Pep Guardiola congratulates Bayern Munich and ‘challenges’ Hansi Flick to battle of the sextuplets

Bayern emulate Barcelona in winning all six titles

Bayern Munich celebrate winning the Club World Cup (AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola sent his congratulations to former club Bayern Munich after they won the Club World Cup on Thursday - and delivered a cheeky reminder that he already achieved the impressive feat of claiming a sextuple.

Bayern won the Champions League in Lisbon back in August to qualify for the FIFA event in Qatar, where they beat Mexican side Tigres 1-0 in the final.

Those trophies sit alongside the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) won at the end of 2019/20, as well as then winning the German Super Cup and the European Super Cup at the start of 20/21 - giving them possession of all six available pieces of silverware.

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Guardiola, who managed Bayern between 2013 and 2016, also racked up six trophies in a year while managing Barcelona, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, Champions League, both Super Cups and the Club World Cup in 2009.

The City boss sent a video message to offer heartfelt congratulations to Bayern on their accomplishment and suggested an epic battle of the champions to see who claimed the “seventh” trophy - joking he’d call on Lionel Messi and the gang for the occasion.

“Big congratulations to all the Bayern family for this incredible success, to be the Club World Cup champions and especially to win six [out of] six titles,” he said.

“We are so proud, I am so proud, a big congratulations for everyone, especially Hansi [Flick], the players and the backroom staff for this amazing thing.

“But I would like to say to Hansi that you are the second team to win the six titles in a row!

“Before you, there was another team, Barcelona… so maybe I can call Messi and company and we can play for the seventh title? Tell me when and where and we will be there!”

Bayern are next in action on Monday night when they face Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga, where they currently sit seven points clear as they look to defend their title.

They face Italian side Lazio in the last 16 of the Champions League - while Pep’s City, five points clear at the top of the Premier League, play German side Borussia Monchengladbach. Man City and Bayern are two of the big favourites for this year’s Champions League title.