Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany is not being daft — he knows his team is a big favorite this weekend, but he also knows that Holstein Kiel should not be overlooked.
“They are flexible and strong on the ball. They were dominant last season and even after promotion, that will stay in the team. They are also strong in counter-pressing. We prepared the game with a lot of respect for the opponent, but of course we want to win every game,” said Kompany (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “(Referring to Bayern’s loss to Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal in 2021) It was a cup game, in winter, in difficult conditions. But that was a long time ago and now we’re playing against Kiel in the Bundesliga. I’m sure it’s no longer on our players’ minds.”
As always Kompany will have to make some difficult decisions with his lineup.
“Every player is a candidate for the starting eleven at FC Bayern. At the moment it’s not about rotation, but only about the game against Kiel. We have a lot of games now and it’s important that every player is ready and available,” said Kompany. “I’m always cautious about talking about young players. I was young once, too, and I didn’t want to be labeled as a young player because you’re competing with the others and it’s all about performance. He’s making progress every day. We really have an exciting squad and having so many players to choose from is a luxury problem.”
When asked specifically about Leon Goretzka, Kompany was very complimentary.
“We have two injured players in central defence, so it’s clear that I have to bring someone there. It’s easier if you’ve played there before. Everyone will get their chance here, so I’m glad (Goretzka is) here. We have a lot of players and we’ll need everyone,” said Kompany. “We have a lot of games and we need all of our players. Apart from the long-term injured players, everyone is fit. There’s a week with three games coming up and we are looking forward to it.”
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s upcoming Bundesliga match-up vs.Holstein Kiel? Great, then we have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
