Guardiola suggests a compromise on style

Pep Guardiola believes he has to adapt to his Bayern Munich players if the club are to enjoy continued success in the upcoming season.

In his first season in charge at the Allianz Arena, the Spaniard guided Bayern to a league and cup double, romping to the Bundesliga title by a mammoth 19 points.

They came unstuck in Europe, however, as Real Madrid’s devastating counter-attacking brand of football demolished Bayern 5-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

And with that painful defeat still in mind, Guardiola has conceded that he may opt for a change of approach during the 2014-15 campaign.

“I have to adapt to my players, I can’t play like I want,” he said.

“Of course I have an idea, but I have to know when we talk about the tactics first of all we have to talk about the skills of our players.

“We can’t talk about the tactics without the skills of my players, that is the most important thing – to analyse their talent, their mentality and after to make an agreement together so in that way it is the best for the team and for these players.

“I have to persuade them how is the best to play our football, but I have to adapt because I’m not here to change their mentality.

“I’m not here to change the culture of Bayern Munich or the German mentality and I have to learn to adapt to each other and in the same way to look forward.”