'Guardiola has failed Bayern Munich'

'Guardiola was knocked out of three successive Champions League semis and by Bayern's high standards that's a failure.'

Bayern Munich's outgoing coach Pep Guardiola has failed to make an impact at the club despite keeping the Bavarian giants as the dominant force in Germany, the club's former forward Ivica Olic said on Thursday.

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The 36-year old Croatian, who won the 2010 German league and cup double during his three-year spell at the club, criticised Guardiola following Bayern's elimination by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday.

"Guardiola was knocked out of three successive Champions League semis and by Bayern's high standards that's a failure," Olic was quoted as saying by the online edition of Croatian daily Sporstke Novosti.

"Maybe people at Bayern will now say he won a haul of domestic trophies, but given the strength of the club's roster, that's an accomplishment they should take for granted."

Guardiola, who took over from Jupp Heynckes after Bayern had won the domestic double and the Champions League in 2013, will join Premier League side Manchester City next season.

Bayern are on the verge of securing a record fourth successive league title, their third under Guardiola, but Olic believes few of the club's fans are likely to be impressed.

Bayern lost to Atletico on away goals after Tuesday's 2-1 home win fell short following the 1-0 first-leg defeat by the Spanish side, whose coach Diego Simeone outfoxed Guardiola in Olic's opinion.

"Yes, Atletico play destructive football but they knew exactly what they wanted and in this chess game Simeone made all the right moves," said Olic, who played in two losing Champions League finals for Bayern before leaving in 2012 to join VfL Wolfsburg.

"Guardiola stuck to his philosophy and it failed to land a European title, although he had to deal with the burden of expectation from the start.

"He came after Heynckes who won it all, hence Guardiola could only emulate his success. But he didn't and won't be remembered."

Image: Former Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic

Photograph: Reuters