Former Bayern Captain Reckons Carlo Ancelotti Could Leave the Club Next Season

Former Bayern Munich captain Stefan Effenberg believes his former club need to step up or else they could face the prospect of losing coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian boss led the German giants to a fifth successive Bundesliga title last season in his first campaign in charge, but failed to take the club beyond the quarter-finals stage of the Champions League - losing to eventual winners Real Madrid.

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It's been a pretty dire pre-season as well for the Bavarians ahead of the new campaign - defeats to Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Napoli mean the club are not exactly in the best shape going into the new season, and Effenburg claims Ancelotti could leave if 2017/18 brings about disappointment.

He told T-Online, as quoted by FourFourTwo magazine: "If the season unfolds like the last one or perhaps even worse, it's possible. Players are exchanged at Bayern and maybe the coach also sometimes."

The former midfielder, who won three titles with Bayern during his playing days, also criticised the players' performances, adding: "I have missed players who play for and with each other so far in the pre-season.

"For me, desire is the most important thing in football. If some players lack the will, then I have to worry. But we also know that, when Bayern are hit and wounded, they can always fight back against any opponent."