BERLIN: Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola has said he is toying with the idea of playing some of his stars out of position as the new coach looks to find his preferred starting line-up at the European champions.
Bayern, who arrived in their Lake Garda training camp in north Italy on Thursday, became the first German team to win the treble of Champions League, Cup and league titles with a conventional 4-2-3-1 formation last season.
Guardiola won 14 titles in four years as Barcelona coach, where he preferred a ‘false nine’ system of a lone striker who can drop into midfield, and took charge of Bayern last week in the build up to the new Bundesliga season starting on Aug 9.
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“We can play with real strikers and false nines. It also depends on the physical condition of the players as to which system I will choose,” said Guardiola, who has asked France winger Franck Ribery if he is prepared to play out of position.
Having had his players in training now for nearly two weeks, Guardiola said he is impressed with the Bayern squad.
“I’ve noticed the Bayern players are very, very smart. They have reached the Champions League final three times in four years, you don’t have to say more about that.”
Guardiola refused to go into details as to how Bayern will play next season, but has promised attacking football.
“I do not like it when the opposing team has the ball. I want to have the ball. And we want to make sure we score more goals,” said the 42-year-old. – AFP
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