体坛英语新闻：News Analysis: Guardiola's last wish?

BERLIN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- For Bayern Munich, the encounter with Premiership club Arsenal Tuesday night in London is an in-between step while for their coach Pep Guardiola things seem to be substantially different.

"I know where I am. I know that I won't have fulfilled expectations in Munich if we don't manage to win the Champions League," the 44-year-old Spaniard said. Chances for the German league champions to win Europe's biggest club competition in 2015/2016 seem better than ever. However it is also seen as being the last unfilled wish of Guardiola as Bayern Munich's coach.

The Bavarian club is assumed to have set a deadline but it and Guardiola are expected to begin final negotiations about the future, together or going their separate ways. According to rumors, the decision has already been made as Bayern is said to have already taken up talks with former Real Madrid coach Mario Ancelotti.

While Guardiola is said to want to fulfill his dream of managing a Premier League club, he is expected to take over at Manchester City next summer, Bayern Munich is said to be disappointed and upset that Guardiola has not made up his mind yet officially. He is still in talks with the club.

Meanwhile support for Guardiola seems to dwindle in Munich after Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "There is a big parcel on the table you can't just sweep away". Everything in Bavaria now seems to be concentrating on Guardiola's last important mission, to win the Champions League again after 2013.

Indeed: The victory would be the peak of Guardiola's three years in Munich as the Spaniard took over as head-coach in 2013 immediately after Bayern Munich's treble (German title, German Cup and the 2-1 win in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund in Wembley).

From the outset, it was Guardiola's mission to not only win the Champions League but to get on the same level as the Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. While their dreams over the last two years ended in two lost semi-finals against Madrid and Barcelona, Bayern and Guardiola have managed to reach the level of Real and "Barca" to a full extent.

Some pundits are predicting that Guardiola might change his mind and extend his contract in Munich after all. Rummenigge is still optimistic to keep Guardiola, saying: "We are optimistic that Guardiola is our coach after this season when we take up talks at the end of this year. We have no contact to other coaches."

While Bayern (6 points) travelled to the city of their last Champions League triumph to meet bottom of the Group F table, Arsenal (0 points after two games) with important players such as Arjen Robben, Mario Goetze, Franck Ribery and Kingsley Coman out injured, statistics show a rapid improvement at the German club.

When it comes to Champions League victories, Bayern (35) is in second place behind Real (37) but ahead of third-placed Barcelona (31). As for semi-finals reached since 2011, Bayern is in the lead with 4 ahead of Real (4) and Barcelona (3). The "most points won" table is headed by Real (69), Bayern (62) and Barcelona (61). When it comes to the most national titles since 2011 Barcelona (10) is in the lead in front of Bayern (9) and Real (6).

As for World Cup winning players, Bayern has 7, Barcelona and Real have 3. When it comes to current international players, Real has 21, Barcelona 20 and Bayern 19. In all categories Bayern is amongst the big three.

In addition, Bayern's squad for the 2015/2016 season seems to be the strongest one ever in the club's history.

The question now is: Is it strong enough to challenge the Spanish giants? When it comes to Jupp Heynckes, the former Bayern coach and treble winner in 2013, Real and Barcelona this season lack the quality of Bayern's squad. "Barcelona and Real have not the same quality when it comes to the second string," Heynckes said.

And former Bayern international Lothar Matthaeus says: "The squad has the best quality of all when it comes to the reserves who can match the first team players almost one to one. This season Bayern has made another step forwards in terms of transfer management."

For most international pundits such as former Bayern and Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld or former Bayern player French Bixente Lizarazu, Bayern has caught up with Real and Barcelona. Like Rummenigge, Hitzfeld and Lizarazu both emphasized that the decisive phase of the Champions League "begins in February" when the tough games start as opponents get stronger for the big three too.

"It is the big thing to be in best shape then," said Hitzfeld. "Looking at the current situation, Bayern seems to be in the best position. But until spring next year Real and Barcelona could well have overcome their current problems," predicts Hitzfeld. Despite that, for Matthaeus things are clear: "Bayern this season is the club to win the Champions League."

Matthaeus' forecast leads back to the unsolved topic of Guardiola's future. Looking at comments made by Guardiola and most of his players, they are currently not thinking about what happens after the 2015/2016 Champions League final in Milan on May 28.

"We don't care about next season, what counts for all of us, players, the club and the coach, is this season and our goal," said Bayern striker Thomas Mueller. Meaning: Guardiola might well leave in summer 2016, but first the Spaniard has won the Champions League.