File picture of Bayern Munich’s Spanish head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the German Telkom Cup 2015 football match.

DPA/Munich


Pep Guardiola will leave Bayern in summer after the expiration of his contract and Carlo Ancelotti will take over as new coach on a three-year deal until 2019, the Bundesliga champions confirmed on Sunday.
Guardiola, 44, joined Bayern in 2013 and has won the 2013 European Super Cup and Club World Cup, two Bundesliga titles and a German cup with them.
This season Munich are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga in search of an unprecedented fourth title in a row, and in the running for a title treble in the final months with the Spanish coach.
Bayern players and officials had tried in vain to convince Guardiola to renew his contract and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was left to say that “we are grateful to Pep Guardiola for everything he has given our club since 2013.
“I am convinced that Pep and our team will now work even more intensively towards achieving our major sporting goals - especially as it is now confirmed that Pep is to leave FC Bayern.”
Guardiola perfected Munich’s possession football similar to that played during his vastly successful 2008-2012 tenure at Barcelona.

Future unclear
No details over his future were given but Guardiola has been heavily linked with a move to the English Premier League, with Manchester City seemingly the favourites.
The announcement Sunday was similar to that from January 16, 2013, when Bayern said that Jupp Heynckes would be replaced by Guardiola in summer.
The transition did not harm Bayern at the time as they went on to complete a title treble in the final games under Heynckes.
Munich could achieve the same now under Guardiola before the handover to Ancelotti, as forward Thomas Mueller said after Saturday’s 1-0 at Hanover: “The contract of Jupp Heynckes expired as well and we won the treble.”
Mueller said that Guardiola had not informed the team about his decision by Saturday but also insisted that the players are not affected by the change at the helm.
“As a player I don’t care how long the contract of a coach is, and if he renews it or not. We play for ourselves as players. You don’t play for the coach but with the coach,” he said.
While Guardiola remained silent and returned home to Spain for Christmas, Ancelotti took to Twitter to “honestly wish FC Bayern Munich and my friend Pep Guardiola the best for the current season.”
The 56-year-old will join Munich on July 1 after a sabbatical in Vancouver, the home town of his wife, which he started after leaving Real Madrid in summer.
The Italian coach has won three Champions Leagues with AC Milan (2003, 2007) and Real (2014), and a Club World Cup which each side.  He also won the Italian league and cup with Milan, a Premier League and FA Cup double 2010 with Chelsea, and a French league title with Paris St Germain in 2013.
The German Bundesliga is the only major league missing in his impressive CV which also includes European cup and Intercontinental cup titles as a Milan player.
“Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed success everywhere as a coach and has won the Champions League three times,” Rummenigge saide.
“Carlo is a calm, balanced expert, who knows how to deal with stars and favours a multifaceted style of play - we were looking for this, and we have found it. We are looking forward to working with him.”
Ancelotti said in his Twitter message: “It’s an honour for me to be part of this great club next season, FC Bayern Munich. When I knew of the club’s interest I didn’t want to consider any other offer.”
Ancelotti will be the second Bayern coach from Italy, following Giovanni Trapattoni who was in charge 1994-1995 and 1996-1998.