Dubai: Former Bayern Munich and Belgium goalkeeper Jean Marie Pfaff still rates Pep Guardiola as a success despite the Spaniard having failed to win a Champions League title in his three seasons at the Allianz Arena.
Munich were knocked-out on away goals by Atletico Madrid in this week’s semi-final, which finished 2-2 on aggregate. It’s their third semi-final defeat under Guardiola, following a 5-0 aggregate thrashing to Real Madrid in 2014 and a 5-3 aggregate loss to his former side Barcelona last year.
Manchester City-bound Guardiola said he had failed in Bavaria after the latest semi-final exit this week, but Pfaff, 62, who won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern and made 156 appearances for the club between 1982 and 1988, said the Spaniard was being too hard on himself.
“He’s still a great manager, losing doesn’t change things,” said Pfaff, who was in Dubai on Thursday to meet with Argentina legend and local resident Diego Maradona to discuss opening a UAE-based football academy with the 1986 World Cup winner.
“I’m not surprised they didn’t make the final. It was very important for Guardiola to have his full team together over both legs but Frank Ribery, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber and Arjen Robben, haven’t always been readily available to him.
“They weren’t in their right moment and Atletico were, that’s football, it isn’t science. They lost, but they are still one of the best clubs in the world. Even Barcelona lost to Atletico 3-2 in the quarter-finals, so it happens if you’re not on your game.
“He played without Ribery and Thomas Muller on the flanks in the first leg in Madrid, but brought them back in the second leg in Munich hoping that Atletico would be tricked into suddenly playing more open at the back, jeopardising their centre ready for Bayern to run inside.
“Diego Simeone is very intelligent and didn’t fall for it. Guardiola should have stuck to his best eleven over both legs. In the end the away goal was enough. Away goals are great if it’s in your favour but tough if you’re on the receiving end, that’s football. I don’t have a problem with the away goals rule.”
