KOMPANY CONTENT WITH KANE’S CONTROLLED ENGLAND WORKLOAD
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany has "no issue" with England's use of Harry Kane during the break. The striker, who scored twice for England, is fit for Der Klassiker against unbeaten rivals Dortmund.
During the October international break, Vincent Kompany had no problem with England's deployment of Harry Kane, a forward for Bayern Munich.
After suffering an ankle injury during Bayern's triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt two weeks prior, Kane was unable to play in England's 3-0 friendly victory against Wales at Wembley.
The in-form 32-year-old Kane reacted with a brace after England manager Thomas Tuchel, whom Kompany replaced at Allianz Arena, deemed him fit for Tuesday's World Cup qualifying match in Latvia.
"I am not the coach of England or Germany," Kompany said at a press conference before Saturday's Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund. The coaches have the final say.
"Everyone wants Harry to be in good shape. Our objectives are the same. If a player is not healthy, nobody wins. He had adequate time to prepare for the next game because he did not play in the first one. So, everything is OK.
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored 21 goals in 13 club and national appearances this season, including his double for England.
Kane, the captain of England, recently gave Kompany credit for helping him "unlock another level" in his game.
However, Kompany maintained, "On his own, he is at his next level. That is what he always does. That is the mindset he established every year, even when I was playing against him and in the years that followed.
Perhaps the fact that he did not win a title for a while helped him maintain his hunger.
He is aware of his potential contribution to our squad and to his colleagues. He then demonstrates his abilities by including others in addition to his ambitions.
"There is no additional strain on him if he occasionally performs worse, but we hope he can maintain that. There, the others will make up for it. We have a lot of faith in our team.
Dortmund's visit will put Bayern's spotless record of ten wins this season in jeopardy.
With four wins from their six league games, Dortmund is currently second in the Bundesliga behind leaders Bayern, but Kompany assured his squad that eliminating their opponent's undefeated domestic start would not provide them with any additional motivation.
"That is not a thing for me," Kompany continued. All we want is to win. These championship matchups with Dortmund are comparable to their own cup competition.
"I mean in the sense that a five-win or five-loss streak is irrelevant. Your only goal in this game is to win. I do not want it to be boiled down to three points or a record. All we want is to defeat Dortmund. Is it that easy?
"First against second, both undefeated, is our motive for this Klassiker. This game has us thrilled.
"On the whole, Dortmund is a good team because of a variety of factors, but we are at home and are prepared for this match. I am hoping for a successful outcome for us and a fantastic game for the supporters.
MATTHAUS WARNS KOMPANY: DO NOT CHANGE ATTACKING STYLE DESPITE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT
Bayern have secured the Bundesliga! Read why Matthaus wants more "spectacular football" despite the 6-5 aggregate loss to PSG.
Lothar Matthaus has called on Vincent Kompany to continue with his attacking style, despite Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The German legend feels Bayern’s entertaining approach shouldn’t be altered even though their defence showed vulnerabilities during the 6-5 aggregate loss in the semi-finals.
After conceding six goals over two legs, Bayern’s Champions League run came to an end. While the defeat exposed defensive issues, it also highlighted the offensive strategy Kompany has brought to the team. These defensive struggles aren’t limited to Europe either; high-scoring Bundesliga matches, like the 4-3 win over Mainz and the 3-3 draw with Heidenheim, have revealed a back line that’s still trying to find the right balance between taking risks and maintaining solidity.
Matthaus, who once captained Bayern, stresses that the club should stick with Kompany’s attacking mindset, even if it leaves them open at the back. He pointed out, “With such an attacking style of play, you can't defend everything, of course. Yes, they've conceded quite a few goals, but they’re still having a successful season and are close to winning the double. They’ve even made it to the Champions League semi-finals.”
The return of excitement at the Allianz Arena was clear, especially during the second leg when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal stunned the crowd. Although Harry Kane’s late equaliser wasn’t enough to turn the tie around, Matthaus sees positives in the bigger picture. He believes Bayern has brought back the thrill and flair fans expect.
“While Bayern didn’t play their best in the semi-final second leg against PSG, they have entertained throughout the year. I look forward to their matches because they’re usually packed with goals. Bayern stands for spectacular football, and this season has been no different. I wouldn’t move away from that style,” Matthaus shared.
With the focus shifting back to domestic competitions, Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga championship. They still have two league games left against Wolfsburg and Koln before preparing for the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on May 23.
BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME
Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.
Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.
Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.
Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.
Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.
Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.
Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.
So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.
Must Read
_1776625292.webp)