New Bayern boss Pep will have it tough, says Franz

BERLIN (AFP) –

Pep Guardiola attends a press conference before the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards ceremony on January 7, 2013 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich. Bayern Munich’s future coach Guardiola will be under huge pressure to match this season’s record-breaking exploits by current incumbent Jupp Heynckes, according to German legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Bayern Munich’s future coach Pep Guardiola will be under huge pressure to match this season’s record-breaking exploits by current incumbent Jupp Heynckes, according to German legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Ex-Barcelona boss Guardiola takes over as Bayern coach on July 1, but Heynckes, who will step down at season’s end, has set the bar high by running away with this season’s league title, which worries Beckenbauer.

Bayern finished the weekend with a 20-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga having twice came from behind on Saturday to beat Fortuna Duesseldorf 3-2 at home.

They are just three wins short of being confirmed league winners and could be crowned German champions for the 23rd time as early as April 6 at Eintracht Frankfurt having already claimed several records so far this season.

“The expectations are, of course, very high,” Bayern’s former president Beckenbauer, a former World Cup-winning coach and captain, told Munich newspaper TZ.

“Everyone thinks when Guardiola comes everything will be better.

“Of course, there are things which can be improved, for example the team’s shape, but it is going to be hard to top this season.

“And if Guardiola’s team becomes German champions with only a 15-point lead, people will probably be disappointed.”

Bayern president Uli Hoeness agreed with Beckenbauer.

“I think we will be champions this year so the pressure on (Guardiola) and the club will be big. With Guardiola, you can only win the German championship, nothing else,” Hoeness told British tabloid The Sun.

“Jupp Heynckes is doing a fantastic job and Guardiola will be measured by what happens this year.”