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If you’re curious as to why you’re suddenly being inundated with photos of Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti looking quizzical with his eyebrow cocked, it’s because Bayern Munich have parted ways with the coach following their 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Ancelotti replaced Pep Guardiola at Bayern for the start of the 2016-17 season, and he was seen as the super chill uncle coming to babysit following the obsessively anal approach of Guardiola, more likened to being governed by your grandmother.
Ancelotti delivered the Bundesliga title by virtue of finishing above newly promoted RB Leipzig, but the club took a step back with defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal and a controversial elimination at the hands of Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Carlo Ancelotti now has more time to do things like this. Photo: @FCBayernUpdate | Twitter
While neither of those defeats were particularly damning to Ancelotti, Bayern have started this season sluggishly and that’s cost the Italian legend his job. Defeat to Hoffenheim and a draw with Wolfsburg see Bayern trailing Dortmund by three points domestically, and a ballsy starting XI against PSG on Wednesday that thoroughly backfired was the straw that broke Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s back.
“The performance of our team since the start of the season did not meet the expectations we put to them,” said Rummenigge, the club’s chief executive. “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.”
Another consequence is that Ancelotti’s assistant Willy Sagnol will take control for the remainder of the season. The 40-year-old enjoyed a nine-year playing career with the club, and there’s certainly something romantic about his temporary appointment.
However, it’s largely expected that Hoffenheim wunderkind manager Julian Nagelsmann, age 30, will take control next summer.
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