Bayern Munich said they could consider taking legal action over media reports suggesting their coach Jupp Heynckes will leave the club at the end of the season.
Bayern have won just four of their last nine games, allowing defending champions Borussia Dortmund to open up a seven-point gap over second placed Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga.
As speculation mounts, German daily Bild claimed Wednesday that Heynckes, whose contract expires in June 2013, could be replaced by Borussia Moenchengladbach coach Lucien Favre or Hanover 96 boss Mirko Slomka.
However club bosses have moved to dispel the reports.
"Bayern Munich have full confidence in Jupp Heynckes and his work," Bayern said in a statement.
"Parts of the media have speculated about the early resignation of Jupp Heynckes and there are rumours suggesting there have already been discussions at the club about the coaching position.
"Those in charge of Bayern Munich condemn this outrageous media speculation, which is based on no facts, in the strongest terms.
"We protest against this type of 'gossip journalism' and will be investigating our legal options in the future."
Bayern, who suffered a 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, face a make-or-break fortnight as they need to overturn a 1-0 defeat from the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash when they host FC Basel on Tuesday.
They then have a German Cup semi-final at Moenchengladbach, who have beaten them home and away, on March 21 and need to close the gap behind Dortmund in the league.
Since Felix Magath was sacked in February 2007, when his team sat fourth in the league having won the league and cup double for the previous two seasons, Bayern have had a total of six coaches in five years.
Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jurgen Klinsmann, Heynckes (for a brief period in 2009 as caretaker coach), Louis van Gaal, Andries Jonker and Heynckes again have all had stints in charge.
Current USA coach Klinsmann was dismissed in April 2009 after just ten months in charge while ex-Barcelona boss Louis van Gaal was sacked last April having done the domestic double and steered Bayern to the Champions League final.
Heynckes is a close friend of Bayern president Uli Hoeness, but further defeats by Basel and Moenchengladbach would undermine his position.
Source: AFP
