Pep Guardiola says German Cup better than Copa del Rey format

Pep Guardiola defended the German Cup, saying that one-game ties instead of two allowed greater chances for smaller teams to surprise bigger ones. 

Guardiola also hit out against the idea that top flight teams could enter it later in the competition.

"The system is perfect, the small teams deserve the chance to fight against the big ones," he said. 

"In Spain, with two-game rounds, it's tough, but here with one game it's very attractive and very interesting."

Guardiola said that including big teams from the start with small teams was good too, mentioning how Lothar Matthaus and Didi Hamann's Bayern were knocked out by Vestenbergsgreuth.

"We can't forget that a few years ago Matthaus and Hamann lost in the first round," said Pep. The pair commentate on Sky in Germany on the Bundesliga on Saturdays and at times have been very critical of Guardiola.