Mario Mandzukic: Pep Guardiola 'did not treat me with respect'

Mario Mandzukic holds grudges.

The Atletico Madrid striker, who was outspoken about his disdain for Pep Guardiola as he was on his way out of Bayern Munich this summer, has rekindled the war of words with his former bench boss.

The Croatian star scored 18 goals for Bayern last season, but it came as little surprise when he was sold. The transaction made room for Robert Lewandowski. Clearly, Mandzukic is still sour about the manner in which his stint in Munich came to an end.

"Guardiola disappointed me -- he did not treat me with respect," Mandzukic told Sportske Novosti. "He did not let me become the top scorer in the Bundesliga. For me things were twice as good when Jupp Heynckes was in charge."

"Would I sit down with [Guardiola] to have a cup of coffee? That is not going to happen. In my professional life I do not have to like everyone, but when I feel negative energy with someone I try and avoid that person."

Mandzukic scored 33 goals in 54 matches for Bayern, and says that type of production should have warranted greater respect from the Spaniard.

"I did not deserve to be treated as I was, after giving everything for Bayern for two seasons."

"I felt that things changed for me as soon as [Guardiola] arrived. I made an effort to adapt, but it needs both sides to do something for that to happen. I realized that I had no future at Bayern, so I resigned myself to leaving the club and had to choose a new destination."

The last straw, according to Mandzukic, came in the final match of his Bayern career.

"Guardiola took the decision to not play me in the DFB-Pokal final," he said. "He did not want me to win the trophy as top scorer, so he did not let me play during the end of the season. It was not really so important for me, but I felt it was a lack of respect towards me. It would have made much more sense if he had just told me I did not fit with his philosophy."

- With translation from ESPN FC