Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac satisfied with win over AEK Athens
Niko Kovac was pleased with his players as Bayern Munich clinched a 2-0 win over AEK Athens in Champions League play on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich got back on track in the Champions League on Tuesday, clinching a 2-0 win over AEK Athens. The Bavarians suffered a shock result against Ajax in their previous European outing, so this win was important in keeping them at the top of their group.
Bayern’s performance in Athens was far from convincing, as the visitors struggled to break down their hosts. Niko Kovac, however, took a different perspective on the display. Speaking with the media after the game (via Goal), Kovac insisted that his side were dominant throughout. The Croatian further added that it was a difficult game, as the home side defended brilliantly and kept the Bayern forwards at bay.
"“We played very, very well. We had a lot of the ball, we dominated our opponents. We created two to three very good chances in the first half but couldn’t reward ourselves with a goal.“It was a tricky game, a test of our patience. The opening goal was the key. I’m very happy with the way we played and ground out the result away from home.”"
More from Bayern Strikes
- Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
- Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
- Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl
Kovac was in a chirpy mood during his post match interview. He acknowledged that there were certainly some negatives from the match, but he preferred instead to focus on the positives.
When asked about Thomas Muller, who has started both of the past two matches from the bench, Kovac remained adamant about his rotation policy, explaining that every player gets a chance to play.
Bayern have lately struggled under Niko Kovac. The Croatian made a fine start to the campaign before his team went on a four-match winless streak. Bayern responded well by getting a much needed win against Wolfsburg over the weekend, after a two-week international break. The performance against Wolfsburg was not exactly convincing, but right now Kovac will surely value good results over performances.
The Bavarians are no doubt short of confidence right now, and a couple wins could be just what they need to get them going. However, these type of performances are not sustainable. Perhaps Kovac is simply trying to encourage his players by publicly praising them rather than openly criticizing them.
Next. Few impress as Bayern Munich down AEK Athens. dark
Bayern Munich have some tricky games facing them in the upcoming weeks. Kovac has a lot of work to do to mold this group into his team. While results are important, unconvincing wins won’t cut it for the new Bayern manager.