Guardiola remains coy over Bayern Munich future

Ian Watson
Pep Guardiola: Bayern Munich boss enjoys Oktoberfest

Pep Guardiola: Bayern boss not fretting over future

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola once again avoided questions about his future, saying there is still plenty of time before that becomes an issue.

According to reports in Germany on Monday, Bayern are hoping to announce that Guardiola has signed a new contract at their Annual General Meeting at the end of November.

The Catalan, who has been linked with a move to the Premier league next season, declined to confirm that possibility at a press conference on Monday, saying that now is still not the right time to discuss what will happen next season.

“It’s only October,” he said. “We’ve got seven months to work.”

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm on Saturday said that he and the entire dressing room are backing Guardiola to prolong his stay at the Bavarian club and, although he was touched by that show of support, Guardiola insisted it has no bearing on his decision.

“Even if he had said the opposite, it would be the same for me,” he said. “[Lahm] was the most important player in the squad for me right from day one.

“For this reason, Philipp’s a special person for me and he always will be.”

Bayern face their first major test of their treble aspirations this season on Tuesday night when they travel to Wolfsburg in the second round of the DFB-Pokal, and Guardiola says defeat would not be a tragedy.

“If we don’t win the treble this year, then I would be sorry, but Bayern Munich would try again next season,” he said.

“Of course it’s an important game because either you go through or you’re out, but if we lose then I will only be sad on Wednesday, a bit less so on Thursday and then things move on from Friday.”

Bayern were beaten by Wolfsburg in the pre-season German Supercup, but gained revenge in the Bundesliga with a 5-1 win, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s record-breaking five-goal haul.