Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that his dismissal by Bayern Munich was "worse" than the sackings he faced at Chelsea and Real Madrid. The Italian coach says it was a mistake against Paris Saint-Germain that saw him given his walking papers just a month into the 2017-18 season. The legendary manager reflected on the disappointing period in an upcoming autobiography.
Not Madrid or Chelsea: Bayern sacking the most ruthless for Ancelotti
Ancelotti is one of the most celebrated and decorated coaches in football history, with a CV that speaks for itself. He achieved success at almost every club he managed, but that was not enough to prevent him from facing the sack. He was dismissed by Chelsea in 2011, just a year after he helped the Blues win the league and cup double. In 2015, Real Madrid let go of him after he guided them to their 10th Champions League title. However, it was his sacking by Bayern in 2017 which Ancelotti has described as the most "ruthless." It was the first time he was sacked mid-season in a career which had completed 22 years at the time.
AdvertisementAFPAncelotti explains why Bayern sacked him
published excerpts from Ancelotti's upcoming book, in which the legendary head coach was critical of Bayern while revealing the reasons that led to his dismissal.
"Once, the bosses asked me to instill more discipline among the players and gave me a list of five points to read out to them," he said. "However, I felt that we were dealing with a top-class professional team, not a youth team, so the players should be treated accordingly. So I stood in front of the team in the locker room, pulled the piece of paper out of my pocket, and said, 'I have orders from the board to read this list to you.' That was my way of distancing myself from this task.
"Then, at the end of September, we went to another of my former clubs. Against Paris Saint-Germain, I decided to forgo our aging wingers and let our defenders push further forward, while we focused primarily on attacks through the middle. It was a mistake. The balance was off, and they were able to disrupt us with their counterattacks. They scored their first goal in the second minute. The final score of 3-0 was Bayern's heaviest defeat in the competition in 21 years.
"The day after the game, the club's board met and concluded that I was the problem. 'Our team's performance since the start of the season hasn't lived up to the expectations we had of them,' [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge said. The game in Paris clearly showed that we had to take action.
"I've been fired four times by major clubs: Juventus, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. This goes to show that it doesn't take an erratic president or unpredictable owner to get you fired. Shareholders of a company can do that, too.
"It was the most ruthless dismissal of my entire career. After my departure, they reached the Champions League semifinals and were eliminated by — guess what! — Real Madrid."
A look at Ancelotti's coaching career
After an illustrious career as a midfielder, Ancelotti took his first steps in football management at Reggiana in 1995, before coaching Parma and Juventus. Since leaving Juve, he has coached AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton, before returning to Madrid for a second spell in 2021. In all, Ancelotti has won 31 titles at club level. He holds the record of winning five Champions League as a manager, doing so twice with Milan and thrice with Madrid. At the end of last season, he left Madrid after being in-charge for four seasons and joined the Brazil national team.
Getty Images SportWhat's in store for Ancelotti beyond 2026 World Cup?
The 66-year-old was appointed as Brazil head coach on a deal that will expire after the 2026 World Cup. The ex-Milan, Chelsea and Madrid boss recently hinted that he wouldn't mind extending his stay as the Selecao's manager. However, he left the doors open to a Real Madrid return, stating that they are the only club he would consider managing after his time as Brazil boss comes to an end.