Slutsky labels Bayern ´the best team in the world´

CSKA Moscow head coach Leonid Slutsky has labelled Bayern Munich the world’s best team after his side’s 3-0 loss to the European champions.

The Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League winners were in control from the outset, with David Alaba’s fourth-minute free-kick setting up their comfortable win over CSKA in Group D.

Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic and Netherlands international Arjen Robben completed the scoring for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Slutsky said facing Bayern was the kind of test his side never face in the Russian Premier League, which they top by three points.

“It was useful to test ourselves in a match against the best team in the world at the moment,” Slutsky said.

“This game highlighted many aspects of our play that we don’t see in the domestic league.”

The 42-year-old Russian coach lamented conceding an early goal but said it was unlikely his team were much of a chance even before Alaba’s opener.

“Bayern were stronger. Their superiority was clear throughout,” Slutsky said.

“If we had avoided an early goal we probably could have tried to get something from the match and looked for opportunities on the break.

“Our prospects were not very attractive before kick-off but the early goal made our situation all the more difficult.”

The way Bayern played was no surprise to Slutsky, who said trying to contain the star-studded outfit was a completely different prospect.

“We knew how Bayern would play, but that doesn’t mean we knew how to stop them. They pressed effectively and didn’t allow us to use the empty spaces,” CSKA’s boss said.

“The game went just as we thought it would but we had no chances to build on the counter-attack.”