In UEFA Champions League Group Stage Round 6, Bayern Munich host Sporting CP at home. Ahead of the match, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany attended an interview.
Reporter: Even with favorable Champions League qualification prospects, Bayern always faces immense pressure in the competition. What do we need to see tomorrow to confirm that this Bayern side is still one of the favorites for this year’s Champions League?
Kompany: “Well, I’m not sure if now is the right time to talk about favorites. But we’re at home, our fans will come to watch the Champions League, and this is an important moment for everyone. So we always have a responsibility to put in a performance and hope to win the game.”
I want to ask about Harry Kane. His stats are excellent, but what are some of his contributions in your system that don’t show up in the numbers?
Kompany said: “I think more people are starting to see those things this year, which is important to me. He puts in an enormous amount of work for the team. I even praise him more when we keep a clean sheet than when he scores. Of course, I know his most special talent is scoring goals for us and everything he does to help the team win. But he’s shown another side – you know, many top players, when they score a lot, can easily become ‘protected players.’ But he didn’t need anyone to remind him; he took the initiative to keep being a team player. I think that’s the right approach, and it makes my job a lot easier.”
When we talk about modern football and modern players like Kane, football is no longer just about stats. We saw someone like Jude Bellingham last year, who was not only excellent in attack but also very good in defense. Do you think to be the best player in the world, you have to be this kind of “modern” player?
Kompany said: “When you play against top teams, the games are extremely difficult. It’s even harder if not everyone works for the team. But I think sometimes we have to keep things simple. If I told you there’s someone earning an incredible salary, with the best job in the world, but unwilling to train hard – would you think that’s right?
The philosophy I grew up with is: daily hard work is the foundation, and then talent and other things follow. Of course, it’s important to me that we’re still a creative team. After putting in the hard work, players can express themselves freely within their talents – everyone is different.”
Let’s talk about the World Cup. The draw was made this week, and many of your players will be participating. But there are no Brazilian players in this Bayern squad?
Kompany said: “No, we have a young player: Mike Con. (Reporter: Oh, right then.) But I understand what you mean – he hasn’t played yet.”
My question is: with the World Cup at the end of the season, how will that affect the team’s and players’ fitness management throughout the season?
Kompany said: “You can feel it – most of our players play for traditional powerhouses, so first they have to compete for a spot in the World Cup squad, then compete for playing time in their national teams. So you can sense they don’t want anything to affect their chance of participating in the World Cup. The competition in training and games – I try to see these as positive factors and benefit from them.”
“But the most important part is actually after the World Cup. That period is a time of little rest and short vacations for players’ careers. Players who reach the latter stages of the World Cup will face huge physical and competitive pressure again next season. Plus we have the Club World Cup to play – the overall burden is very heavy, and we need to balance these things, which is sometimes difficult.”
