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Bayer Leverkusen have announced that coach Jupp Heynckes will be replaced by Freiburg boss Robin Dutt at the end of the season.

Heynckes, who has been linked with the Bayern Munich job, announced on Monday he would be leaving his current club when his contract expires in the summer.

Bayer have replaced him with Dutt, who has been given a two-year contract starting from July 1. He has led Freiburg to eighth in the table this season.

“Mr Heynckes has informed us he will not be available for another year in charge,” Leverkusen’s general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser told the club’s website. “We are delighted Robin Dutt will start work with Leverkusen on July 1 after some very cordial negotiations with the Freiburg management.”

Heynckes has taken Bayer to within seven points of leaders Borussia Dortmund and their form is likely to deprive possible future employers Bayern of a Champions League place for next season.

“It was a very tough decision to leave Bayer Leverkusen,” Heynckes said. “They are a very well led club with a fantastic team. I will put all of my efforts into cementing second place in the Bundesliga and qualifying for the Champions League next season.”

Dutt added: “I am really looking forward to the challenge in Leverkusen and working with a team which has been coached magnificently by Jupp Heynckes.

“The philosophy of Bayer Leverkusen, which was explained to me by Wolfgang Holzhauser and (Bayer’s director of sport) Rudi Voller, is exactly the same as my views of football.”

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Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident his team has what it takes to win the Scudetto.

The Partenopei cut the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan to three points after beating Cagliari 2-1 on Sunday – their fifth win in their past seven games. Milan lost 1-0 at Palermo on Saturday.

“Anything is possible,” De Laurentiis said to Gazzetta dello Sport. “This is the beauty of football.

“We are growing a lot and we are in third position with nine games remaining, something which was unthinkable at the start of the campaign.

“We have a solid group that is playing great football and will fight until the end.”

Napoli, who have not won a Serie A title since 1990, host Lazio on April 3 while AC Milan take on Inter in the city derby in the next round.

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Embattled Juventus coach Luigi Del Neri wants to see out the remainder of his contract.

The Bianconeri are 11 points behind fourth-placed Udinese in the Serie A table with nine games remaining.

A place in next season’s Champions League looks to be out of reach for Del Neri’s team but the coach is determined to make amends next season if given the opportunity.

“I certainly have a chance to stay,” Del Neri said. “I have a contract for another two seasons, and it depends on the club, with which I have a perfect understanding.”

Del Neri replaced Alberto Zaccheroni last summer and the Turin side have had to deal with numerous injury worries this season.

The problems worsened last week when Italy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta sustained a thigh injury in training and was lost for the remainder of the campaign.

Leandro Rinaudo, Mohamed Sissoko and Fabio Quagliarella had already been ruled out with season-ending injuries.

“Without injuries, we would have been able to match anyone,” Del Neri said. “We are missing four or five points in the standings and this is due to injuries.”

Juve halted a four-game winless streak in Sunday’s 2-1 triumph over Brescia. Del Neri’s team travel to the Stadio Olimpico to face Roma on April 3.

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David Luiz has warned Manchester United that Chelsea are determined to beat them to what would be a sensational Premier League and Champions League double this season.

Luiz produced another virtuoso display on Sunday to help the champions edge past Manchester City 2-0 and maintain their late charge in defence of the title.

Chelsea went into the international break nine points behind faltering leaders United with a game in hand, having also drawn them in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Luiz, who is cup-tied for the latter clashes at the beginning of next month, has backed his team-mates to end United’s European dream, while vowing to help the Blues complete what would be one of the most incredible title comebacks in Premier League history.

“We want to do everything this season,” Luiz said. “We want to catch United in the Premier League and beat them in the Champions League. We have to believe – we can win the title.

“There are still many games and a lot of points to play for. I can’t play in the Champions League because I am cup-tied but I am very close to the team. The happiness of my team-mates will be my happiness if they do well.”

The £25 million signing of Luiz has co-incided with Chelsea’s Premier League revival, with the champions having trailed United by 15 points at one stage.

The former Benfica centre back has been a revelation, demonstrating the full range of his defensive and attacking skills and making himself an instant hero with his new side’s supporters.

Indeed, the 23-year-old Brazil star has now scored crucial goals against United and City in his two starts at Stamford Bridge.

He said, modestly: “I am really delighted that the fans have taken to me so soon but the best thing is that the team are in good shape. I always work hard and like to help the team. Of course, when the team are doing well it is much easier. It has become easy for me to settle in because the players and the manager have helped me.”

New arrivals at Chelsea go through an initiation, which involves them singing a song to their team-mates. Luiz refused to reveal what he sang, saying: “It is our secret. But I have sung the song and it was okay.”

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Real Madrid are “confident” that defender Pepe will sign a new contract at the club following positive talks with the Portugal international.

Though injuries and disciplinary issues have restricted his impact at times since a €30 million transfer from Porto in 2007, Pepe is one of La Liga’s most accomplished defenders and Real are determined to retain his services.

The 28-year-old’s current contract expires at the end of the 2011-12 season but director general Jorge Valdano believes a new agreement is not far away.

“The negotiations with Pepe are going well,” Valdano said. “He is an excellent person and one of the best central defenders in the world.

“It is true that we have been talking for some time, but I am confident that he will choose to stay on at Real Madrid. ”

In the face of dominance from great rivals Barcelona, Pepe and Real have not won any silverware since 2008 but they remain in the chase for La Liga, as well as being in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey, where they will face the Catalans.

A derby victory over Atletico Madrid leaves Real five points behind Barca with nine games remaining, and Pepe is ready for a demanding finish to the season.

“The next two months will be intense,” he said. “We will try to live up to the challenge and make our fans happy. Whilst there’s a chance, we will fight to the very end. That’s what the coach and our supporters ask us to do.”

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