Lahm: "We can't change the result from 2012"

Treble winners Bayern Munich stumbled for the first time under new boss Pep Guardiola when they were held 1-1 away to Freiburg last Tuesday. FCB captain Philipp Lahm spoke to reporters about Bayern's first dropped points of the season, Guardiola's squad rotation, and Friday’s UEFA Super Cup final against Chelsea in Prague (live on ZDF and Sky at 8.45 pm CET).

Question: How would you assess the game in Freiburg?

Philipp Lahm: Obviously it goes down as two points lost, because we were 1-0 up and basically in control. But to a certain extent, it was very similar to all our recent matches: we failed to score a second and settle it down. And this time, we were punished.

Question: Is a failure to take chances becoming a problem? It was a similar situation against Nürnberg, for example.

Lahm: What you mean by problem? There's always the option of keeping a clean sheet, let's be clear about this. If you hold a lead for so long, you have to see it through to the end. But you're right, if we'd made it 2-0 earlier in the match, it would have settled things down. We know that, and it would certainly have been the case on this occasion.

Question: Why are Bayern missing chances? Is it a question of concentration?

Lahm: I think we're sometimes not seeing attacking moves through to the end as well as we could be doing. We have to improve in this respect and score a second goal. It's hard to say what lies behind it.

Question: Is the team still acclimatising to Guardiola's defensive tactics? Have you not fully taken on board what the coach wants?

Lahm: I think it'll steadily get better. We saw it again on this occasion, because it was very, very good for long spells.

Question: It was a fairly major rotation with seven changes compared to your 2-0 victory over Nürnberg. Was that because of the Chelsea clash?

Lahm: I assume so. But it's a long season with lots of games. We want to stay in contention through to the end in all three competitions. Last season, we saw just how important it is to have a complete squad and that players take a break from time to time. That was the case this week.

Question: What might the match tell us about the rest of the Bundesliga season?

Lahm: These things happen, and it also happened last season. You occasionally draw and occasionally lose. But obviously, we could easily have avoided it this time.

Question: What does it mean for Friday's Super Cup in Prague?

Lahm: It'll have no impact at all. We know how well we're capable of playing, and we know what the task involves. We should simply have made it 2-0, because that settles everything down, especially away from home. We all know how it is when you're only 1-0 ahead. Your opponents come at you, and the crowd gets behind them. And if they somehow make it into the final third, every half-chance is dangerous in that situation. We can happily live without it.

Question: What are you expecting from the European Super Cup clash?

Lahm: Bayern have never won this trophy. It's a big ask, but obviously we want to bring the cup back with us to Munich.

Question: Is there a special edge to the match, because Pep Guardiola is up against his old “friend" José Mourinho, and because of Bayern’s traumatic defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League final on your home ground in 2012?

Lahm: I don't think so. Both men are excellent coaches - otherwise it's just Chelsea against Bayern. We can't change the result from 2012. It's the Super Cup final, and everyone knows Bayern have never won the trophy. So it's a great challenge.

Recorded by DFB.de