After the setback in Rotterdam, FC Bayern has to deliver in the difficult away game in Freiburg. It’s about much more than just reparations.
The sting of Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat in the Champions League at Feyenoord Rotterdam is still deep at FC Bayern. Head coach Vincent Kompany didn’t even try to hide that at his final press conference on Friday. “We have the feeling that we only played yesterday and are playing again tomorrow,” said the Belgian and emphasized: “We wished we could play again so quickly.”
Ultimately, he and his team are desperate for compensation. And that’s exactly what SC Freiburg should feel on Saturday (from 3:30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online). “Hopefully the answer will come on the pitch,” said Kompany.
It is not the first time this season that the head coach is hoping for a defiant reaction from his team after severe defeats. The 0:3 in Rotterdam was Bayern’s third away defeat in the premier class after the 0:1 at Aston Villa and the 1:4 at FC Barcelona.
Kompany is aware that in order to win the title he has to put an end to these recurring failures as quickly as possible. “That’s the goal, it will have to be that way at some point. If you want to win the prizes, you have to be there at every moment,” he said.
At the same time, he also considers the setbacks to be normal in the development of his team. “It would be unusual to win prizes without experiencing anything in a season,” he said, referring to exactly such defeats. Every team goes through this process.
Bayern’s difficult away game against Freiburg, who are strong at home, could at least point the way. The game is much more than just a test of character for the Munich team. After the three easy league wins at the start of the year in Gladbach (1:0), against Hoffenheim (5:0) and Wolfsburg (3:2), the first real tough test in the Bundesliga awaits the record champions after the winter break.
At the same time, pursuers Bayer Leverkusen, who recently celebrated eight wins in a row in the league, have to play away at RB Leipzig on Saturday. The reigning champions and cup winners also have one of the most difficult tasks of the second half of the season ahead of them.
Leverkusen’s head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed this. “It’s one of the toughest games for us away from home, they have good ideas and certainly the desire to win again,” said the Spaniard at his press conference. On the second matchday, the double winners lost 3-2 to the Saxons despite leading 2-0. It was Leverkusen’s first defeat in 463 days and is the only one in the championship so far. The Bundesliga is “the most important competition for us,” said Alonso and emphasized: “We are at an important moment of the season.”
Before the match day, Bayern as league leaders are still four points ahead of Bayer. It will be interesting to see what things will look like on Saturday afternoon after the final whistle of the two games. For both championship rivals it is also about putting themselves in the best possible starting position before the direct duel in Leverkusen in three weeks.