Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola insists he is not looking to emulate his former side Barcelona despite a highly successful footballing philosophy at the Catalan club.
The 42-year-old won 14 trophies during a trophy-laden four-year spell at the Camp Nou, including the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League in his first season in charge in 2008/09.
After departing the Spanish champions at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, Guardiola took a sabbatical before taking over Bayern in the summer after they had completed their own treble.
Parallels have been drawn in style between Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona and his new side, but the coach believes the Bundesliga giants are too big a club to copy others.
Guardiola told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I don't want to transform Bayern into a new Barca.
"The mentality is different, and the style, the environment, the culture, the players too. This club has won too much to copy others.
"I came here because I wanted to coach these players.
"Bayern Munich are bigger than my ideas. I have only to maintain last season's level, of an unbeatable team that played in an incredible way.
"A coach must understand the qualities of his men and be able to take advantage of these."
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| Pep Guardiola doesn't want to create a replica of the side he coached at former club Barcelona Photo: Getty Images |
The 42-year-old won 14 trophies during a trophy-laden four-year spell at the Camp Nou, including the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League in his first season in charge in 2008/09.
After departing the Spanish champions at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, Guardiola took a sabbatical before taking over Bayern in the summer after they had completed their own treble.
Parallels have been drawn in style between Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona and his new side, but the coach believes the Bundesliga giants are too big a club to copy others.
Guardiola told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I don't want to transform Bayern into a new Barca.
"The mentality is different, and the style, the environment, the culture, the players too. This club has won too much to copy others.
"I came here because I wanted to coach these players.
"Bayern Munich are bigger than my ideas. I have only to maintain last season's level, of an unbeatable team that played in an incredible way.
"A coach must understand the qualities of his men and be able to take advantage of these."
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