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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021 Nagelsmann to coach Bayern Munich from next season

BERLIN: Julian Nagelsmann will take over as Germany assistant coach and Salihamidzic emerged, Bayern Munich coach from next season to replace Bayern were knocked out of the Champions League , the reigning German champions in the quarter-finals by PSG earlier this month. “FC announced yesterday. Nagelsmann, who is just 33, Bayern agreed to current head coach Hansi Flick’s will move from RB Leipzig on a five-year contract request to have his contract terminated on 30 June after Flick, whose relationship with the club’s power- 2021, two years earlier than its original expiry date,” ful sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has deterio- the club said. rated over transfer policy, asked to be released from Flick said: “The last two years will be unforget- his contract. table for me. The emotions, the wins, the titles, but “I am convinced that Bayern’s sporting future will also the day-to-day work on the pitch have been be a very successful one with Julian Nagelsmann,” a lot of fun for me, it’s been an amazing time.” Oliver Kahn, the club’s former goalkeeper who will Nagelsmann spent time on the books at succeed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as Bayern chair- Bayern’s neighbors 1860 Munich, before his play- man next year, told the club’s website. ing career was cut short by a knee injury at the Nagelsmann has never hidden his desire to coach age of just 20. He moved into coaching and Bayern, especially as he comes from the Bavaria became the youngest permanent head coach in region. Last season, he led Leipzig to the semi-finals history when appointed by Hoffenheim of the Champions League as well as third place in the in February 2016 at the age of 28. Bundesliga, and this season his side has replaced He steered the small club from south-western as Bayern’s main title challengers. Germany to safety in that season before succes- With three games of the season remaining, sive top-four finishes in the next two campaigns. Leipzig are the only team who can still prevent His star has continued to rise at Leipzig where a Bayern from winning a ninth consecutive Bundesliga young side has established itself as a leading force title, although they sit seven points off the pace. in the Bundesliga and in Europe — they again Bayern will get another chance to wrap up the title reached the Champions League knockout stage for a record-extending 30th time in the Bundesliga this season, losing to Liverpool in the last 16. era when they host Borussia Moenchengladbach next “Julian Nagelsmann represents a new genera- weekend. tion of coaches. Despite his young age, he already Flick took over as Bayern coach in late 2019, suc- has an impressive CV. We are convinced that with ceeding the sacked Niko Kovac. He won the Julian Nagelsmann, we can continue the magnifi- Bundesliga and German Cup last season and added cent successes of recent years,” Bayern president the Champions League, as Bayern beat Paris Saint- Herbert Hainer said. Germain behind closed doors in the final in Lisbon to One of the stars of his Leipzig team has been become European champions for the sixth time. French international defender , Bayern added the UEFA and German Super Cups at the 22-year-old center-back who will also join the start of this campaign and then won the Club Bayern next season. That transfer was announced World Cup in Qatar at the start of this year. in February. Upamecano, who had a 43 million- MUNICH: This file photo taken on February 9, 2020 shows Bayern Munich’s head coach Hansi Flick (right) and euro ($51.9 million) buyout clause in his contract, Leipzig’s German head coach Julian Nagelsmann (left) prior to the German first division Bundesliga football Flick: ‘Unforgettable’ will also sign a five-year deal at the Allianz match FC Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany. — AFP However, as reports of a rift between the former Arena. — AFP