Bayern Munich midfielder Sebastian Rode has insisted that the club should be proud of their efforts this season after falling short in their bid for a treble.
After slipping up in the DFB-Pokal at the semi-final stage, Bayern were unable to get the better of Barcelona over two legs in the last four of the Champions League, but Rode insists that they deserve more credit for their emphatic Bundesliga title triumph.
"Whoever says that the Bundesliga is only a consolation prize is being naughty," he told Bild.
"It is clear that Bayern's aim is to become the best team in Europe and we were close to it. We played 77 great minutes against Barcelona, then, unfortunately, we did badly.
"But we restored our honour in the second leg. We put up a great fight and saw the reaction of the fans so we can end the season with our heads held high. We can be proud of what we have achieved."
Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenige has responded to the Champions League disappointment by defending the job done by Pep Guardiola this season.
