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.
KOMPANY’S SQUAD MOVES 15 POINTS CLEAR OF DORTMUND WITH FOUR ROUNDS REMAINING
Vincent Kompany wins the league in his first season! Harry Kane scores as Bayern dominate Stuttgart for the title.
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Bayern Munich overturned an early deficit to secure a 4-2 victory against Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
This win marked Bayern’s 35th Bundesliga title, adding another chapter to what has been a remarkable season for them.
Under Vincent Kompany, they started strong with a 6-0 win over RB Leipzig on the opening day and managed to keep that momentum, setting new records along the way.
Just days after a crucial victory over Real Madrid that booked their spot in the Champions League semi-finals, Bayern needed only a point to clinch the league crown, especially after Borussia Dortmund’s loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday.
With the title wrapped up, Kompany can now turn his full attention towards the Champions League and prepare thoroughly for the upcoming two-legged tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
This season, Bayern shattered Bundesliga records by scoring 109 goals and maintaining a near-flawless campaign, losing only once so far.
Stuttgart, aiming for European qualification, put up a fight early on, with Chris Fuhrich curling a brilliant goal in the 21st minute that threatened to spoil Bayern's party.
But Bayern quickly responded. Raphael Guerreiro scored from close range after Jamal Musiala delivered a precise cross, shifting the momentum back.
Not long after, Bayern extended its lead again. Guerreiro intercepted a pass and set up Luis Diaz, who then found Nicolas Jackson with plenty of space. The Chelsea loanee calmly finished to make it 2-1.
Before halftime, Alphonso Davies added a third, cleverly flicking a pass from Luis Diaz past the keeper from inside the box.
After the break, Harry Kane, who replaced Musiala, wasted no time, netting Bayern’s fourth goal in just seven minutes – his 32nd league goal of the campaign.
Michael Olise came close to adding more for Bayern on several occasions, while Chema Andres scored a late consolation for Stuttgart in the 88th minute.
It was a memorable day for Joshua Kimmich, who secured his 10th Bundesliga title and joked about aiming for another 10 with the club.
Bayern Munich player ratings
Urbig 7, Stanisic 7, Kim 7, Itō 7, Davies 8, Kimmich 8, Goretzka 7, Guerreiro 8, Musiala 7, Diaz 9, Jackson 7.
Bayern substitutes: Neuer, Upamecano, Tah, Kane, Olise, Laimer, Ofli, Sapoko Ndiaye, Pavlović.
Match stats between Bayern Munich and Stuttgart showed Bayern dominating possession with 66.2% compared to Stuttgart’s 33.8%. Bayern also outshot their opponents 28 to 11 and had 9 shots on target against Stuttgart’s 7. Total passes reflected their control, with Bayern completing 669 passes to Stuttgart’s 335.
LUIS DIAZ DECLARES BAYERN MOVE "RIGHT DECISION" AFTER SLAYING REAL MADRID
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher react as Luis Diaz haunts Madrid. Is the €75m star the world's best winger?
Luis Diaz says he has no regrets about leaving Liverpool and feels he made the right call by signing with Bayern Munich last summer.
He landed in Bavaria for €75 million (about $87 million/£66 million), and honestly, he hit the ground running, scoring 23 goals and 18 assists already. He’s even chasing some European silverware after scoring the opener in Bayern’s Champions League quarterfinal first-leg win over Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga title looks just about wrapped up, too; Bayern’s nine points clear at the top, so Diaz will probably add a winners’ medal to his collection.
Everyone’s talking about Vincent Kompany’s team as one of Europe’s best, and with Liverpool struggling this season, it’s easy to see why Diaz feels moving to Germany was the right move.
“Coming to Bayern was absolutely the right decision for me. I’m really happy, and I enjoy every game,” Diaz told ESPN after Bayern’s 2-1 win at the Bernabeu. “I feel strong, and that’s helped me stay available to help the team.”
Diaz’s red-hot form even got Steven Gerrard talking about wanting him back at Anfield, and Jamie Carragher agrees Liverpool misses him.
He might actually play at Anfield again later this month, if both Bayern and Liverpool get through their Champions League quarterfinals. If Real and PSG go out, Bayern and Liverpool face off in the semis.
When asked about Bayern’s showing in Madrid, Diaz said, “We’re happy, but we feel like we could’ve scored another goal or two. We played a great match against a really tough opponent.
“We won the ball, moved it quickly, and executed our game plan. We’d already studied Real Madrid, and everything worked the way we expected.
“We felt comfortable, recovered the ball more, and controlled the match better. That’s exactly how we like to play.”
Diaz and Harry Kane both scored for Bayern, while Kylian Mbappe grabbed a late goal for Real to keep things interesting heading into the second leg.
Back at Liverpool, Diaz scored 41 goals in 148 games and picked up a Premier League title, the FA Cup, and two Carabao Cups. He made 36 appearances in the Reds’ 2024/25 title-winning season, and a lot of people feel Liverpool’s struggles this year are down to losing him.
