Van Gaal guided Bayern to a League and cup double last season, but the 22-time German champions currently lie fourth in the Bundesliga, 14 points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Club bosses Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeness, Karl Hopfner and the director of sport Christian Nerlinger held crisis talks in the club's headquarters and subsequently informed Van Gaal of their decision to go separate ways on Saturday night after returning from Nurnberg, where the team drew 1-1.

'The board, director of sport and president of FC Bayern took this decision together,' read a statement from the club.

Final straw: Van Gaal was axed after his Bayern side, with Gemany's Bastian Schweinsteiger (R), failed to beat Nurnberg

'After the 1-1 draw in Nurnberg yesterday and the renewed slide to fourth in the table, and with the threat of missing out on the minimum aim of a place in the Champions League next season, this decision was taken in FC Bayern's best interests.

'Louis van Gaal's assistants Frans Hoek, Jos van Dijk and Max Reckers have also been relieved of their duties.'

Bayern currently trail third-placed Hannover by a point and, were the season to end now, they would only be playing in the Europa League next season.

Since the final of the Champions League will be held at the Allianz Arena next year, failure to even qualify for the competition would be a severe disappointment for Bayern, who will now end the season without a single trophy.

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