Life for Ottmar Hitzfeld has come full circle on Wednesday when Bayern Munich reinstated him as the coach until the end of the season, after firing Felix Magath.

Magath, who replaced Hitzfeld in July 2004, guided the Bundesliga and European giants to league and cup doubles in each of his first two seasons in charge.

Earlier, the move to fire Magath came as a shock and coincided with the day after a goalless draw at home to relegation candidates Bochum. That result however, has left the 20-times German champions in the fourth place in the Bundesliga.

"We had to react due to concern over a Champions League place for next season," Bayern said in a statement.

In 2001, Hitzfeld guided Bayern to Champions League glory.

After the drawn match, Magath said: "We don't need to talk about the title any more." "We have to make sure of getting second or third."

Bayern, who are out of the German Cup, can still dream of winning the Champions League – they last won in 2001 - with a forthcoming second round tie to an out of form Real Madrid.

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