Trouble is brewing within Bayern Munich’s squad, as the playing staff are unhappy with Pep Guardiola imposing a stricter code of conduct. An email sent from the club’s management reportedly requires the players to sign out from the club on their days off, while a curfew is also being discussed.
According to German outlet Kicker, an unnamed player from the Bayern squad has broken ranks and spoken to the sources within the German press about the unrest in Guardiola’s squad. The Spaniard was quite unhappy with the state of his player’s fitness when they returned from their winter break, with Guardiola calling a number of them overweight.
With the final few months of his time in charge, Guardiola wants to sign off with trophies, and now requires his players to notify the club when they travel abroad in advance, so as to prevent ‘meaningless trips’ and ‘parties abroad’ that will upset the preparation and recovery schedules ahead of crucial forthcoming fixtures.
The email also details that Guardiola expects his players to behave in a far more professional manner. Despite Bayern topping the Bundesliga table with an eight point lead, the Spaniard will not let standards drop, and has tightened the reins ahead of the business end of the season.
Boateng injury placed further strain on Guardiola
As Guardiola enters the final few months of his contract, his farewell at Bayern seems to be fraught with problems as Jerome Boateng became the 14th Bayern player to suffer a muscular injury this season, leading to criticism of the Catalan’s training and fitness regime. Club CEO Karl Heinz-Rummenigge casually revealed that Hans-Wilheim Muller-Wolfhart was the doctor treating Boateng’s groin strain suffered in Bayern’s 2-1 win away to Hamburg, warning the DFB against rushing Boateng back.
Muller-Wolfhart famously walked out on Pep Guardiola, with the 73 year old club doctor and his staff leaving the club after being criticized by the Spaniard for Bayern’s loss against FC Porto. The doctor ended in 38 year association with the club in April last year, but with Guardiola on his way out, Bayern Munich are keen on reinstating the doctor ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival in the summer.
Boateng’s injury comes at the worst time possible for Guardiola, as the defender is set to miss Bayern’s crucial Champions League encounter against a rapidly-improving Juventus, who have won 11 on the bounce to storm to within two points of first-placed Napoli.
