Guardiola claims Bayern Munich can get better

Pep Guardiola has warned that Bayern Munich “can still get better”, after watching them beat Viktoria Plzen to maintain their 100 percent record in the Champions League this season.

The 5-0 win saw Bayern record 706 passes to Plzen’s 226 with a passing accuracy of 92 percent possession of 76 percent and a total of 35 shots.

“We barely made it into our opponents’ half,” Plzen coach Pavel Vrba lamented.

However, Toni Kroos stressed that the Treble winners cannot get too carried away with their current form, which also sees them top of the Bundesliga following an unbeaten start.

“We did a good job very comfortably, but we don’t measure ourselves against the likes of Plzen. Out there on the field, we really enjoy keeping on going for goal even when we’re 3-0 up,” he said. “Slowly but surely, we can plan for the last 16.”

Franck Ribery once again starred for Bayern, bagging a brace in the win to take his tally to three goals in as many Champions League games this term.

Bayern president Uli Hoeness praised Ribery and lauded the side’s strength in depth.

“What he does with the ball that is just like Rastelli,” Bayern president Uli Hoeness said after the game, comparing the France international to the Italian juggler. “And no matter who comes from the bench and who is substituted: The quality we have on the pitch has no rival in Europe.”

Bayern had to do without Dante and Jerome Boateng, the first-choice central defenders, but instead of playing captain Philipp Lahm at centre-back, as Guardiola hinted at during the pre-match news conference, Diego Contento was handed a start. 

“Diego has played there under Louis Van Gaal, he knows the position,” Guardiola said. “He played really well. I am delighted with his performance. That was perfect.”

But other than that there is still a lot of room for improvement, Guardiola added. “We have to get better at set pieces. We often have many, many players in the middle and none on the sides. We can always get better. It would be boring if everything was perfect now.”

In the absence of any real problems, Bayern continued their penalty controversy, which started at the weekend when Guardiola urged Thomas Mueller to take a penalty against Mainz, despite Arjen Robben all being prepared to step up.

Against Plzen, Robben won a penalty, but scorned taking it. In post-match interviews the Netherlands international refused to comment on the situation, and Guardiola said: “I wanted Arjen to take the penalty. But the [the players] also can decide on their own.

“Franck took it, and scored. I like it when players have the courage and step up to take the penalty.”

“The whole team and the coach wanted Arjen to take the penalty. He did not want to, that’s okay,” Ribery added. “I think he was still a bit annoyed, but that’s not that bad”

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