A group of four senior Bayern Munich players are plotting to ensure that manager Niko Kovac is sacked, according to a report.

Kovac has endured a difficult start to his reign at the German champions, with Saturday's 1-1 home draw against Freiburg leaving them third in the Bundesliga and four points off leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern had won each of their four games prior to the weekend result, but another four-game run without a win in September and October began to pile the pressure on Kovac.

German publication Kicker now claims that Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery, Mats Hummels and Arjen Robben have grown so frustrated with the new manager's methods that they are trying to get him out of the club.

The influential quartet are understood to be particularly upset with Kovac's rotation policy, which has seen Robben play the full 90 minutes just five times this season and resulted in Muller's wife publicly criticising the manager on Instagram.

Bayern host AEK Athens in the Champions League on Wednesday night looking to end what is now a four-match winless streak at the Allianz Arena.