Hannover 96 vs Bayern Munich - Bayern Munich form delights Pep Guardiola

Posted Friday, December 18, 2015 by PA

Pep Guardiola says Bayern Munich are playing the best football since he became the club's coach.

The Spaniard is out of contract in the summer and would not be drawn on his Bayern future when asked again on Friday. Instead, he reiterated his intention to reveal his longer-term plans after Saturday's game against Hannover and preferred to talk about how impressive his team had been in recent weeks.

"I want to pay a huge compliment to my team," he told reporters at a press conference.

"We have been playing the best brand of football since I came here. It's been incredible."

That scintillating form has enabled Bayern to open up a five-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga, move into the last eight of the DFB-Pokal and into the last 16 of the Champions League, giving them plenty to play for in 2016.

They hope to increase their lead at the top by beating struggling Hannover, but they will have to do so without their captain Philipp Lahm, who is injured and will return to training, along with Guardiola, on January 4.

Hannover coach Michael Frontzeck wants his side to ease some of their relegation worries heading into the winter break, and has vowed not to raise the white flag as soon as Bayern take to the field at the Niedersachsenstadion.

"We're not going to dig trenches in our own box," he said.

"We're going to do everything in our power to keep the points here."

Regardless of Saturday's result, Hannover go into the winter break with more defeats than in any of their past 44 seasons at the midway stage - 10.

Frontzeck is without the injured Hiroshi Kiyotake, who has a fractured foot, while Uffe Bech is a doubt with bruised ribs.