Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola admits his side did everything they could in Friday's scoreless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt, but couldn't make the critical breakthrough.
Guardiola's Bayern ended their perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign thanks to a 0-0 draw at the Waldstadion, but the former Barca boss said it wasn't for lack of trying.
"We had very little space. We tried it on the right and the left and in the one-on-ones. But we still created enough chances," Guardiola said.
"We did everything we could to win the match. The team tried right up until the final minute. Frankfurt did a good job. Our opponents are free to play the way they want. We have to be in a position to attack well."
Bayern began their league season with 10 straight victories. Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal echoed his coach's sentiments after the disappointing draw against a packed-in opponent.
"It was very hard work today, Frankfurt pulled all 11 men back to the edge of their own box. That makes it almost impossible for any team to score," Vidal said after the match.
"We controlled the play and we worked well together as a team. All that was missing was a goal. We're obviously disappointed with the draw. We need to keep on working if we're to hit our targets."
Given their recent domestic dominance, Bayern Munich are no strangers to bunkered-in opponents. However, club captain Philipp Lahm confessed the ultra-defensive stance by Eintracht on Friday came as a surprise.
"Every weekend you think to yourself: it can't get any more defensive. But then another team comes along and yes, they're even more defensive," said Lahm.
"It makes creating chances far from easy, but we had a few openings and in a game like that you have to take them. We've done that successfully in recent weeks, but not today. We'll frequently face opponents who play very, very defensively."
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer congratulated the opponent for their tactical guile against the reigning champs.
"Obviously we set out to win but it was very tough today. We didn't create that many chances," the World Cup winner said. "It's obviously frustrating when you hammer away at them but fail to create any clear-cut openings. We stuck to the task and we were determined to score. But Frankfurt were smart."