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Hansi Flick will remain in charge at Bayern Munich until the end of the season, the defending Bundesliga champions announced on Sunday.
Flick was promoted from the coaching staff to become interim manager after Niko Kovac’s dismissal. The Croatian was sacked after the 5-1 thrashing away to Eintracht Frankfurt in November.
The 54-year-old was initially brought in for two matches: against Olympiakos in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund in the league. After winning both he was trusted to continue “at least until Christmas”, but not offered the role until the season’s end.
Flick has now been given that opportunity, with the club issuing a glowing statement after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wolfsburg. That was Bayern’s fourth straight win in all competitions, after back-to-back league defeats against Bayer Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach.
“Under [Flick] as head coach, the on-field development has been outstanding, both in terms of the quality of our play and the results achieved,” said the club’s CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
“We set a new record in the 28-year history of the Champions League with six wins in six group-stage matches, and in the Bundesliga we have returned to touching distance of the top of the table.”
“I’m happy that FC Bayern is continuing to place trust in me as head coach,” Flick said. “Now we’re recharging our batteries and we’ll prepare ourselves intensively for the second half of the season at the training camp. Then we’ll try to achieve as many victories and titles as possible.”
Bayern are four points off the league leaders RB Leipzig going into the winter break, and will take on Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the Champions League last 16.
La Liga: Real Madrid slip up at home
Real Madrid lost ground on rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga after being held to a goalless draw by Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabéu.
After el clásico finished 0-0 in midweek, Barcelona signed off from 2019 with a 4-1 win over Alaves on Saturday to keep the pressure on in the title battle.
Despite hitting the woodwork three times Real Madrid were not able to find a breakthrough against a resolute Bilbao side and head into the Christmas break once again two points behind their rivals.
It is the first time since 2006 that Madrid have recorded successive 0-0 draws in the league.
Toni Kroos darted into the penalty area and his close-range effort cannoned off the keeper before hitting the crossbar.
The home side struck the woodwork again as the hour mark approached. Kroos floated a corner into the six-yard box, where the substitute Nacho Fernández sent a header crashing against the bar.
With three minutes left, another substitute, Luka Jovic, saw his downward header from Dani Carvajal‘s cross clip the inside of the post and bounce out as Bilbao held on.
Atlético Madrid are fourth after a 2-1 win at Real Betis, with Ángel Correa and Álvaro Morata on target in the second half before Marc Bartra scored a consolation for the hosts late on.
Serie A: Atalanta thrash listless Milan
Papu Gómez scored a stunning individual goal and Josip Ilicic notched a second-half double as Atalanta thrashed Milan 5-0, equalling the Rossoneri’s worst-ever Serie A defeat.
Mario Pasalic and Luis Muriel also scored as Milan lost a league game by a five-goal margin for the first time since 1998, leaving Stefano Pioli’s side mired in mid-table as Atalanta climbed back up to fifth.
Gómez opened the scoring in the 10th minute, nutmegging Andrea Conti before firing a right-foot shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Pasalic clipped the crossbar before half-time before diverting Robin Gosens’ cross-shot home on the hour to double the lead.
Milan’s defence then fell apart with Ilicic scoring twice in nine minutes, before Muriel raced clear, rounded Donnarumma as the keeper rushed out of the area, and slotted in the fifth.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed his frustration after Juventus lost to Lazio in the Italian Super Cup by instantly taking off his silver medal.
The match, which took place in Saudi Arabia, ended 3-1 after second-half goals from Senad Lulic and Danilo Cataldi.
The Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur received a second yellow card in stoppage time after Paulo Dybala initially cancelled out Luis Alberto’s Lazio opener.
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