Thomas Muller has been a part of a record 11 Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, and he cannot see their dominance slowing down in the foreseeable future.
Bayern cruised to a 10th straight Bundesliga title with ease, finishing eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Manuel Neuer and Muller are the only Bayern stars to be involved in each of the last 10 championship successes, with the 2010 World Cup Golden Boot winner developing further in the twilight of his career.
The Germany forward registered 26 goal involvements in the Bundesliga this season (eight goals, 18 assists), only bettering that tally in 2019-20 and 2020-12 (both 29).
Competition within the German top flight has been questioned after the prolonged period of Bayern dominance, with RB Leipzig and Dortmund the only likely contenders to challenge for the title.
But Muller cannot predict a season in which Bayern do not win the league, at least while he is still involved with Julian Nagelsmann's side.
"I'm not alone behind the wheel, but the answer is of course: no way!," he told Bayern magazine '51' when asked if the Bavarian giants' Bundesliga reign would soon end.
"As competitive athletes, we are always driven to a large extent – and we at FC Bayern are punished in public if we win 'only' 3-0.
"The expectations here are so high that they spur you on all the time. I don't see any natural mechanism that should slow us down.
"For the coming years, I assume that FC Bayern will always score between 75 and 85 points each season. That means if another team wants to become champions, they have to be able to beat that score.
"It will not happen that we go down from that. We have work to drive the division – and among other things, we have me as the lane-keeping assistant."
Muller extended his stay with Bayern until at least 2024, by which point he will be 34.
Nevertheless, the versatile attacker remains committed to the cause with Nagelsmann's side, even if his output in front of goal drops towards the end of his illustrious career.
"When I realise that it's getting too exhausting for me, that I can no longer face the daily competition at this level, then I have the courage to react to it," he added.
"Then the question arises as to how else I can contribute to my team. Then it is no longer the main task to be directly involved in x goals every year, but to support others in scoring these goals. But there's still a while to go.
"Especially when it comes to football, I don't get nervous easily because I know from experience that I can basically deal with any challenge.
"Setbacks are also part of life – the decisive factor is what you make of them. The prospect of the positive drives you, not the fear of the negative."
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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