Guardiola praises character of his players after Bayern Munich win the group

Bayern’s recent results do not bode well for Olympiakos as the Bavarians have maintained the Allianz Arena’s fierce reputation as a fortress this season.

The reigning Greek champion struggled to get into the match, despite winning its preceding three group-stage matches, mustering 36 per cent possession and 11 less shots than the German side.

Guardiola named his 64th straight unchanged side for the 3-1 win in Gelsenkirchen and further alterations are expected in midweek, albeit without compromising the ultimate goal of Group F victory. After watching Bayern Munich destroy Arsenal though I think that Bayern -1 on the first half handicap is probably a very generous price at 17/10.

Bayern will now turn their attentions to Champions League football, with them set to play Olympiakos at home, whilst Schalke host Apoel Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

“We prepared some things but unfortunately I did not see those things on the field”. The boss tells his team’s news site this week “My players are training like insane and they all deserve to play”.

Defender Holger Badstuber was sent off in the 53rd minute in his first start in nine months following a knee injury.

“We have players that always want to have the ball, that have the technical abilities to find the right solutions, even if we are one player down”, Lahm added.

Bayern, in spectacular form having lost just once in all competitions, had put Olympiakos under early pressure and it paid off with Brazilian Costa drilling in on the rebound.

“As long as we are able to control the game, we can play with five attacking players like we did tonight”.

Meanwhile, Olympiakos remain second in the group, and a draw at home to Arsenal in a fortnight will guarantee that they go through at the English side’s expense.

“What happened, happened. Most teams who come here to Munich lose”.

“I don’t know if supporters like it so much, but the opponents try and stop everything we do”.

Douglas Costa got the opener and Robert Lewandowski scored his 28th goal in 25 games this season before Thomas Mueller tapped in the third. “We will give absolutely everything to stay in the Champions League”.