Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany would pay for a ticket to watch his squad square off against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup.
“PSG are the reigning Champions League winners. They’re a strong opponent and have had big success recently. I expect them to be at their best (on Saturday). It’s a big challenge for us; I always like playing against the best opponents. That’s why we’re here,” Kompany said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “If I were neutral, I’d want to watch the game. PSG have developed superbly, which is impressive. They’re a complete team. We have to work as a complete team, attacking and defending wise—as we always do. Tactics can always change, but in such big games, it’s all about principles. We won the last game against PSG, but it was a close match. We want to win; that’s all that matters.
“I don’t look at numbers and statistics. I understand how everything can be perceived, but we have to do the work first. We can talk about favourites, but ultimately it’s about a team that will emerge victorious. Now we have to do everything we can to win.”
When asked about Jamal Musiala’s status for the match, Kompany did not give any hints of whether or not the young star would start the game.
“We’ll see tomorrow. It’s important to be 100% mentally fit. Fortunately, we still have him at the tournament after he was subbed off against Boca. We’ll see what his role will be tomorrow. But he’s been training the past few days and is taking the right steps. We’ll decide tomorrow what’s best for the team. We’ll stay sensible,” said Kompany. “I’m someone who talks about the whole context. We had nine injured players against Inter in the Champions League quarterfinals. Now we’re here today, and we’re in a completely different position; we no longer have nine injured players. We missed a lot of chances back then—and I hope we can take advantage of those chances tomorrow. The key is that we want to reach the next round, and that the players are doing everything they can to achieve that.”
At right-back, Kompany indicated he would be starting Konrad Laimer.
“I think Konni has spoken with his performance this season. In this role, what we do with the full-backs, fits his profile. He has a lot of impact there. It’s a collective thing, but it’s important to me that he does as much work as possible for the team. He has been very reliable. (Saturday)’s task (against Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes) won’t be easy, but it won’t be the first time for him,” said Kompany. “We’re in a very good moment. almost all of our players are fit and at 100%. That’s always very important in such an important game. We’re up for it—and we’re playing against a team that won everything last season.
“That can only increase our motivation. PSG’s development is exciting to watch. After our win against them in November 2024—it wasn’t an easy time for the coach (Luis Enrique) back then, I remember that. After the press conference, I walked past the coach and listened to the difficult questions: ‘He hadn’t done his job well’, and so on. They stayed calm and disciplined and that paid off for them. We’re now talking about a game against Paris again—but from a completely different perspective. It’s interesting what’s happened in the past six months.”
One thing that will automatically be different about this match is the game will be played indoors at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia — a climate controlled venue.
“This is the first time I’m not already sweating during the press conference. That says a lot about the difference. We always try to minimize things we can’t control. It’s the same for both teams. The weather is part of it. If you only focus mentally on the heat, you’ll lose something even before the game starts. The cooling breaks are important; they help. And it’s also important that the players do the right things before the game to have the right energy. In the end, you have to perform, otherwise the other team will go through the pain and win the game,” Kompany remarked.
Finally, when queried about the amount of players sitting on a yellow card, Kompany said concerns go out the window because of the knockout situation. The Bavarians know they must win this game.
“Advancing is the goal. Once we’ve advanced, we’ll then look ahead. Then we’ll make the best of the situation. But that won’t play a significant role tomorrow. We’re playing against the European champions, so we need to be fully focused on the match,” Kompany stated. “It’s a fantastic challenge for us. They won the French Cup, the league, and the Champions League. We have the chance to beat them tomorrow. Playing against such a team is simply great. If we advance, there will be another opponent against whom this question can be asked again. That’s part of a Club World Cup.”
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are squaring off...in Atlanta, Georgia...under a dome...in July. Club World Cup action...catch it! In all seriousness, this is the most exciting and combative matchup of the tourney to date and should be filled with fireworks from both squads. Let’s dive into what will make this game so special on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show. You can get the podcast on Patreon, Spotify, Acast, any leading podcast distributor, or below:
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