Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has dismissed claims that he has fallen out with some of his players, following his decision not to renew his contract with the German champions.
Reports from Germany suggested a number of Bayern players have had enough of Guardiola’s disciplinarian approach and there was even a claim that one of the players was leaking reports of the unrest to the press.
But Guardiola insists there are no problems between him and his players.
“My relationship with the players is better than ever before,” Guardiola said at a news conference.
“Whenever I say something, it’s in the papers the days after. I experienced something similar in my first year and in my second year as well, while it also happened in July.
“I am not too worried about it. I tried to fight it in my first year, but that doesn’t lead to anything. I always want the best for my players with everything I do.”
Guardiola reportedly chastised two players in front of the rest of the squad after they turned up for the winter training camp overweight.
“I have read about the alleged lack of professionalism,” Guardiola added.
“Over the past two seasons, some players returned to the club two to three kilograms overweight.
“But we trained really well this winter in Qatar. It’s only normal to check your players’ weight. Coaches across the world do the same. The names of the players with weight issues? We will keep that to ourselves.
“There is absolutely no problem with that e-mail. We get a lot of e-mails from the team manager.
“This is to make sure the players don’t drive to Berlin for example when they have just one day off. I don’t see a problem here.”
Meanwhile, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has insisted Guardiola still has the club’s full backing and that despite his imminent departure, the Spaniard should not be regarded as a lame duck leader.
“Guardiola will have the full support of everybody at Bayern right until his final day at the club,” Rummenigge said.
“Everybody who has been writing lame duck stories should bear that in mind.”
