Ancelotti's Bayern crisis

Posted Friday, November 25, 2016 by Marca.com

Ashock defeat to Rostov on Wednesday evening has left Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern Munich in serious peril in the Champions League, with a guaranteed second-place finish meaning the Germans will have to play one of Europe's elite sides in the knockout stages.

Indeed, this year marks the first season that the Bavarian giants have failed to top their group, with poor Bundesliga form also placing new coach Ancelotti under immediate pressure.

Worryingly, 2009/10 was the last time standards slipped in such a way in the Champions League, although Louis van Gaal's second-place finish didn't prove fatal as his side eventually rallied to make the final.

Since then, Bayern have regularly dominated their group in the competition, being seen as one of the tournament's leading lights and one to avoid for other teams.

But Wednesday's surprise loss against the Russians was compounded by Saturday's Der Klassiker defeat to rivals Borussia Dortmund, with the poor run the worst the club have experienced at this point in the season since 2004.

Problems also mount for the ex-Real Madrid head coach domestically, as relative newcomers and current league leaders RB Leipzig have threatened to end Bayern's all-encompassing domination of the German top tier.

Given the damning evidence, for his sake and the team's, Ancelotti urgently needs a swift upturn in fortunes.