RUMMENIGGE: HE'S OUR PLAYER AND HE'S STAYING!

The players are on holiday or preparing for the World Cup, and the Säbener Strasse facility is all but empty – but the second floor above the ServiceCenter is a hive of activity, as the Bayern board and coaching staff are busy assembling the squad for the new campaign. In part one of a major fcbayern.de interview, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge revealed a few early results from the crucial planning meetings. The two remaining parts of the interview will appear on Sunday and Tuesday next week.

Interview with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, part 1:

fcbayern.de: You, Jan-Christian Dreesen, Matthias Sammer and Pep Guardiola have spent this week working on next season’s squad. What news do you have for the fans?
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: We fundamentally have a very good team, nor is the squad particularly old. None of our players is due for retirement. We can be very relaxed and calm as we survey the future. But we’re still watching the transfer market very closely. Fortunately our finances are extremely solid and we have no problem with Financial Fair Play. There won’t be any serious activity in the transfer market until the World Cup gets going. Relatively little will happen before then.

But would you say there are likely to be additions to the confirmed new arrivals, Robert Lewandowski and Sebastian Rode?

We’re talking about what else we need to do. The coach’s opinion is very important. There’s a lot of speculation in the media, but we won’t be knocked off course. Let’s wait and see.

Is there any news of Claudio Pizarro and Daniel van Buyten? Both are shortly out of contract.
Talks are ongoing, and I believe we’ll have results very soon.

What’s the situation with Toni Kroos?
As I’ve always said, our aim is to agree a contract extension, and that still applies. If we can’t, we’ll have to think about other options.

And how about Mario Mandzukic?
I regret what’s happened, because he’s made his contribution to our success. But every player has to know his place and accept the coach’s decisions in a disciplined way.

Youngster Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was the surprise hit of the cup final. Is the club thinking of sending him out on loan?
No, quite the opposite! Pierre is hugely talented and the coach is delighted with him. I basically support loan spells for younger players if they’re unlikely to break though at Bayern in the first instance. But Pierre has come on wonderfully well, he’s incredibly mature for an 18-year-old and he’s just played his way into the team. He’s a Bayern player and he’s staying here!

How pleased are you about Holger Badstuber’s imminent comeback?
Very pleased! Holger is a great person who’s been through an incredibly tough period. He’s coped amazingly well. Two cruciate operations, two long spells of rehab – not everyone would have managed that. Respect! He’s continuing his training and things are looking good for him. His knee is fine again and he’s moving well. We’d all like him to become an important factor in the team again soon.

How are things looking for Thiago?
His operation went very well. We hope he has a good recovery and is available again very soon.

What are you hoping for from Robert Lewandowski?
Robert is a world-class striker, and Bayern fans everywhere can look forward to seeing him play for us. He scored lots of goals for Borussia Dortmund. He gets through a great deal of work for the team and he uses his physique to optimal effect, even though he’s not actually that big. And I’ve also heard he’s a model pro.

And Sebastian Rode?
They played him in the holding role or central midfield in Frankfurt, but our coaches think he’d do well at full-back. I can imagine him being good for a surprise. He reminds me a bit of Jens Jeremies: he’s aggressive and a tireless runner, always determined, always up for it, always hurting his opponents.

We're still making history

After a 120-minute clash bristling with tension and near-misses, it was Bayern who hoisted the DFB Cup into the Berlin night sky. “Emotions ran high and it was a very tight match. We’re proud about winning the double,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after the 2-0 extra-time victory over Dortmund. Berlin native Jérôme Boateng said: “We’ll party tonight like here’s no tomorrow. We’re totally overjoyed.“

Cup final reaction

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: “We’re obviously delighted. Emotions ran high and it was a very tight match. We’re proud about winning the double. We’ll start a massive party now. The coach’s decisions were spot on today. I’ve always said he’s a fantastic coach and we’re really happy he’s at Bayern.“

Matthias Sammer: “It’s been an outstanding season. You could see we’re both flexible and stable. Arjen is a model professional, who went through the lows with us in 2012. We can’t praise him too highly.“

Pep Guardiola: “It was already a good season when we won the championship. That was always the most important title. We’re very happy we’ve made it today. Congratulations to my players!“

Philipp Lahm: “It’s fantastic we’ve won the double as a team today. What more can you ask for? Today, we’ve again shown with a different formation that we’re capable of very, very good football. All credit to the team!“

Arjen Robben: “We were determined to win, as everyone could see. Huge credit to the team! Everyone had written us off to a certain extent. But we’re here, we’ve won it, it’s another double and it’s been a superb season. We’ve won the cup, we’re the champions, we’ve set lots of records, and we made the Champions League semi-finals – that’s not bad at all!“

Franck Ribéry: “It’s a very, very important victory for everyone at Bayern, for the team and for the fans. We’ve done very well this season, and worked very hard. I was injured for ten days and couldn’t train much. But I’m there for the team.“

Toni Kroos: “I think it was a fully deserved win and we played very well. We can celebrate properly now. I think everyone saw we were the better team.“

Javi Martinez: “Two trophies in one season is outstanding. Three titles last year and two this – we’re still making history.“

Jérôme Boateng: “We’ll party tonight like here’s no tomorrow. That was our last match and we’ve won the double. We’re totally overjoyed. Credit to Dortmund for making our lives difficult. But at the end of the day I think we deserved it.“

Resilient FCB Seal Double Triumph

Bayern finished the 2013/14 campaign as the undisputed best team in Germany after defeating closest rivals Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s DFB Cup final in Berlin, sealing the domestic league and cup double for the tenth time in their history. Arjen Robben, the player whose goal settled the Champions League final at Wembley last year, was the hero of Munich’s 17th DFB Cup success with the 107th-minute winner, Thomas Müller adding the icing on the cake at the end after a tight and intense encounter that went to extra-time following an evenly-matched encounter.

The 76,197 full house at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin saw Munich dominate possession and look the likelier to score before half-time, although the cagey first period was all but devoid of clear-cut chances. The action hotted up after the break with near-misses at both ends, but neither side conjured up a goal in normal time and the game went into an extra 30 minutes. Despite increasing weariness after the long and tough season FCB kept up the fight and were rewarded when Robben broke the deadlock, before Müller sealed a hard-earned victory in time added on at the end.

Four new faces

Boss Pep Guardiola had a team selection surprise up his sleeve for the showdown in the capital, as he chose to replace injured left-back David Alaba (sprained stomach muscle) with 18-year-old Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, a two-time starter in the league in the second half of the season. Otherwise, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm and Mario Götze came into the side in place of Mario Mandzukic, Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee) and Daniel van Buyten, who started on the bench.

The somewhat unfamiliar final line-up of the season comprised Manuel Neuer in goal, Hojbjerg, Dante, Boateng and Rafinha in defence, Javi Martinez and captain Lahm in twin holding roles, Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos in central midfield, and Robben alongside ex-Dortmund man Götze.

Few chances in first period

Few chances in first period

With the crowd at fever pitch following the warm-up programme, Bayern were soon on the front foot after referee Florian Meyer whistled the final underway on a rainy night in the German capital. The nimble Robben set up Müller and the Dutchman himself fired goalwards in the first six minutes, but BVB keeper Roman Weidenfeller saved both efforts, the first unwittingly with his head and the second in more conventional fashion.

FCB still saw the lion’s share of possession but Jürgen Klopp’s men settled as time went on and the game became a dour midfield struggle at times. There was a blow for the Bavarians and potentially for Germany too when Lahm was forced out of the action with just half an hour played, the captain hobbling off in obvious discomfort following a heavy challenge from BVB defender Sokratis. Franck Ribery entered the fray in place of the skipper with Kroos stepping back to a more defensive role.

Weidenfeller just outpaced Robben as the Dutchman chased down a risky Kevin Großkreutz back-pass, but chances were thin on the ground until FCB upped the tempo with half-time approaching. Robben had a decent shout for a penalty waved aside after a heavy challenge in the box by Lukas Piszczek, before Kroos hit the wall with a free-kick and Hojbjerg fired wide, but the last chance of the half fell at the other end when Lewandowski hooked a half-volley well over Neuer’s bar.

Goalless second period

The cagey stalemate continued in the early exchanges after the restart until Müller flicked a shot against Weidenfeller from Ribery’s cross, sparking a period of greater invention from both sides. Dante hooked a Mats Hummels effort off the line on 64 minutes, although the former FCB youth looked suspiciously offside as he headed towards goal, before Hojbjerg missed his kick from a promising position.

The action swung from end to end, Neuer saving well from BVB sub Oliver Kirch and Weidenfeller throwing out a hand to deny Robben after Götze’s perceptive through ball, but for all the effort invested by both teams in a rousing final ten minutes the game remained deadlocked until the end of the regulation 90 minutes.

Robben the extra-time hero

Dortmund sub Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whipped a shot just past Neuer’s left-hand upright from a Marco Reus lay-off as the first chance of extra-time fell to Borussia, but Bayern were showing great resilience, exemplified by both Neuer and Kroos shaking off injuries and refusing substitution despite obvious discomfort. But the cramp was too much for young Hojbjerg who gave way to veteran Daniel van Buyten with 102 minutes on the clock. Müller and Großkreutz each had a sight of goal but there were no further chances before the end of the first half of extra-time.

But Robben was always the man who seemed most likely to break the deadlock, testing Weidenfeller with a decent effort before converting Boateng’s excellent 107th-minute cross after the defender brilliantly anticipated a throw from the Dortmund keeper.

The Dutchman was on fire now against a tiring BVB side and cracked a shot off the post as Bayern went for the jugular, and although the winger saw his breakaway effort stopped by Weidenfeller, Boateng heroically deflected a late Reus effort away for a corner as the men from Munich clung on. The final flourish came in stoppage time when sub Claudio Pizarro released Müller for a run at Weidenfeller, the striker skipping round the keeper to settle it once and for all.

Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley

Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich 0-2 (aet H-T: 0-0, F-T: 0-0)

Borussia Dortmund	Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Sokratis, Hummels, Schmelzer - Jojic (Aubameyang 83), Sahin - Mkhitaryan (Kirch 60), Reus, Großkreutz (Hofmann 110) - Lewandowski
Substitute	Alomerovic, Durm, Friedrich, Kehl
Bayern Munich	Neuer - Hojbjerg (Van Buyten 102), Boateng, Martínez, Dante, Rafinha - Lahm (Ribéry 31, Pizarro 109) - Müller, Kroos - Robben, Götze
Substitute	Raeder, Contento, Shaqiri
Referee	Florian Meyer (Burgdorf)
Viewers	74,907 (capacity)
Goals	0-1 Robben (107), 0-2 Müller (120+3)
Yellow card	- / Kroos, Hojbjerg, Boateng, Van Buyten, Robben

16 Bayern Stars in World Cup Frame

The forthcoming World Cup is even making its presence felt at Bayern training: on Tuesday, 30 days prior to the opening match in Brazil, the FCB stars worked out with the official tournament match ball. And many of the players also listened out for a call from their home countries, as the deadline for preliminary squad nominations is midnight Tuesday, when national head coaches must supply FIFA with provisional squad lists of up to 30 men. fcbayern.denames the Munich stars likely to be in the World Cup frame.

Javi Martínez, Thiago:
The FCB pair are in Spain’s 30-strong preliminary squad. Barcelona provide the largest single contingent to La Roja with seven players, followed by Champions League finalists Real and Atletico Madrid with four apiece. National coach Vicente del Bosque has named three uncapped players: David de Gea (Manchester United), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) and Ander Iturraspe (Bilbao).

Xherdan Shaqiri:
As expected the 22-year-old will feature for the Swiss. At the squad announcement on Tuesday in Zurich, ex-Bayern boss Ottmar Hitzfeld named nine Bundesliga players in his final 23-strong party.

Daniel van Buyten: 
The Bayern centre-back is one of three Bundesliga stars on Marc Wilmots’ 24-man list. The English Premier League provides the largest group with 11 players. The number one keeper is Thibaut Courtois from Atletico Madrid.

Arjen Robben:
Bondscoach Louis van Gaal is set to make his announcement on Tuesday evening, but the former FCB supremo had already made clear the position regarding FCB’s speedy winger: “As of now only Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie know they’re definitely going to Brazil.“

Franck Ribéry:
The French list will also be released on Tuesday evening, but Ribéry is in any case one of the first names on boss Didier Deschamps’ team-sheets.

Mario Mandzukic:
Mandzu is as good as certain of a trip to South America, although he is suspended for the Croats’ opening match against the hosts following a red card in the final qualifying fixture.

Julian Green:
At just 18, the FC Bayern II striker has an outside chance of making it to the World Cup. US and former Munich coach Jürgen Klinsmann has named Green, who took the decision in March to represent the USA rather than Germany, in his 30-man preliminary squad.

Already nominated:

Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Mario Götze, Jérôme Boateng and Toni Kroosare in Germany’s 30-strong preliminary squad.

Dante has been named in the final 23-man Brazil party.

Coaches must submit their final 23-man World Cup squads by midnight on 2 June. In the event of injury players may be replaced by standby candidates up to 24 hours prior to their team’s first group match.

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Arjen Aims for Crowning Glory

Arjen Robben has been at Bayern for five years, the longest stay at a single club in his pro career. The 30-year-old left Real Madrid for FCB in August 2009, “and it was the best decision of my life,” he recently said. The Dutch ace has won almost everything there is to win in club football since then, so it was hardly a surprise when he signed a two-year extension to his current contract two months ago, keeping him in Munich until June 2017 

And Robben’s personal stats show just how much he is at home with Germany’s biggest club, as the 2013/14 campaign was in many respects his best so far. Arjen made his highest-ever total of 28 Bundesliga appearances. He scored 11 goals and provided seven assists, actually below his own personal best, but respected journalkicker ranked Robben the best outfield player in the league with an average rating per game of 2.47 out of six, earning him the title of top player of the season.

“It’s a great honour,” Arjen said on Monday, “I’m very pleased with the way the season went. The most important thing for me personally was playing all the way through.” The father of three missed only three games before Christmas after a collision with Augsburg keeper Marwin Hitz, “but otherwise I maintained my rhythm. If you feel good and settled you’ll give a good account of yourself,” he remarked.

A question of mental strength

Although he is still fresh from celebrating his third Bundesliga title with Bayern, he now intends to add DFB cup honours against Borussia Dortmund this Saturday. “If we perform to our potential and play as a team we have it in us to win the cup,” Robben stated. Completing the domestic double with a victory over BVB would be “the crowning glory” for the club. “It’s a very good season, and if we win the cup we can call it superb.“

However, the winger said, FCB can take nothing for granted in their third major final against Dortmund in the last three seasons. “We know all about their quality. They’re a superb team, so we know what to expect,” Robben warned. BVB comfortably won the most recent Bundesliga meeting at the Allianz Arena a few weeks ago, so Munich will not take much motivating prior to the Berlin Olympiastadion clash. “We’re playing a great team, and those are always the matches you look forward to,” he said.

Skill alone will not make the difference between victory or defeat in the final, Robben feels. “We can all play football, but every final is about passion, courage, and giving everything you’ve got,” the Netherlands regular commented. “It’s almost more about mental strength than football.” He himself is in fine shape prior to the last game of the domestic season: “I’m feeling really good at the moment, I’m fresh and I have energy to spare.“

Bayern Munich Celebrate Their 24th Bundesliga Title

In a post-match ceremony, Bayern Munich celebrate their 24th Bundesliga title after defeating Stuttgart 1-0.

Bayern's Claudio Pizarro scored the winner in the 92nd minute on the last play of the game, priming the crowd for the post-game activities.

Pep Guardiola puts Manchester United on alert after issuing ultimatum to Bayern Munich board

Spanish manager issues a shock back-me-or-sack-me ultimatum after his footballing philosophy is criticised

Pep Guardiola has called on Bayern Munich to back him or sack him in a move which could delayManchester United's appointment of Louis van Gaal.

Guardiola suffered a humiliating Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madridthis week, losing 4-0 at home in the semi-final second leg, and his footballing philosophy has been criticised by Franz Beckenbauer and other senior Bayern Munich figures.