Ancelotti takes aim at players' agents

Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti claims agents "hold too much power in football" and insists he refuses to communicate with any player representatives.

Ancelotti believes that football clubs have afforded agents too much power in the modern game and that their increasing status has had a negative impact.

The Italian is of the opinion that the players themselves are the most important part of football as they are the ones fans pay money to watch.

And Ancelotti is adamant that if he needs to communicate with his players he will do so face-to-face and not through an intermediary. 

"I do not speak to agents," Ancelotti told Die Welt.

"They are not part of my profession in my opinion. I talk to the players directly. And I hope the players also approach me when there are problems rather than send their agent.

"I think agents hold too much power in football. Many clubs have given agents a lot of power.

"But fans come to the stadium to watch the players. The players are the most important figures in football, not agents or coaches."

Ancelotti has previously taken aim at Real Madrid star Gareth Bale's agent, claiming he went to speak to president Florentino Perez about a positional change for his client rather than the player approach him directly.