Guardiola running with Heynckes' winning baton
Munich - If the Oxford University Press, or any other editorial agency for that matter, should choose to recast the bible of the English language, they should probably start with the creme de la creme of adjectives: 'superlative'.
Insatiable appetite
'A word expressing the highest quality or degree' seems a bit dated as is, so it only seems right that Pep Guardiola's freshly-annointed Bundesliga champions should get an honourable mention at the very least.
For months now, it has been a case of when rather than if the Bavarians will lift the league title. That they did so with a record-breaking seven matches to spare, at Hertha Berlin on Tuesday, doesn't even begin to tell the story of a season defined by head coach Guardiola's ravenous will to devour everything the football world throws his way.
When the Catalan took charge of the 2012/13 treble winners last June, he inherited a side already at the pinnacle of the game. That in itself, the obvious perks notwithstanding, was seen in some quarters as an accident waiting to happen. Defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the DFL Super Cup wasn't much help, but it didn't take long for Guardiola's Bayern to set the naysayers straight.
Heynckes' firm foundations
"I want to thank my players and the club who have helped me achieve this," Guardiola said after Tuesday's title-clinching win in Berlin. "We had a lot of injuries in recent months and we have not always played well, but my players showed character. Obviously I'm delighted that we have retained the title. We won the title with hard work and when you see what Jupp Heynckes achieved last season, that was the only way we were going to better that. He laid the foundations."
The winning gene, beautifully modified by his predecessor, is now as much a part of Guardiola as he is Bayern's glittering future. Mr Meticulous already has three trophies - the UEFA Supercup, the FIFA World Club Cup and, of course, the Meisterschale - to show for his first season at the helm, but there is every chance that already impressive haul could rise as high as five in the months ahead, with Bayern still competing in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and DFB Cup last four.
Sammer doffs his hat
"First and foremost, hats off to the coach and the team," enthused Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer. "After the success we had last season, we set about our work with a tremendous amount of dedication and we’ve won the title even earlier than last year. We’re happy. We have unbelievable focus and momentum at the moment. We built a foundation last year based on strong characters. We’ve adjusted things where necessary and have continued to develop."
After defending their domestic crown at a canter, the next stage in Bayern's almost ironic 'developmental process' is arguably their most challenging yet. No side has ever won back-to-back European titles in the Champions League era, but there is a sneaking suspicion the club otherwise knows as the Insatiables could well be the first. Either way, Guardiola's legacy is only just beginning.
Christopher Mayer-Lodge
Check out Adidas' fantastic tribute to the 23-time Bundesliga champions on the Bundesliga's official YouTube channel:
