FC Bayern is visiting Berlin
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Vincent Kompany doesn’t let up. After the physically and mentally very strenuous highlight win at Paris Saint-Germain, the FC Bayern coach also rates the game on Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky) in the Bundesliga at Union Berlin as the next absolutely exciting task.
“It remains a nice challenge for us because not only are these games against Paris nice, but also games like this,” said Kompany. The Belgian described the challenge just four days after the 2-1 win in Paris: “You have to completely turn the button mentally – immediately. That was clear to me a few minutes after the game against PSG. You have to bring the mentality back,” said Kompany and predicted: “It will be a fight.”
The Bayern coach could achieve another special record with the Munich series winners at the An der Alten Försterei stadium. Exactly ten years ago, star coach Pep Guardiola managed a ten-win start with FC Bayern (one of the best starts to a season after ten Bundesliga games).
And Kompany has a very special relationship with the 54-year-old Spaniard. “I’ve said it many times: Pep played an important role in my career as a player and also in my development as a coach,” said Kompany, who played 62 games under Guardiola during his time as a professional at Manchester City. We continue to be in regular contact. “And there is still a lot of sympathy between us.”
Kompany left it open whether he would rotate heavily again in Berlin after the intense game in Paris. He always looks for the players’ signals and for a possible risk of injury. Missing will be Raphaël Guerreiro (31), who had complaints after the Leverkusen game and will now take a break “as a precaution”.