Pep Guardiola has responded to criticism from former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, saying he's still learning the "German mentality."
Hitzfeld expressed concern last month that more Spanish than German was being spoken in the Bayern camp with Guardiola signing so many foreign players while allowing Germans like Bastian Schweinsteiger to leave.
"You have to take account of the German mentality," said Hitzfeld, who retouched his argument this week after Brazilian Douglas Costa started over Germany's World Cup hero Mario Gotze.
Guardiola defended himself on Friday by saying he does not have a German mentality because he is not German.
"I'm here to learn about the German mentality too," he said. "I don't have a German mentality, I'm Catalan.
"This topic has been ongoing for some time. I'm sorry, but I just give my best for the club, to keep up this level and to win the Treble again just like Jupp Heynckes did [in 2012-13]."
Guardiola also said that he has more Germans in his XI now than the four that Hitzfield had in the 2001 Champions League final.
"Today we have more German players in our starting lineup," Guardiola said. "It's a German club with a German mentality.
"We're here to adapt to the German mentality. I've already said it, I've given and continue to give my best."
Keeping everybody happy in such a large squad means making some painful decisions, though, and Guardiola said he knows he will have more to make this weekend for their first Bundesliga away game of the season at Hoffenheim.
"All of my players want to play, but it is up to me to decide who will not play," Guardiola said. "That's my only problem."
Guardiola also confirmed that American international Julian Green, along with Sinan Kurt and Gianluca Gaudino, would stay with Bayern's reserve side in the German fourth division.
"If I need them, then they will return to train with us," said the Catalan. "But they need match practice.
"Young players need to be playing. Training alone is not enough, if they are not playing at the weekend.
"Last year, they were with us at the Camp Nou. They were also with us in China [in preseason].
"I think they are in a good place here, and if they fight hard, they will be promoted with the reserves and be playing in the third division next season."