A double-winning campaign, in which numerous records were broken, certainly seems to be successful enough. If you add the fact that this is the first season under Pep Guardiola, then these accomplishments look all the more impressive. However, the fact that Bayern Munich were unceremoniously dumped out of the UEFA Champions League with their tails between their legs in an ominously similar fashion to what they, themselves, inflicted unto Barcelona last season, leaves this triumphant season with a bitter aftertaste.
Predictably, critics jumped onto this and didn't hold back in their assessment of what Guardiola has done to the squad left to him by the legendary Jupp Heynckes. The vast majority of criticism can be classified as hyperbole in the wake of a poor performance, but a large amount of observations made by neutrals did, indeed, hit the spot. The whole debate around the philosophy of Guardiola and his style of play is largely driven by personal opinion, so it would be silly to re-hash what has been debated by so many opposing football lovers in the wake of the humbling loss at the hands of Real Madrid. Focus now turns to next season, and to whether Guardiola can improve this Bayern Munich side, without ripping out the distinctly German soul of this squad.
However, reports have gathered momentum that Guardiola could do just that in his quest of building this Bayern Munich in his ideal image. Thomas Müller has been routinely reported to be unhappy with how he has been used last season by the Catalan manager as more of an impact option in big games than a consistent starter. Yes, it is true that he had his fair share of game-time, but Müller was, under Heynckes, one of the very first names on the team sheet for the biggest games of the season. His quality in it's own unorthodox fashion cannot be denied, and he is without doubt one of the finest attacking players in world football, nearing his peak years. Manchester United have been linked with a number of unrealistic Bundesliga transfer targets over the last couple of months, but one gets the nagging feeling that Müller moving to Old Trafford could become a realistic prospect, considering that his much-loved former manager, Luis Van Gaal, is at the helm. Combine this with the fact that Müller is not in the traditional Guardiola mold of elegance, and one can see a possible parting of ways if the manager truly is intent on re-making this team into what he desires.
Even more unthinkable is rumors that Guardiola has reportedly deemed midfield talisman Bastian Schweinsteiger as surplus to requirements. "Not a chance!", might be your first reaction; "Schweinsteiger is Bayern Munich, it is impossible to imagine the club without him". Certainly, that was my first reaction to these rumors as well. But, the more you think of it, the more it starts to look plausible. Schweinsteiger is definitely the most complete midfielder at Säbener Straße, but Toni Kroos is a better passer, while Thiago Alcantara is more creative and Javi Martinez is better defensively, which could leave the 29-year-old Germany star somewhat in the cold. What makes matters worse is his injury troubles over the past couple of seasons, which has perhaps made it tough for Guardiola to see Schweinsteiger at his dominating best. It might be too much of a risk for Guardiola to take, but considering how he has been criticised by not only the media, but club legends such as Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthaus, the Catalan could be desperate to get his passing machine working even better than before to enhance his own reputation and put critics to bed.
However, Bayern Munich pride themselves on their German spine, and that the main stars of the club are local boys, such as Schweinsteiger, Müller, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and club captain Philipp Lahm. This makes the aforementioned scenarios highly unlikely to happen, which could put the powers-that-be at Säbener Straße at loggerheads with Pep Guardiola. What makes the situation even more combustible is the fact that the man who has run the club for the best part of three decades, Uli Hoeneß, is not able to do so anymore, which could leave the club vulnerable if Karl-heinz Rummenigge and Karl Hopfner start to feel the pressure from their high profile manager. Although I am only playing devil's advocate here, stranger things have happened in the world of sport, and one gets the feeling that Guardiola will not hesitate to wield the axe to get what he wants.
This was perfectly illustrated by the whole Mario Mandzukic situation. The decision to freeze the Croatian striker out in the latter part of the last season can not be for purely sporting reasons, considering that he has been one of the top performers this season for Bayern Munich. Even more interestingly, the striker recently made comments that indicated he was not happy with the Guardiola style of play, and that not matter how hard he tried, he simply could not get to grips with things, and thus fell out with his manager. If this is true, could there be more players who feel the same way and might seriously consider offers from other clubs?
Or is this all just stories dreamt up by the media to cause unrest among Bayern Munich fans and sell newspapers? Are all the aforementioned players (bar Mandzukic, of course) content at the club, enjoying their time working with Guardiola, completely oblivious to these reports?
One thing we know for sure is that one can never be entirely sure when it comes to football.
