The Spaniard has revealed his new manager has asked the Bavarians to change their style from the Pep Guardiola era and admits that winning the Champions League is a primary aim

EXCLUSIVE

Javi Martinez has revealed that Carlo Ancelotti has asked Bayern Munich to play a more direct game following his appointment as manager.

The Bavarians achieved huge success under Pep Guardiola playing a short passing game, with the Spaniard winning three league titles on the trot, while also steering the club to a trio of Champions League semi-final appearances in the process.

But Ancelotti, who has won Europe's premier club competition with both AC Milan and Real Madrid as a manager, wants a quicker transition from back to front, with Martinez having been impressed with his new boss following his arrival in the summer.

He told Goal: "We want to play more vertically, more direct. That's what Carlo has told us.

"I met him for the first time here at Bayern. He's left a very good first impression and the contact with him has been close since the first day.

"Guardiola was also very close to us. They're very similar in that way. The training sessions and exercises are the fundamental difference. Pep's and Carlo's approaches are different, in terms of work and mentality.

"Carlo asked me what I think about my role [in the team]. I said, 'I only want to play and help the team'. To be honest I don't care where I play. I feel very comfortable in both positions [central defence and midfield] so I'll play wherever Carlo wants me to play. The coach decides.

"In the test games I played as a centre-back - that's also because we don't have everyone back in training yet. In the future Carlo will probably need me in midfield and I can play there. I'm ready for everything."

Many have tipped Ancelotti to be the man to succeed where Guardiola failed and steer Bayern to their first Champions League success since 2013 and Martinez believes the Italian is certainly capable.

"Of course there is new hope [to win the competition] with Carlo,” he said. “The goal is to win the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup. We are one of the best teams in the world. The first two years we didn't deserve to play in the final, because Real Madrid and Barca were better than us.

"Last year it was different because we were stronger than Atletico. But that's football. Of course we want to reach the final again. My first year here at Bayern was amazing when we won the treble.”

Martinez also discussed his plans for the future and said that he is not thinking about leaving Bayern, while he believes Mario Gotze's departure back to Borussia Dortmund was the best outcome for him.

He added: "I heard about the rumours in the newspapers but I didn't receive any requests or offers. I've never thought about leaving Bayern and I've never talked to another club.

"He [Gotze] told me some days before the transfer that he could leave so I wasn't surprised. I don't know if he had more offers but he knows the club [Dortmund] so it's a good solution for him."