Football: Guardiola era to end in Bayern Munich

BERLIN

German football giants Bayern Munich announced on their website on Sunday that their manager Pep Guardiola will leave the club at the end of this season and will be replaced by Carlo Ancelotti.

According to the statement made by the club that 44-year-old Guardiola will not be extending his deal at Bayern and Ancelotti, 56, will be Bayern Munich manager on July 1, 2016 with a three-year contract.

"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", Bayern Munich chair Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

"Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed success everywhere as a coach and has won the Champions League three times," remarked Rummenigge, adding: "Carlo is a calm, balanced expert, who knows how to deal with stars and favors a multifaceted style of play -- we were looking for this, and we have found it. We are looking forward to working with him.”

Bayern's next manager Ancelotti said: "I am very honored that I will be coach of the great club FC Bayern from next season."

Ancelotti’s last team was Real Madrid, which he coached from mid-2013 to the end of last season.

Guardiola has been managing Bayern Munich since the summer of 2013.

During the Guardiola era, "Die Bayern" (The Bavarians) won one UEFA Super Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup, two Bundesliga titles and a DFB-Pokal (German Cup).

Bayern Munich's upcoming manager Ancelotti managed Italian clubs Reggiana, Parma, Juventus, and AC Milan, as well as English heavyweights Chelsea, French team Paris Saint-Germain and Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Ancelotti won three UEFA Champions League and Super Cup titles in different teams.