Former Bayern star Stefan Effenberg criticises Pep Guardiola

The 46-year-old midfielder, who spent six years with the Bavarians during two spells at the club, believes Guardiola puts too much emphasis on possession-based football, which he claims is used to excess.

“Bayern always have 65-70 per cent possession and they want to be attacking constantly, but that didn’t work out in last year’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid in both legs, home and away,” he told Kicker magazine.

Effenberg believes the Bundesliga outfit should change tactics now and then, depending on the opposition, and also says he does not like to see Guardiola constantly bellowing instructions to his players from the technical area.

“You’ve got to trust the players, who have spent the whole week before the game preparing and working on tactics.

“Apart from that, Guardiola leaves himself open to problems with the fourth official if he’s always in the technical area.

“It shows the amount of pressure he puts himself under and that’s detrimental to the team.”

The former Germany international says Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg meeting with Guardiola’s old club Barcelona will be like “an examination”, but doesn’t see Pep leaving Bayern at the end of this season.

“No coach of Bayern Munich can ever desert the club,” he insisted.

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