Guardiola was unable to avoid alienating some of his staff, club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt resigning his position in April after feeling his medical team had been blamed for a Champions League loss to Porto.
There will no be danger of that with Ancelotti, who is a shrewd diplomat and has proved capable of thriving under far more challenging regimes at Roman Abramovich's Chelsea, the Madrid of Florentino Perez and Silvio Berlusconi's Milan.
In that sense it is a match made in managerial heaven. The Uli Hoeness debacle aside, super-club Bayern pride themselves on maintaining the highest standards of commercial and administrative best-practice.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his fellow board members will not cause trouble for Ancelotti and in turn the new coach can be trusted to ensure it is business as usual on the pitch.
He does not have the wow factor of coaching genius Guardiola, but then few, if any, do. Ancelotti is the right man at the right time and Bayern are highly unlikely to regret appointing him.
And, when his three-year contract expires in 2019, Jurgen Klopp may be ready to return home from what is sure to have been a successful spell in Liverpool. No prizes for guessing who will be first in line to sign him up.
While the rest of the Bayern Munich squad is enjoying a mid-season break, attacker Mario Gotze is stepping up his recovery after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Gotze injured his groin representing Germany in a 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifying defeat against Republic of Ireland in October.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund star has started running again as he bids to return when the Bungesliga resumes next month.
"After he sustained in October [a groin injury], Gotze has resumed running training under the supervision of fitness coach Andreas Schlumberger at the club's training ground," Bayern posted on their official website.
Gotze has scored one goal in seven Bundesliga appearances for a Bayern side who are eight points clear of Dortmund at the top of the table.
Javi Martinez has revealed the extraordinary level of detail of Pep Guardiola's tactical guidance for his Bayern Munich players.
The former Barcelona boss has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles at the Allianz Arena and his side lead the standings at the halfway stage of the 2015-16 season, while their hopes of Champions League and DFB-Pokal success remain very much alive.
Guardiola, who will step down from his post at the end of the campaign, was branded "a tactics freak" by former Bayern boss Ottmar Hitzfeld this week but Martinez insists his approach makes every player in his squad improve.
"Pep makes a player better. He's helped me to understand football better," he told Ara.
"We work a lot on tactics, he's taught me with 200 videos. He taught me a completely different role as a central defender than I was playing under Marcelo Bielsa [at Athletic Bilbao].
"He dared to ask [Philipp] Lahm to play in the middle, he made [Jerome] Boateng the best central defender in Europe with the ball at his feet.
"He hates it when players get hurt, because, first of all, he appreciates you as a person. He makes you feel important. That's crucial for us on a mental level."
Hitzfeld: Bayern will survive without ´tactics freak´ Guardiola
27 December 2015 02:09
Bayern Munich does not need to mourn the loss of "tactics freak" Pep Guardiola, according to former coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Hitzfeld coached Munich from 1998-2004 and then 2007-2008 and won five Bundesliga titles and one Champions League crown.
Guardiola is in his third campaign, winning two league titles and a DFB-Pokal crown, but will leave at the end of this season.
Hitzfeld, who retired from football after coaching Switzerland at the 2014 World Cup, said the Spanish coach had proven no more successful than Jupp Heynckes, who Guardiola replaced in 2013, adding that he had failed to connect with his players.
"Guardiola focuses only on the tactics," Hitzfeld told Bild.
"He is a tactics freak who is engaged in game situation day and night, but in interpersonal relationships, he has not focused on the team.
"He has had almost no meetings. He has sealed himself off even from the media.
"At this point, Jupp Heynckes is as successful as Guardiola, but he can still change that, he can still win three titles like Heynckes did."
Hitzfeld said Bayern did not need to be disappointed about losing their superstar coach.
"Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already said it, the world does not go under when the coach is leaving us…so there is no problem for Bayern Munich at all," he said.
Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has just one wish for 2016: to stay clear of the injuries that have restricted him to two appearances so far this season.
The former Marseille man returned from a nine-month injury lay-off caused by an ankle problem in December but, after scoring as a substitute in defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach, he lasted just 45 minutes of the Champions League win against Dinamo Zagreb.
It was subsequently announced that he had suffered an unspecified muscle injury meaning he would miss the remainder of 2015.
Although Bayern's strength in depth means they have continued to lead the way in the Bundesliga - they hold an eight-point advantage at the midway point - Ribery himself is itching to get back to full fitness to aid the club's challenge domestically and in Europe.
Asked for his new year's wish by the club's official website, he said: "That I am fit again as soon as possible. I am really motivated [to return].
"The two or three weeks in which I was fit [in December] were lovely and it's where I belong.
"I hope all the injured players are fit again soon. We want to fight together for many titles."
Ribery insisted he never feared for his career but conceded he may have returned too soon prior to the winter break.
"My head was ready but the muscle was still weak," he added.
"It's important that my ankle no longer causes me any problems. Now it's just a muscle injury. I need rhythm and matches."
Thomas Schaaf has been appointed as head coach of beleaguered Hannover on a deal until June 2017.
Michael Frontzeck resigned from the role last week despite only taking the job on a permanent basis in May, having successfully fought off relegation when in charge on an interim basis last term.
The 51-year-old left with Hannover languishing in the Bundesliga relegation zone with just 14 points from 17 matches ahead of the mid-season break.
Hannover have now turned to Schaaf, who has been out of work since resigning as Eintracht Frankfurt coach in May.
"I had good discussions with those in charge of Hannover over the last few days," Schaaf told the club's official website. "I am aware of the severity of the task. I am nevertheless ready for a great challenge."
Schaaf spent just one season in charge at Frankfurt, but it was at Werder Bremen where the 54-year-old made his name.
After spending his entire playing career with the club, during which time he won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal twice, he rose through the coaching ranks before taking charge of the first team in 1999.
As head coach, Schaaf led Werder to a league-and-cup double in the 2003-04 season, and he collected three Pokal medals during his time in charge.
Borussia Monchengladbach have completed the signing of Jonas Hofmann from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund, with the winger signing a contract until 2020.
Reports in Germany suggest the transfer fee for the 23-year-old will be worth around €8 million.
Hofmann has struggled to establish himself as a Dortmund first-team regular since signing in 2011 and has started only four Bundesliga matches this season, scoring once against Bayer Leverkusen in September.
He had a loan spell with Mainz last season, but injuries restricted him to 10 league appearances and three goals.
Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl said: "The addition of Jonas Hofmann will help compensate for the loss of wingers to injury during the second half of the season.
"However, we mainly see this transfer as a long-term improvement of our squad. Jonas has shown in Mainz and Dortmund that he is an outstandingly talented Bundesliga player."
Gladbach sit fourth on the table during the mid-season break, nine points adrift of Dortmund in second spot. The two teams will play against each other on January 23 when the Bundesliga resumes following the winter break.
Even Man City don´t have enough money for Sane - Heldt
31 December 2015
Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt has rejected speculation linking Manchester City with Leroy Sane, claiming the Premier League club cannot afford to meet their valuation.
Reports in the British press have indicated City are keen to sign the 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who has five goals in 24 appearances this season.
Sane made his debut for Germany in the 2-0 defeat to France in November and Schalke are rumoured to want €40million for the teenager.
His agent Jurgen Milewski recently ruled out a move away from the Veltins Arena, saying Schalke is the best place for Sane to be.
And Heldt told Bild-Zeitung: "Despite the fact we don't want to sell Sane and he doesn't want to leave - even Man City can't come up with that much money."
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool are examining all options ahead of the January transfer window but played down the nature of transfer speculation in England.
Schalke pair Joel Matip and Leroy Sane have both been linked with moves to Anfield in January and are players former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp knows well from his time in the Bundesliga.
Klopp has previously played down the prospect of making a host of signings in the upcoming window but reports continue to suggest Liverpool will be busy.
The German suggested Sane and Matip could both be options but warned of inaccurate rumours when it comes to transfer prospects.
"Are we interested in Sane and Matip? They are Schalke players, right? It is correct that we are looking at all options," Klopp told Bild.
"I do not have any plans to only bring in players from the Bundesliga. There is nothing wilder than transfer rumours in England.
"You can insist 10 times that you will not sign a new goalkeeper, yet the papers will write the next day that you are interested in signing a goalkeeper, or perhaps even two."
Kevin Grosskreutz has undergone a medical at Bundesliga club Stuttgart as they work on thrashing out a deal with Turkish champions Galatasaray.
Grosskreutz, a World Cup winner with Germany, signed for Gala in the last transfer window but has yet to play for the club as his move from Borussia Dortmund was completed after the deadline in Turkey.
FIFA subsequently denied Gala permission to play Grosskreutz until January, but rumours soon circulated that he was in unsettled in Istanbul and speculation gathered pace that he could reunite with former Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
However, the 27-year-old now looks set to return to Germany with Stuttgart, but sport executive Robin Dutt stressed that a deal is not yet finalised.
"The agreement with Galatasaray on a transfer is pending," he told the club's official website. "We hope that the agreement is carried out promptly.
"Kevin brings excellent footballing qualities and an absolute winning mentality. He can be used in various positions and would be an enormous gain for our squad. After the unfortunate time in Istanbul Kevin is eager to finally play football."
Stuttgart also confirmed that a loan deal has been agreed for Dynamo Kiev striker Artem Kravets, although there are still formalities to finalise on that transfer as well.
Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller says the club have no need to sell their star players in January, including Javier Hernandez.
The Mexico international was offloaded by Manchester United in August but has been a revelation during his time in the Bundesliga, winning back-to-back player of the month awards and scoring 19 goals in all competitions.
Hernandez's form has led to rumours of a potential return to the Premier League, with Arsenal credited with an interest, but Voller is adamant Leverkusen will not be allowing any of their key players to leave this month.
"We are a football club and it is important that we are successful," he told Sky. "Chicharito has played a big part in doing just that until now - through his style of play, and through his goals. That's why we brought him here. Until now, during the first part of the season, everything has worked out fine.
"Of course there are rumours around this time of year, that's normal.
"It's easy to reject offers when you are in a position in which you don't need to sell. We are in such a position. We will keep the players we want to keep to achieve our goals."
Guardiola: Bayern Munich's home record better than winning the Champions League
By Chris Davie
Jan 5, 2016 17:15:00
The Spaniard has yet to succeed in Europe with the German champions but insists his side's impressive home record more than makes up for it
Pep Guardiola claims that Bayern Munich’s impressive home record during his reign is better than winning the Champions League.
The Spaniard has already announced his plans to quit Bayern at the end of his contract next summer, and has now revealed that the Premier League is his next destination, with Manchester City leading the chase.
Guardiola has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles since joining Bayern in 2013 but has yet to win the Champions League, with the German champions having been knocked out in the semi-finals over the past two seasons.
"Losing only once in 51 home matches in three years here is better than winning the Champions League for me," said the 44-year-old.
“Winning the Champions League would make my time here complete.
"I feel very grateful for Bayern for this great opportunity. After my last game people can analyse what I have achieved here. What I want is to help my players understanding football through my eyes.
“Maybe some players are a little bit better after my time here. Of course we will try again to win the Champions League. But I focus on my players. I'll do my best until the last day. Maybe I have not enough quality but I'll do my best. It's a dream to come here every day."
Bendtner says Wolfsburg situation is ´unsustainable´
5 January 2016
Wolfsburg striker Nicklas Bendtner has dismissed suggestions he said goodbye to his team-mates before the mid-season break, but conceded his situation at the club is "unsustainable".
Bendtner has struggled to hold down a place in Dieter Hecking's side since moving from Arsenal in 2014 and has fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Andre Schurrle, Bas Dost and Max Kruse.
Recent reports in Germany had suggested Bendtner had waved farewell in December, adding that the Denmark international could be in line to return to Denmark with FC Copenhagen.
While the 27-year-old denied those claims, he hinted at a desire to move on owing to a lack of regular first-team opportunities at the Volkswagen Arena.
"I did not say goodbye to anyone. I play for Wolfsburg and I remain committed to working there," he told bt.dk.
"My situation is undoubtedly unsustainable, but I am in no way released. As long as I have a contract with Wolfsburg then I will respect it."
Bendtner – who has scored nine times in 36 appearances for Wolfsburg – sees his contract expire at the end of next season.
Borussia Dortmund received a new-year boost on Tuesday with attacking midfielder Marco Reus returning to training on Tuesday.
Germany international Reus has not played for Dortmund since sustaining a groin strain in the game with Eintracht Frankfurt on December 13 and sat out the club's final two games prior to the winter break.
The 26-year-old joined in Tuesday's session, however, and is on course to go on Dortmund's warm-weather training camp in Dubai, which begins on January 7.
Nuri Sahin and Erik Durm are also likely to be involved after recovering from long-term knee injuries.
Muller: Guardiola still focused on Bayern despite looming Premier League switch
By Matthew Rogerson
Jan 7, 2016 10:20:40
The Germany international has no doubt that the Spanish coach is still totally committed to bringing more titles to the Allianz Arena, despite announcing his departure
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller believes Pep Guardiola is eager to finish his spell at the Allianz Arena on a high before he leaves Bavaria at the end of the season.
Guardiola confirmed last month that he will leave the German champions at the end of his contract in June - Bayern later appointing Carlo Ancelotti as his successor.
The former Barcelona boss revealed earlier this week that he wishes to coach in the Premier League when he leaves Bayern amid speculation over interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
With Bayern in the running for Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League success, Muller has backed Guardiola to keep standards high and not lose his focus.
"We have known for two weeks now that he will go but we know one thing: Pep will do anything for success," the Germany international told Bild.
"He does not change his attitude or work ethic. He wants to be successful. He wants the club to be successful. It would be very strange if suddenly he no longer did anything for success.
Stuttgart have completed the signing of Kevin Grosskreutz from Galatasaray.
The versatile Germany international joined Gala from Borussia Dortmund last September, but the Turkish champions were unable to register the World Cup winner until January after failing to beat the Super Lig transfer deadline.
Their appeal to FIFA was unsuccessful and Grosskreutz now leaves for Stuttgart having not made a single appearance for Gala.
Grosskreutz had been linked with a reunion with former Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, but instead joins a Stuttgart team who sit just a point above the automatic relegation places and level with Werder Bremen - who occupy the relegation play-off spot - in 15th.
"The anticipation to achieve our common goals with VFB is enormous," Grosskreutz told Stuttgart's official website.
"I am looking forward to my new job and getting to know the whole team."
Mario Gotze has dismissed speculation that he is set to leave Bayern Munich for a reunion with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
The Germany international starred under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund before joining Bayern in 2013.
Gotze is stepping up his rehabilitation from a groin injury that has sidelined him since October and, despite Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer this week dismissing any potential move to the Premier League club as "nonsense", the player himself told Sport Bild that "everything is open".
But in quotes given to TZ, the 23-year-old ruled out joining Liverpool in the immediate future despite a frustrating period in Bavaria.
"I can rule out a move to Liverpool this winter," Gotze said. "I don't know where the rumours about Klopp and me are coming from.
"I have not heard anything. You should ask Klopp if he wants me at Liverpool. If he wants me, he should approach me.
"I have six nice months ahead of me. It is always annoying when you cannot play and cannot help the team.
"It is only normal that you think about things like that. But you have to look at the positives and build on those."
Gotze's contract at Bayern runs until June 2017 and he is keen to experience life under Carlo Ancelotti when the Italian replaces outgoing coach Pep Guardiola at the end of this season.
The man who netted the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final is keen to re-establish himself at Bayern and is buoyed by a glowing reference on Ancelotti given by Toni Kroos – his international team-mate who played under the former AC Milan boss at Real Madrid last season.
"I have spoken about Ancelotti with Kroos and he only had good things to say. I have had Klopp, [Joachim] Low and Guardiola as my coaches before. There could be worse coaches than those four.
"I want to become the face of Bayern and take my responsibility here."
Bayern Munich have announced promising youngster Gianluca Gaudino has left the club for Swiss outfit St. Gallen on an 18-month loan deal.
The 19-year-old came through the ranks of the Bayern youth academy and made his official first-team debut in the 2-0 German Supercup defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund in August 2014.
The midfielder went on to make 10 more appearances in all competitions in 2014-15, but was unable to make the next step in his development this term due to the stiff competition for places, with Xabi Alonso, Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, Arturo Vidal, Joshua Kimmich, Philipp Lahm and Sebastian Rode all being preferred by head coach Pep Guardiola.
Gaudino had been plying his trade with Bayern Munich II instead in 2015-16, but will now continue his career at St. Gallen in order to gain valuable first-team experience.
The Germany Under-19 international is the third player to leave the reigning Bundesliga champions in the January transfer window, with Sinan Kurt joining Hertha Berlin and Jan Kirchhoff opting for a move to Sunderland, both on permanent deals.
Watzke: Players squeezed like lemons in Premier League
10 January 2016
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has cautioned Bundesliga players against moving to the Premier League, warning that the English top flight leaves its performers "squeezed like a lemon".
Bundesliga teams are currently enjoying a five-week mid-season break, while Premier League clubs emerge from their hectic festive fixture schedule.
Former Bundesliga stars such as Kevin de Bruyne and Bastian Schweinsteiger are taking part in an English winter for the first time, with ex-Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp having overseen six Liverpool matches since his former club went on hiatus.
Watzke told Bild am Sonntag that there is more for players to contemplate when eyeing a Premier League move, aside from a potentially hefty pay packet.
"The players are squeezed there, often like a lemon," he said. "They are given hardly any rhythm in their game.
"Professionals who reflect on something more than just what arrives at the end of the month in their pursue will take this into account when making a decision."
Watzke does not believe the increased financial power of the Premier League has resulted in a higher standard of play.
"If you would judge on the amount of salary it would always be a difficult race to win [for the Bundesliga]," he added.
"But it's not. I have watched a lot of Premier League football over the Christmas holidays.
"I do not feel that the level is increased there, especially considering how the expenditures have risen. "
