Alaba wants to bid farewell to Guardiola with seventh title

David Alaba says that Bayern Munich are determined to give Pep Guardiola a winning send-off and a seventh title in three years in Saturday’s German Cup final.

Bayern face Borussia Dortmund at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in what will be Guardiola’s final game in charge before taking over at Manchester City next season.

“We want to put everything into it once more to give him a gift,” said left-back Alaba on Tuesday.

Bayern were presented with the German league title when the season finished on Saturday as they became the first club to win the Bundesliga four years in a row.

It was Guardiola’s sixth title in three years in Munich and his 20th as a coach, having won 14 trophies in four years with Barcelona.

He ended with 82 wins for Bayern in his 102 league matches to give him the highest win-ratio in the history of the Bundesliga.

Alaba said the Bayern squad had no problems switching off from party mode, having celebrated the league title with their fans at Munich’s Marienplatz, as they knuckled down to prepare for the Berlin final.

“We’re motivated, ambitious and hungry, so it’s not been hard to switch back,” said Alaba.

“A final in Berlin is always something special. The anticipation is really big for all of us.”

Bayern have a few injury concerns, with Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Javi Martinez both struggling with knocks.

There is a question-mark over Martinez, who has an ankle injury, and Alonso is rated ’50-50′ with a rib injury, but trained on Tuesday.

Bayern are looking to become German Cup winners for the 18th time and will meet their nearest challengers from the league campaign.

Dortmund were routed 5-1 in Munich last October in the league, before holding Munich to a goalless draw at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park in March.

“In Berlin, Germany’s top two teams will meet each other,” said Bayern’s Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

“Everything that has gone before — that we’re the league champions — will count for nothing.

“Every little detail can make a difference. I like that, for me it’s positive pressure.”