But adding a German Cup win over your fiercest domestic rivals to the trophy cabinet was a nice way to complete the final season of the Guardiola era.
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Pep Guardiola was in tears as his Bayern Munich side beat Borussia Dortmund on penalties to win the German Cup in the Spaniard’s final game in charge of Die Roten.
“I am a coach and a coach only”, Guardiola at a news conference on Friday. It is very likely that we will play slightly differently in the upcoming season, I am pretty sure about that.
The 32-year-old is however wary of the threat BVB posed, having knocked them out of the competition last year and ending as runners-up in the League again this year.
“Obviously he (Ancelotti) can not tell Mario “you will always play under me, I guarantee you that”, Loew said.
“They are a tough nut to crack, but we have self-belief”.
In a rematch of the 1990 final, which United won after a replay, underdogs Palace took the lead in the 78th minute when Jason Puncheon slammed home, only for Juan Mata to equalise less than three minutes later. Although one only had to look as far as an anguished, gesticulating Guardiola raging on the touchline in the second half to see how much it meant to the departing Bayern boss.
Guardiola’s team is coming off its record fourth straight Bundesliga title, while Dortmund finished second.
Boateng will come up against Dortmund captain Mats Hummels, who is playing his final match before moving to Bayern next season.
After players from both sides ran out of steam and struggled with cramp in extra time, the Bavarians stayed focused in the shootout.
Glimpses into the many established fan clubs within the United States and Canada provide the kind of route that Bayern will have to take to grow their brand.
Bayern’s best chance of the game probably fell to their leading scorer Robert Lewandowski but the Polish striker was denied the chance of glory by a wonderful block by Eric Durm.
Success in the Champions League has eluded Guardiola but Lewandowski believes that his Bayern reign should be viewed in a positive light despite the high expectations that accompanied his appointment. Only four other teams have completed the double and none has done it a few times.
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Saturday’s result was the sixth time that Tuchel and Guardiola have faced one another and the sixth time that Tuchel has failed to beat the coach he is happy to call the best in the world.
