Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola – ‘Calhanoglu is one of the best free-kick takers in the Bundesliga’ [divider]

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola rates Hakan Çalhanoğlu as one of the best free-kick takers in the Bundesliga.

“Çalhanoğlu is one of the best free-kick takers in the Bundesliga,” Guardiola said.

“Therefore we must keep the game away from our goal. We will need our best performance.”

“I am big, big fan of this team, their coach and their style of play.

“I’m sure they’ll come here and play to their ability to press. We will have little time to think. The game is very important for us and the rest of the Bundesliga.”

Çalhanoğlu has scored seven direct free-kicks in the Bundesliga in his career despite being just 20-year-old.

The Turkish international attacking midfielder is currently the leading top free-kick scorer in Europe’s Top 5 leagues.

The 20-year-old joined Bayer for €14.5 million this summer – the highest fee ever paid for a Turkish international.

Çalhanoğlu was named best young player of the 2013/14 season by leading German football magazine 11 Freunde.