. Bayern Munich FC manager Pep Guardiola has built up a reputation as a ‘tinkerer’ and will have the chance to announce a different starting XI for the 100th time in a row in the upcoming match against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bayern Munich’s squad boasts of enough young talent and football superstars that one can assemble two starting XI’s that could probably play up to the level of the club and Pep Guardiola is taking full advantage of that by naming a different starting XI for every game.
Guardiola has spoken about his methods before, saying, ‘I like it when all of the players are getting a game. I don’t have the time to explain to every player every week why he does not play. If somebody does not play, this does not mean I do not love him. And the players know that.’ according to The Daily Mail.
Signs of a Mastermind
Another famous manager who liked tinkering with his starting XI was none other than Sir Alex Ferguson, who once named a different team for 165 consecutive games, across three seasons. Pep Guardiola is not far behind now and could have been further ahead as he has only stuck to the same XI once, during the 2-1 victory against Stuttgart in January 2014, in 130 games competitive matches in charge of Bayern Munich.