Oliver Kahn says Bayern Munich's decision to replace Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel as head coach was due to the team playing "less successfully and less attractively" since the World Cup.
The Bundesliga giants lost their lead at the top of the table at the weekend after a 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, with Borussia Dortmund leapfrogging them with a 6-1 win over Koln.
Despite an impressive Champions League last-16 success against Paris Saint-Germain, Nagelsmann has paid the price for a dip in domestic form, with two of their three league defeats this season coming in their last five games.
"When we signed Julian Nagelsmann for FC Bayern in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis, and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end," Bayern chief executive Kahn told the club's website.
"Julian shares our aspiration to play successful and attractive football. But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often. After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively.
"The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now.
"Personally and on behalf of FC Bayern, I would like to thank Julian and his coaching team, and wish everyone the best of luck for the future."
Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic echoed Kahn's words, saying it was "the most difficult decision in my time as a board member".
He added: "I have had an open, trusting, friendly relationship with Julian from day one. I regret the parting of the ways with Julian. But after a thorough analysis of the sporting development of our team, especially since January and with the experience of the second half of the previous season, we have now decided to release him.
"I am very grateful to Julian for what he has done for FC Bayern and I wish him all the best."
Bayern have appointed former Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea head coach Tuchel on a contract until June 2025.
Bologna chief reveals Hummels approach as Calafiori nears Arsenal move
Bologna chief executive Claudio Fenucci has revealed the club have offered Mats Hummels a contract as they seek to replace Arsenal-bound centre-back Riccardo Calafiori.
Bologna finished fifth in Serie A last season, qualifying for the Champions League as a result of Italian clubs' impressive performances across UEFA's competitions.
There has been plenty of upheaval for the Rossoblu since then, however, with coach Thiago Motta leaving for Juventus and former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano taking his place.
Calafiori, meanwhile, is set for a medical with Arsenal after helping Bologna keep 17 clean sheets in Serie A last term, a tally only bettered by Inter (21) and Torino (18).
With the Italy international on his way out, Bologna have turned to a player with vast Champions League experience in their bid to replace him.
Speaking at the unveiling of recently-signed forward Thjis Dallinga on Friday, Fenucci revealed Bologna are working on a deal to sign Hummels, who left Borussia Dortmund on a free after their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid last month.
"The departure of Calafiori forces us to look for a new central defender," he explained.
"Why does Hummels take some time? It's very normal, we spoke to him recently. It is right that he thinks about it, to arrive with the right motivations.
"We don't have to talk here about our conversations with Hummels, but we explained the project and the city to him.
"Many players have finished their careers here, the city has this attraction, it seems.
"There is no deadline, but if there are no conditions we have to look at other players as well."
Hummels excelled as Dortmund reached their third Champions League final last term, leading all players in the competition for tackles won (29), interceptions (25) and total recoveries (81).
Only eight players in the tournament, meanwhile, played more passes than his 676 throughout BVB's run to the Wembley Stadium showpiece.
Sesko opts for Leipzig stay over Arsenal, Man Utd move due to progress opportunities
Benjamin Sesko remains certain that staying at RB Leipzig is the "right decision" to develop his career after turning down reported Premier League interest.
Slovenia international Sesko joined Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2023, scoring 14 league goals last campaign, a tally bettered by only seven players in the German top flight.
That form was said to have attracted Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea to the 21-year-old, who instead signed a new five-year contract with the Bundesliga club last month.
Having committed his future to life at the Red Bull Arena, the striker believes Leipzig will provide a platform for his progression.
"I thought it through very well," Sesko said to Nogomania, a Slovenian media outlet. "I believe I made the right decision. I wanted to gain more experience, learn more, and not rush things.
"Leipzig are an excellent club that can provide what I need for the next step. Leipzig's vision is clear; everything is geared towards growth, progress, and high goals. I felt it was right to decide this way."
Sesko's new deal could see him stay with Leipzig until 2029, with Marco Rose boasting one of the world's most exciting prospects up top.
The Leipzig attacker scored from 14 of his 47 shots last season in the league, a conversion rate of 29.8% – the third-best ratio in the 2023-24 Bundesliga among players to have managed at least five goals.
That deadly finishing in front of goal will have Rose excited once more, and Sesko says his boss was key to the decision to stay.
"We talked," Sesko explained. "He told me he wanted me to stay but also said I should decide based on my feelings.
"He said if I felt I needed to move on, I should go, but if not, I should stay. He's an excellent coach who has led many great players.
"I'm glad I decided this way. I did it before the Euro to keep a clear head and focus entirely on the championship."
Top European leagues and FIFPRO launch legal complaint against FIFA
Top European leagues and players' union FIFPRO have launched legal action against FIFA, accusing the governing body of abusing its dominant position and harming player welfare by oversaturating the calendar.
The European Leagues – a body representing 39 leagues including the Premier League – has filed a complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulators.
The move comes amid controversy regarding the calendar, with the first edition of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup set to take place in the United States next year.
Last month, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested the European champions could boycott the competition, only for Los Blancos to subsequently confirm their participation in a statement.
FIFPRO launched legal action against FIFA at the Brussels court of commence in the ensuing days, claiming the decision to schedule the Club World Cup had violated players' rights.
The union has now joined a number of leagues in taking the issue to EU lawmakers, with a joint statement reading: "The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.
"FIFA's decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players.
"National leagues and player unions, which represent the interests of all clubs and all players at the national level and regulate labour relations through collectively agreed solutions, cannot accept that global regulations are decided unilaterally.
"Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and workforce from FIFA's unilateral decisions."
Madrid and Manchester City are among 12 European clubs to have booked a spot at the first 32-team Club World Cup, due to their recent Champions League successes.
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus will also feature, with most qualifiers being determined by a ranking system that awards points for victories in the Champions League.
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