Defeats can make Munich better: Pep

Two consecutive league defeats, including a 3-0 home demolition by Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, will help Bayern focus ahead of their German Cup semifinal against Kaiserslautern on Wednesday, coach Pep Guardiola said. The Spaniard has been criticised for taking his foot off the gas and rotating too much after clinching the Bundesliga title with seven games to spare. 

Bayern lost to Augsburg and Dortmund and managed only a 3-3 draw with Hoffenheim in their last three league games since securing the title. ‘Sometimes a defeat helps to improve a team. Wednesday we only have that one game though. We have to quickly find our form back,’ said Guardiola, who helped set a league record of 53 consecutive games without a loss before it ended this month. 

‘When there is a game like the one against Dortmund then I have to quickly analyse why it happened. If we play against Kaiserslautern the way we did against Dortmund then we will not reach any final,’ he added.

Bayern have few injury concerns with keeper Manuel Neuer the only question mark after sustaining a thigh muscle injury on Saturday. ‘He could not train Tuesday but hopefully he will be able to play Wednesday,’ he said. Bayern are chasing an unprecedented back-to-back treble having also advanced to the Champions League semifinals where they face nine-time European Champions Real Madrid, in Guardiola’s first season in charge.