Bayern Munich legend criticizes Pep Guardiola's ball possession craze

Pep Guardiola

Berlin, May 4 (IANS)

Former Bayern Munich captain Stefan Effenberg has criticized the German club's apparent obsession with ball possession under coach Pep Guardiola, and also denounced the Spanish manager's excessive activity on the sidelines.

Bayern currently maintains a possession rate between 65 and 70 percent in their matches and adopts a high-tempo offensive approach. Effenberg pointed out that the strategy went wrong in the 2014 Champions League semi-finals against Real Madrid, reports Efe.

Bayern were knocked out of the tournament after suffering a crushing 0-5 defeat on aggregate, losing both their matches 0-1 away and 0-4 at home.

“Sometimes you have to change it up,” Effenberg said on Monday, recalling how his former coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, sometimes opted for a defensive tactic in big games.

Bayern face Spanish giants FC Barcelona this year at the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Effenberg believes that the Spanish team is closing in on a possible win, noting that the clash will be a test of Guardiola's abilities and his conception of the game.