KOMPANY'S IMPACT: SERGE GNABRY BACK TO TOP FORM, SET FOR NEW BAYERN DEAL
Serge Gnabry has regained top form under Vincent Kompany, scoring four and assisting five. He is now set to sign a two-year Bayern Munich contract extension despite taking a pay cut.
Vincent Kompany's work at Bayern Munich over the past year and a half has earned him praise across Europe. He brought stability to the team last season and helped them win the Bundesliga title again. The Belgian coach has also brought in an attractive style of play. It keeps the fans entertained while also getting the wins.
Besides the results and good football, Kompany has also managed to get the most out of players who were struggling before he got to Munich. Serge Gnabry is one player who fits this description. The German winger wasn't playing his best for a couple of months.
Gnabry was fighting for his place in Munich coming into this season, as he was in the last year of his contract. Now, four months into the new season, the German winger is close to a contract extension, having returned to top form under Kompany.
Florian Plettenberg from Sky Sports in Germany says Bayern is likely to offer Gnabry a two-year extension. The club is happy with how Gnabry has played this season. The player will need to take a pay cut to sign a new deal.
Serge Gnabry feels good after positive talks with Bayern.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Gnabry said he's had good talks with Bayern and isn't worried about his future.
If Bayern doesn’t extend his contract by the end of December, he can talk to other clubs about a free transfer in January. But Gnabry wants to stay in Munich, so he won’t be talking to other clubs during the winter transfer window. There was Premier League interest in Gnabry in the last two summer transfer windows.
Gnabry has scored four goals and has five assists in all competitions. He's done well in the number ten role behind Harry Kane. The team needed someone to step up after Jamal Musiala was injured during the Club World Cup in the summer, and Gnabry has been consistent in this role.
Looking forward, Gnabry might play less with Jamal Musiala back and Lennart Karl emerging. But his experience will be valuable for Bayern during a long season. With Gnabry willing to take a pay cut, giving him a new two-year deal would be a smart move by Bayern.
BAYERN MUNICH HELD: VUSKOVIC AND VIEIRA STUN KOMPANY IN A WILD 2-2 HAMBURG DRAW
Luka Vuskovic and Fabio Vieira shine as Hamburg hold Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw. Read the full Bundesliga match analysis here.
Bayern Munich dropped points again in the Bundesliga, settling for a 2-2 draw against Hamburg up north. Harry Kane and Luis Diaz both found the net for Bayern, who took the lead after Fabio Vieira had put Hamburg ahead with a first-half penalty. But Luka Vuskovic, who was everywhere for the hosts, powered in a header to snatch a well-earned point in a wild game at Volksparkstadion.
Early on, Bayern tried to quiet down the home crowd and pushed hard for the first goal. Still, it was Hamburg who struck first. About 30 minutes in, Nicolai Remberg beat Joshua Kimmich to a loose ball and drew a foul from the German midfielder. Fabio Vieira, on loan from Arsenal, coolly slotted the penalty past Manuel Neuer and into the bottom corner.
Bayern didn’t waste much time. Within ten minutes, Serge Gnabry slipped behind the defence and whipped in a cross. Kimmich’s awkward shot landed at Kane’s feet, and the England captain smashed it home. Kompany threw on Luis Diaz at halftime, and it paid off instantly. Diaz finished off a slick pass from Olise less than a minute after coming on.
Hamburg weren't rattled, though. Just eight minutes into the second half, Vuskovic muscled past Alphonso Davies and hammered in a header from William Mikelbrencis’ cross. Hamburg almost took the lead when Neuer fluffed a clearance, leaving Vieira with an open goal, but Davies raced back to clear it off the line. Bayern pushed for a winner and shouted for a couple of penalties, but the referee wasn’t having it. In the end, both sides walked away with a point.
Standout player? Luka Vuskovic, no question. The Croatian centre-back, on loan from Tottenham, gave Hamburg steel at the back and kept Kane pretty quiet. His equaliser—already his fourth of the season—showed a hunger and skill Spurs have been missing lately.
On the flip side, Vincent Kompany has to take some heat. The Bayern boss did well bringing on Diaz, but you wonder if starting him would’ve made the difference. Bayern had the lead but couldn’t finish the job, and Hamburg deserved their share of the spoils.
HARRY KANE REVEALS HIS "FAVORITE GERMAN DISH" IS ACTUALLY A REWARD FOR SCORING
It’s a ritual! Harry Kane reveals how local chef Stefan Kastner delivers free veal schnitzels for every goal he scores for Bayern.
Every time Harry Kane scores for Bayern Munich, he gets a free dinner—no joke. There’s this local pub owner who drops off a schnitzel for every goal Kane bangs in for the German champs.
The man behind this tradition? Stefan Kastner, chef and superfan, runs the Buchenhain Forest Inn. He doesn’t just send the food—he actually drives out himself to Kane’s place and hands it over. Kastner’s from Baierbrunn, a suburb just outside Munich, and he swears his schnitzels give Kane that extra push on the pitch.
Kane, by the way, calls these deliveries a “ritual”. He even lets Kastner—everyone calls him the “Schnitzel Guy”—swing by past security whenever he’s due for a drop-off. With the way Kane’s scoring, that’s happening a lot.
Funny thing, though—Kane’s strict about his diet. No chips, ever. Kastner says, “At first, I just did it as a fan. Now, it’s a real tradition. I’ve been at this for over a year, and I’d say we’re up to 50 or 60 schnitzels so far. I don’t deliver one after every single goal. I wait until he’s scored a couple, then I drive over, usually around six in the evening. Lately, I wait for two goals before making the trip. Then I bring a veal schnitzel with roasted potatoes, plus another with potato salad.”
When the local paper TZ ran the story, Kane owned up—he loves schnitzels. “It’s turned into a ritual. It’s lovely. Honestly, it’s probably my favourite dish in Germany. Some people say it’s Austrian or Bavarian, but either way, it’s my top pick since moving here.”
He’s quick to admit he doesn’t eat every single one. “They get delivered, and my family or whoever’s at the house digs in. It helps us feel like we’re part of the community,” he says.
“And really, this was Stefan’s idea. I doubt he thought I’d score this many goals. But, yeah, it’s just a good story. It feels right.”