Bayern bosses turn up heat on Guardiola

Bayern Munich’s bosses have put pressure on coach Pep Guardiola ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga home match with Hanover 96 as the European champions enter a tough few weeks. Bayern are second in the Bundesliga behind rivals Borussia Dortmund and launch the defence of their Champions League title against CSKA Moscow next Tuesday.

Then follows an away trip to Schalke 04, home matches against Hanover, again, in the cup, Wolfsburg in the league, then a Champions League away trip to Manchester City before facing Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga -- all in the next three weeks.  Despite their punishing schedule, Bayern’s top brass expect their side to prove they are just as strong under Guardiola as they were under his predecessor Jupp Heynckes.  ‘We have to immediately go full throttle and tackle our work with hunger, as we did so phenomenally last season,’ president Uli Hoeness told German daily Bild.

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also said there can be no more excuses. ‘We’re at the stage where you can’t allow for any more weaknesses’, he said, refering to Bayern’s 1-1 draw at Freiburg a fortnight ago.  Stern-faced director of sport Matthias Sammer also described the result as ‘reckless and annoying’ after Guardiola fielded a weakened side.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben believes Bayern must quickly turn their attentions back to the league, having had a host of players on recent international duty.  ‘We have to hit the ground running and switch back to Bundesliga mode, Hanover won’t give us time to settle,’ said Robben.  ‘We must be careful they don’t hit us on the counter-attack, they’ll be strong.’  Bayern have a few injury problems in their squad for the weekend.