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Former German international head coach and president of FC Bayern Munich Franz Beckenbauer. Matthias Schrader

'Bayern will be unwatchable like Barca' warns unimpressed Beckenbauer

Pep Guardiola would wanna watch out, according to Der Kaiser.

BAYERN MUNICH HONORARY president Franz Beckenbauer has criticised the club for playing too much like Barcelona.

The reigning German and European champions continued the defence of their UEFA Champions League title on Tuesday with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal in the last 16.

Bayern are also well on course to retain their Bundesliga crown, with a record of 22 wins and two draws from 24 league fixtures putting them 20 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

However, Beckenbauer feels coach Pep Guardiola is moulding the team to play like former club Barca, and expressed a desire to see a return to a more direct approach.

“In the end we will be like the Barcelona,” he is quoted as saying by Marca. “No one will want to see. These players would pass is the ball into the goalline.

“My vision is different. If I have the opportunity to shoot at goal from the second row, especially against a very populated defence, then I do. It is the most effective way.”

Bayern and Atletico Madrid became the first sides to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals last night.

What do you think of the German legend’s comments?

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14 Comments
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    Mute Sean Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2014, 11:26 AM

    They hired the former barca manager. What did he expect?

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    Mute Matthew Hyland
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    Mar 12th 2014, 11:37 AM

    Barca in the beginning were good to watch. Now it’s just a boring hypnotic triangular pass-fest.

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    Mute Sean Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2014, 1:11 PM

    Na they’re still great to watch

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    Mute ARedForever
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    Mar 12th 2014, 11:55 AM

    Wow, wouldn’t I love to have that complaint. At least they haven’t tried to cross the ball 80 times in a game!!!

    Its a strange complaint that, if it brings success, which is has, then why complain. If he doens’t like it then sack Pep :D

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    Mute Small Retort
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    Mar 12th 2014, 11:45 AM

    They are a bit more watchable than Barca. They cross the ball for headers a fair bit which breaks up the tedium.
    Barca’s reluctance to shoot does make them supremely boring.

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    Mute JAY BANDICOOT
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    Mar 12th 2014, 12:09 PM

    I completely agree with him! The only time I enjoy watchin Barcelona is when their being beat!

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    Mute gerry campbell
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    Mar 12th 2014, 3:57 PM

    You don’t see them too often so jay.

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    Mute Joe Mcging
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    Mar 12th 2014, 5:43 PM

    I’m a real Madrid fan and I like barca play… However I really enjoyed this hammering they gave Manchester United in 2 cl finals. Fergie was out smarted in Europe so many times. 13 league titles 2 lucky cl medals. But Barcelona with pep were a joy to watch especially as the fast majority of the players are small. Giving young people hope. Play the english way zzz . Look how good our national are + to watch….

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    Mute Eamonn Maloney
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    Mar 12th 2014, 5:54 PM

    Tippy tappy tikka takka, monotony is what you get from Barca.

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    Mute Noel Fitzgerald
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    Mar 12th 2014, 4:21 PM

    Some might find it boring to watch but I am pretty sure Pep was hired to get results. That is the bottom line at the end of the day. I doubt Franz Beckenbauer would complain too much what way they played if they won the champions league and/or the Bundesliga. It might not very entertaining or exciting football but I think the sponsors, the players, the manager and the directors of the club would happy enough to win trophies whatever way they played.

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    Mute Finian Coone
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    Mar 12th 2014, 7:08 PM

    Farcical comments

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    Mute Marcus Ward
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    Mar 12th 2014, 6:41 PM

    Bayern are nothing like the Barcelona of a few years ago. They do play more direct and don’t have the same skill.

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Mar 12th 2014, 8:43 PM

    He’s right, it makes for boring football, even if it requires great skill to play that way. Same with Spain, boring to watch most of the time.

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    Mute Barry O 'Mahony
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    Mar 12th 2014, 11:16 PM

    This years World Cup will be a procession for Spain. Tika taka all you want but with Deigo Costa up front they are going take some beating!

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