FC Bayern Munich

Jupp Heynckes, the 72-year-old disciplinarian who has steadied the ship at Bayern Munich, has urged his side to keep it simple for Dec. 5’s crunch Champions League match at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Jupp Heynckes will return to Bayern Munich coaching, German media reported.

Carlo Ancelotti is no longer coach of Bayern Munich, confirmed the official website of the Bavarians. This decision came after an emergency meeting of the club's bosses with the Italian specialist yesterday. His current assistant, Willy Sagnol, is temporarily assigned to manage the team. He will lead the squad in the game with Hertha (Berlin) at the weekend.

Spain and Bayern Munich star Xabi Alonso has announced he would be retiring at the end of the season in a tweet he posted. The 35-year-old star, who has won top honours at club level with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, as well as two European championships and one world cup with Spain, posted a picture of him waving goodbye with the comment: “Lived it. Loved it.

Greek centre back Socratis Papastathopoulos is leading in the online voting for best defender in the German 1st division football championship (Bundesliga) for the first half of the competition. Papastathopoulos, who plays for top club Borussia Dortmund has 23% of the fans’ preferences against, with Bayern Munich’s Mats Hummels in second spot (20%).

Despite only being released from prison in February, the 64-old Uli Hoeness, returns to his former role at Bayern.

At the club's  AGM on November, 25, he won a majority of the vote, announced DW.

The former president was the only candidate put forward to replace Karl Hopfner, who has held the role since Hoeness was imprisoned by the German state for tax evasion in March 2014.

Former Red Star Belgrade and Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic, once considered the world' best defender, has decided to end his playing career.

Amid speculation that he could join Bayern Munich or move to the MLS after an unsuccessful spell at Inter Milan, the 34-year-old Serb made an unexpected decision to call it quits.

Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola have reached a crossroads after May 12 Champions League exit to Barcelona, with the team in need of renewal and the Spanish coach under growing pressure to deliver European silverware. 

While there may still be a question mark over treble-chasing Barcelona's defence, their fearsome attacking trident is firing on all cylinders ahead of Bayern Munich's visit in the Champions League semi-finals on May 6.

Doubles from Robert Lewandowski and Neymar inspired Bayern Munich and Barcelona respectively into the Champions League semifinals on April 21.