Pep Guardiola warns that ‘things can go astray’ if Bayern Munich lose focus

The expectation on Bayern Munich is for a return to the top of the Champions League, but Pep Guardiola is warning his side that to do so will require 'everyone to give their all and put in 100 per cent'.

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola gestures during the team's Bundesliga win over Augsburg on Saturday. Michael Dalder / Reuters / September 12, 2015

Pep Guardiola begins his third – and possibly final – Champions League campaign with Bayern Munich on Wednesday knowing that only a repeat of the 2013 victory will sate the Bavarian club's appetite.

By his own admission, "only the treble counts" in Munich as the Spaniard attempts to repeat Bayern's 2013 triple of Uefa Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles.

Guardiola, 44, won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011 as Barcelona coach, but in his two seasons with Bayern, the German champions were found wanting at the semi-final stage by Real Madrid in 2013/14, then Barcelona last season.

“The main objective is – and remains – winning the Champions League,” said striker Thomas Muller, who turned 26 on Sunday, before Bayern jetted to Greece.

Bayern also want to make history by becoming the first German team to win four straight Bundesliga titles.

Guardiola’s current contract expires at the end of the season and the Spaniard, who has given no hint of his future plans, wants another European crown to add to his already impressive CV.

Bayern have won all four of their opening German league matches this season, but had to come from behind to force a 2-1 win at home to Bavarian rivals Augsburg on Saturday with two late goals.

Now the 2013 Champions League winners switch their focus to Europe at Olympiakos when they kick off their Group F campaign, but Guardiola is warning they can ill afford another below-par display with Arsenal also in their pool.

A warm welcome awaits in Greece in front of 33,000 home fans at the sold-out Karaiskakis Stadium and the 1,700 visiting fans will receive police protection.

“Everyone has to give their all there and put in 100 per cent on the pitch, or things can go astray,” Guardiola said.

Bayern are second in the Bundesliga table on goal difference behind Borussia Dortmund, while Marco Silva’s Olympiakos top the Greek Superleague table as the only team with three wins from three matches.

Bayern are unbeaten in their seven games against sides from Greece in the Champions League and the five-time winners have won their opening games in Europe for the last 11 successive campaigns.

“For Olympiakos, this is a big game, they will be very aggressive and will give their all,” said Germany defender Jerome Boateng.

“We have to be very focused and show from the outset that we want to win.”

Mario Gotze is expected to return after Bayern’s 23-year-old Germany international forward missed the Augsburg win with a leg injury, but was back in training on Sunday.

Guardiola will be without wingers Franck Ribery, who has missed the last six months with an ankle injury, and Arjen Robben, who is out for a month with a groin problem.

Bayern were caught napping away from home when they suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Bate Borisov in October 2012 and they will want no repeat in Greece.

“We are FC Bayern. We want to hear the Champions League anthem. We want these special games,” said Bayern midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

Starting with Olympiakos, Bayern play three games in six days as they face newly-promoted Darmstadt on Saturday in the Bundesliga, then host last season’s Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg on September 22.

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