Carlo Ancelotti is set to take over as the new Bayern Munich boss next season after Pep Guardiola officially managed his last match as Bayern manager in the final Bundesliga game of the season. With the title already won, the 3-1 win over Hannover 96 saw the Bavarian club finish with 88 points in a 34-game season – a total of 28 wins and only two losses – 10 points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City awaits the Catalan manager’s arrival and the former Barcelona boss is one of few managers who has chosen when to end his contract at a club. The 45-year-old has left both Barcelona and Bayern on his own terms – which means he has never been sacked.
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And Ancelotti was quick to point out that fact. Guardiola has won a total of 20 trophies in the seven seasons he has been a manager in the top flight. 14 of those trophies have come with Barcelona, including two Champions League trophies and three consecutive La Liga titles.
Ancelotti explained how even the greatest of managers in recent decades have been sacked for performing poorly. In an interview with The Times, he spoke about how even he was sacked in spite of bringing La Decima (the 10th Champions League crown) to Real Madrid.
“At Chelsea, I won the double. Sacked,” Ancelotti said. “At Real Madrid, I won La Decima. Sacked.
“There is no manager in their career that is not sacked. [Sir Alex] Ferguson was sacked, [Marcello] Lippi sacked, [Fabio] Capello sacked, [Jose] Mourinho sacked, [Rafa] Benitez.
“The only one not sacked is Guardiola, but he’s still really young. He has plenty of time. One day he will come into our club – the Sack Club.”
Guardiola labelled a failure for not winning Champions League with Bayern Munich
Although Guardiola took over a squad that had won the treble under Jupp Heynckes, many have termed his three-year tenure in Germany a failure in spite of winning the Bundesliga title every season. Former Bayern forward Ivica Olic was one of those who criticised Guardiola.
“Guardiola was knocked out of three successive Champions League semis and by Bayern's high standards that's a failure,” Olic said at the start of the month.
“Maybe people at Bayern will now say he won a haul of domestic trophies, but given the strength of the club’s roster, that’s an accomplishment they should take for granted.”
