Pep Guardiola Anticipates Difficult Season for Bayern Munich

The coach of Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola, returned to work with his team today and anticipated a difficult season in which the Bavarian club will seek to win their fourth consecutive Bundesliga, a feat no team has achieved before.

"No team has ever won the Bundesliga four times in a row. That only means one thing: achieving it is very difficult," said Guardiola in his first press conference after the summer break.

In the fight for the Bundesliga title, Guardiola sees many teams that can challenge Bayern this season, such as Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke.

"Dortmund has a new coach and that can give them a boost, Gladbach has already shown their capabilities, Leverkusen is in its second season with (coach Roger) Schmidt who now knows his players better, Wolfsburg had a great season and Schalke has to bounce back," said Guardiola.

"It will be an interesting story," he added.

Guardiola also said that while titles are important, the key to the season will be to improve week by week, and his dream is to reach the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Champions League with a fully fit squad.

Last season, Bayern reached those stages with a depleted team due to a series of injuries, including those of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

Indeed, what happened with Robben and Ribery led the club to sign Brazilian player Douglas Costa, who can play on both wings.

"We had to do without two key players like Arjen and Franck at important moments. That prompted the club to consider such a signing. Many thanks to those responsible for the signing. I hope he adapts quickly," Guardiola said.

Guardiola downplayed the fact that Costa comes from a lower league like the Ukrainian league.

"That doesn't matter. In Barcelona, Busquets and Pedro had played in the fourth division and then went on to win the Champions League and become world champions. What matters is not which league you come from but the quality," said the Catalan coach.

Ribery is still unable to train due to an ankle injury and today Guardiola asked for patience.

"I know he will come back, but I don't know when. We have to let him take his recovery step by step and we have to help him because the situation is difficult for him," he said.