Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany switched things up in his central midfield when he selected Leon Goretzka to play over João Palhinha.
Kompany addressed the matter in his postgame press conference.
“It wasn’t an easy situation for Leon in the summer. We saw that he worked hard and he deserved this chance. He has the quality — it wasn’t a difficult decision [to start him today]. It was a logical decision as the team needed fresh legs and we saw that his qualities could help us today. He just has to keep going. We want to have competition in all positions,” Kompany said via @iMiaSanMia.
Goretzka turned in a solid (not spectacular) effort in the 1-0 win over St. Pauli on a day where the attack lacked some bit, but the midfield and defense were staunch. Palhinha, who has been good, but not in an overwhelming manner, got a chance to get some rest before heading out to join Portugal for this international break.
For the match, Goretzka played 82 minutes, completed 86% of his passes, won two of four ground duels, had one key pass, and lost possession 13 times.
Looking for more on the game? Then check out our postgame podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify!
