Ancelotti: 'Bayern are the best club in the world'
New FC Bayern München head coach Carlo Ancelotti believes he already has all the necessary ingredients in place to make his time in Munich a success.
Addressing the media for the first time in his new role on Monday, the 57-year-old Italian explained what attracted him to Bayern, the legacy left by his predecessor Pep Guardiola and what he hopes to achieve at the the club.
"I'm very happy and proud to be here," Ancelotti said, wowing the press with an accomplished German introduction. "I'm very happy to be at the best club in the world. I'm looking forward to the new season. Pep Guardiola is my friend and he did an exceptional job. We have a fantastic team and I want to ensure we challenge in all three competitions - and win them."
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That in itself would be an improvement on Guardiola's three-year tenure, which yielded three Bundesliga titles and two DFB Cups, but thrice came up short in the UEFA Champions League. Ancelotti - himself a five-time European Cup winner as a player and coach - nevertheless could not speak highly enough of the "great" work of his predecessor, who even left the former Real Madrid CF coach a hand-written good-luck message at his new Säbener Straße office.
"It's not easy to win the Champions League," Ancelotti explained. "After all, we’re not the only club who is trying to win it. That doesn't make the job any easier. I'm following in the footsteps of a very good, professional head coach. Guardiola showed what you can achieve if you play good football. I want to do the same."
Journalists later quizzed the Italian on the pressure that comes with that job - namely to bring European gold back to the Allianz Arena - but he remained typically unmoved: "Every top club wants to win, but to be honest I don’t really feel pressure. I love my job and thrive on the pressure, and I will always try to do my best. Bayern has a great history both in Germany and in Europe and I want to help them challenge on all three fronts."
The ex-AC Milan, Juventus, Chelsea FC, Paris-Saint Germain and Real Madrid boss has no concerns about his transition to the Bundesliga either. "Munich isn't too different to Italy, which should help me settle in more quickly," he opined. "The most important thing for a head coach is his relationship with his players. There has to be a mutual respect. I have a very clear idea of how football should be played and it's important that my players accept my approach [...] We have a great squad with outstanding players and I'm confident we'll have a great season."
Watch: Pep Guardiola bids farewell to Bayern fans