Bayern Munich sack Carlo Ancelotti
Bayern Munich have reportedly parted ways with manager Carlo Ancelotti following Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
The Italian head coach replaced Pep Guardiola at the helm last season and guided them to the Bundesliga title in his first season in-charge.
However, the new campaign brought question marks over his future after a poor pre-season where they struggled to beat the likes of Inter Milan, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. Bayern are currently three points adrift of leaders Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and the 3-0 thumping at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain was the last straw for the former Champions League winner.
Following the dismissal, Bayern's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "The performance of our team since the start of the season did not meet the expectations we put to them. I would like to thank Carlo for his cooperation. Carlo is my friend and will remain my friend, but we had to make a professional decision.
The game in Paris clearly showed that we had to draw consequences. I would like to thank Carlo for his cooperation. Carlo is my friend and will remain my friend, but we had to make a professional decision. The game in Paris clearly showed that we had to draw consequences."
The 58-year-old is now likely to take a year-long sabbatical from the game, and reports from Italy suggest that he would prefer a return to management with Arsenal next summer. Arsene Wenger signed a new two-year extension with the Gunners earlier in June, but he could yet leave the club early, should they fail to achieve the minimal expectations. Arsenal have not won the Premier League title since the 2003/04 season, and offering a strong challenge for the English crown will be one of the key aspirations for the club, who broke their transfer record to sign Alexandre Lacazette in the summer.