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MIAMI. – Pep Guardiola refused to shake hands with counterpart Caleb Porter after his Bayern Munich team lost 2-1 to the Major League Soccer All-Stars on Wednesday, apparently upset about some heavy tackling in the game.
The Bayern manager wagged his finger angrily toward the MLS All-Stars bench as he walked off after the game without the traditional handshake, and ignored Porter when he tried to make contact as the Spanish coach saluted his own players on the field.
Guardiola refused to talk about it after the game, simply saying he didn’t see Porter.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s happened the way it is,” Guardiola said.
“We tried to play and we did. Congratulations to MLS for this victory.
“I hope they are going to invite us next year to try and make revenge and I hope to prepare a little bit better.
“Now, we will be sure (about) what was going on.
“We will prepare much better, that we will do it. I hope our invitation is coming.”
During the game, Guardiola complained to the refereeing staff and made gestures toward Porter after a tough tackle by Osvaldo Alonso.
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger then had to leave the game shortly before the end after another hard challenge.
“We certainly didn’t mean anything negative,” Porter said.
“Our players have nothing but the utmost respect for Bayern.”
The All-Stars striker Landon Donovan, who scored the winning goal, told ESPN:
“I understand he doesn’t want his players to get hurt.
“They’re not great tackles but they’re not the worst tackles I’ve ever seen and I hope Schweiny’s not hurt. I’m not sure why they’re going after the officials.”
Donovan, of the LA Galaxy, scored the winner when he downed a cross on his chest in the 70th minute and beat the Germany World Cup goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from about 10 yards out.
Bayern’s new signing, Robert Lewandowski, had opened the scoring with a spectacular volley from the edge of the area early in the first half before the New York Red Bulls striker Bradley Wright-Philips equalised early in the second.
The Bundesliga champions had seven members of the World Cup-winning German national team, but most of them remained on the bench until about the final 10 minutes.
In the 86th minute, the Dutch star Arjen Robben came on and Bayern ended the game with almost a full-strength line-up, but the All-Stars held on to record the win.
Guardiola said he was only playing his World Cup players sparingly to freshen them up for the approaching German and European seasons and he was true to his word.
None of them started on Wednesday. – Guardian.
Online Reporter