Bayern zeal impresses Guardiola

Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday it was his players' continued zeal for success that has impressed him most ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Guardiola took over a side which had won the treble, including the European Cup, in 2013 under Jupp Heynckes. After winning the Bundesliga title in record time, Bayern are on course to repeat the achievement this season.

"People believe that because you win last time you should win again, but it is not just Bayern taking part and there are other teams that have a lot of quality, money and can compete at a high level. It is normal that when you win a title you lose some of that zeal," Guardiola told a news conference.

"The reason why I am most proud of this team, though, is the way that this season they have started again and won the Bundesliga in March with seven or eight games still to be played.

"We are also in the cup final and the semi-finals of the Champions League. The team has worked so hard and even when they are not playing well they have still fought.

"After we won the league title we did lose our focus, but I was happy in the last game as we didn't play well but we had the right spirit and hopefully we will show this spirit to get to the final now."

Guardiola reached the semi-finals in his four seasons as coach of Barcelona and won the trophy twice. His Barca side was the last to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in European competition, in April 2011.

"The statistics are with another club at another time and in another situation so they don't have anything to do with it," Guardiola said before Wednesday's first leg at the Bernabeu.

"We will have to play very well to win, as is always the case against Madrid, and especially in a semi-final. Madrid have improved during the season under (Carlo) Ancelotti.

"It is special to face Real Madrid whoever is at the club and they will always be a difficult rival, there is no team like Real Madrid.

"I hope Cristiano (Ronaldo) is fit to play as people will want to see him. He is one of the best in the world but if he doesn't then someone else will come in and it will be slightly different.

"If Isco plays then he is more of a ball player than Cristiano, who likes to use the space more and he is more of a goalscorer as well."

Ronaldo should be fit to face Bayern, according to Ancelotti, but a final decision on whether he will play in the first leg will be made on the day of the game.

Guardiola was among the coaches touted to replace Alex Ferguson last season at Manchester United before choosing Bayern. Now that David Moyes has been axed Guardiola said he had no intention of putting himself forward for the position.

"I feel that we can still improve here. I know the style now but I still think that I need more time here to make it feel like it is my team," he said.

"I still have a job to do and I feel comfortable as the people have treated me well."