Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany said his side still have room to improve despite a “impressive” 5-1 victory over Stuttgart in the opening round of the Bundesliga on 28 August.
Kompany rejected the idea that the emphatic win represented a perfect performance, but praised Bayern’s response after conceding and their ability to maintain an intense attacking rhythm throughout the match.
“I don’t know if it’s a statement, but I certainly told the players that perfection doesn’t exist, and today’s game wasn’t perfect either. However, our performance was indeed impressive,” he said.
The Bayern manager was particularly pleased with the way his team reacted after Stuttgart scored. Bayern quickly responded with two goals, then remained in control until the closing stages.
“Especially our reaction after conceding a goalscoring the second and third goals in quick succession and then holding firm until the final minutes,” Kompany said. “I remember Olise going down in the 91st minute, Bischoff winning the ball, and then quickly launching another attack.”
Kompany said Bayern’s ability to sustain their tempo and find space depended on consistency, while recognising the quality of their opponents.
“I believe that to maintain such a high game rhythm and create those spaces, you need consistency. We faced a very strong Stuttgart team today, in my opinion. Of course, any match is a process, but ultimately, the players performed very well.”
The Belgian also stressed that Bayern should preserve their instinct to attack without allowing the pursuit of goals to create anxiety.
“Of course, this is definitely part of the DNA of this team. They know where the goal is and always want to score more,” he said.
“People often ask what else we need to improve. But the most important thing is that we protect this characteristic without becoming obsessed with scoring and then reacting out of fear. We’ve been working on that balance. I think that showed today as well. We played without fear, and the goals came naturally.”
Kompany added that the unusually long break he had enjoyed this year had not created a problem for him, although he acknowledged that his players had experienced different preparations.
“I’ve never had such a long break as this year, so it’s not a problem for me,” he said. “Of course, the players’ situations vary. Some completed a full preseason, some are still recovering from injuries, and others returned later.”
“These factors will certainly play a role in the first few weeks. But now that we’re in this position, I don’t think we can do much more than what we’re already doing. The players are in good physical condition, and they’ve proven that in these two games.”
Bayern will next face VfL Osnabruck before meeting Schalke, and Kompany expects both matches to present different challenges.
“Now we’ll face different opponents. VfL Osnabruck will be a completely different challenge, as will Schalke. We’ll be prepared,” he said.
The manager insisted that Bayern’s standards and principles would remain unchanged, regardless of the opposition.
“Regardless of the opponent, we must maintain our philosophy. What happened today won’t matter tomorrow. Of course, we’ll learn from today’s match and take away valuable lessons. But what happened yesterday is no longer important. Last season’s achievements don’t matter today.”
Kompany said Bayern would prepare for VfL Osnabruck with the same level of commitment they would bring to a Champions League tie.
“We’ll approach VfL Osnabruck with full motivation. In preparing for that match, we won’t treat it any differently than we would a Champions League tie. Regardless of the opponent, our approach is the same.”
