Guardiola focusing elsewhere with Bundesliga almost secure

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola says the club will now focus on the UEFA Champions League and the DFB-Pokal, with the Bundesliga title all but secure.

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the only goal of the game in Bayern’s 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday, which moves them 15 points clear of Wolfsburg, who have five games remaining.

Wolfsburg are in action on Sunday at Borussia Monchengladbach, and anything less than a win will see Bayern lift a third successive Bundesliga trophy.

Now, Guardiola is turning attentions to Bayern’s hopes of a domestic and European treble, with a Pokal semi-final against Borussia Dortmund to come on Tuesday, before a meeting with his former club Barcelona in the last four of the UEFA Champions League next month.

“For the game after the Champions League we had a lot of youngsters in the team,” Guardiola said. “We knew it was going to be tough. We have lots of playing time in our legs and we’ve had very few breaks.

“My team are magnificent. I’m incredibly proud of my players, because it wasn’t easy after the Champions League. We’re running on empty.

“A big challenge lies ahead. We’re almost champions already, so now we have to concentrate on the other competitions.

“Hertha parked the bus and strung everyone across the edge of their own penalty area, so you need a moment of magic like the one for the goal,” added goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

“I hope we were keeping our powder dry for Tuesday. It’s not easy when you have games every two or three days.

“We’ve used up a lot of energy and that’s why it might have looked a bit turgid in the first half. At the end of the day, the result is totally okay.”