In terms of personnel, FC Bayern dragged itself into the winter break with a 4-0 win at 1. FC Heidenheim. Coach Vincent Kompany then gives insight into his emotional world.
“When the doctor comes by, you’re always afraid. Because you know you’re losing a player,” the Belgian told “DAZN” looking back on anxious days on Säbener Straße with numerous failures. “In terms of feeling, it was a Corona week.”
There were no Covid cases in the FC Bayern squad. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Tom Bischof and Sacha Boey were still missing due to infections, Min-Jae Kim with knee problems, Nicolas Jackson because of his trip to the Africa Cup of Nations. Captain Manuel Neuer is also suffering from a torn muscle fiber.
Joshua Kimmich had to travel to Heidenheim as an emergency alternative, even though he was “99 percent” unable to play due to ankle problems, as Kompany emphasized again.
But: “If four or five more players had gotten sick,” the long-running favorite would still have slipped into the squad, revealed FC Bayern’s head coach.
In the starting line-up, Kompany had to improvise a lot given the long list of failures. Two talents, Cassiano Kiala (16) and David Daiber (19), also made their professional debuts.
Video: FCB had a “week full of bad news”
FC Bayern: Kompany “very proud”, Eberl also enthusiastic
It was “not a given” that his team still managed to achieve their next victory. Kompany praised him and said he was “very proud” of his protégés.
Josip Stanisic (15th minute), Michael Olise (32nd), Luis Díaz (86th) and goalscorer Harry Kane (90th + 2) scored for FC Bayern.
The clear success was the “rounding off of an outstanding first half series,” said sports director Max Eberl. The Munich team “took on every game very professionally,” said the 52-year-old.
“If it counts correctly, in March, April, May,” Eberl added directly: “Then we want to be there.” He feels “this desire, this greed, to want to do it” in the team.