Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti indirectly paid tribute to his predecessor Pep Guardiola for leaving him such a good team after seeing his new side lift the German Super Cup.
Second-half goals from Arturo Vidal and Thomas Muller helped Bayern see off Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in what was Ancelotti's competitive debut in charge of the Bundesliga champions.
The victory saw Bayern claim their first Super Cup in four years, but former Real Madrid and Chelsea coach Ancelotti played down his role in the success.
"This team is already very, very strong,'' the Italian told Germany's ZDF television. "I'm just trying to bring in my own, new ideas, but the team is already very good.
"Now we have another 10 days in which we can prepare for the new season. We're very happy.''
Both Ancelotti and Bayern defender Mats Hummels admitted that Dortmund had deserved more from the first half at the Westfalenstadion.
"We got the luck we needed in the first half, and we had an excellent Manuel Neuer,'' said Hummels, who swapped Dortmund for Bayern this summer.
"Nobody would have been able to complain had Dortmund taken the lead, but it was a good game in the end and a good way for us to start the season.''
Despite missing out on what would have been his first trophy as Dortmund coach, Thomas Tuchel was nevertheless encouraged by his side's performance, saying he was "really happy'' with the way they played.
Bayern's next challenge is at Carl Zeiss Jena in the first round of the DFB-Pokal next Friday before they host Werder Bremen in their Bundesliga opener a week later.
Dortmund head to Eintracht Trier a week on Monday for their first game in the cup before hosting Mainz in their first Bundesliga outing on August 27.