Gotze eyeing perfect Bayern send-off for Guardiola

Mario Gotze understands the importance of the coming weeks as Bayern Munich aim to send Pep Guardiola off with a treble-winning season.

Bayern sit seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with four games to play, are in the DFB-Pokal final and are set to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, with the first leg taking place next Wednesday.

Guardiola will leave Bayern at the end of the season to take over at fellow Champions League semi-finalists Manchester City at the end of the season.

And asked if a treble would be the perfect leaving present for the former Barcelona boss, Gotze said at the unveiling of a new sponsorship agreement for Bayern: “It would definitely be. We know he will leave in the summer. I think no one would refuse to win all three titles.

“It would be something very special, especially to win the fourth Bundesliga title in a row. We know exactly how important the next few weeks are.”

Meanwhile, forward Thomas Muller expressed satisfaction with Guardiola’s coaching style and is relishing the pressure of trying to reach the final of Europe’s top club competition.

“I think it’s good that the manager is not being influenced and protects the team. He leaves no wedge between himself and the players and I think he’s doing it very well,” Muller said.

“We have pressure at any time, that’s normal life at Bayern. But in the semi-finals of the Champions League you rather have positive pressure. It’s very nice to fight for the final. However, it is of course not natural to go through.”