FC Bayern started the new year with a bang. The 8-1 win over VfL Wolfsburg was not just a statement on the scoreboard, but also an expression of the new attitude that this team embodies under Vincent Kompany. Bayern captain Manuel Neuer summed it up after the game on DAZN – emotionally, clearly and with a message that goes far beyond this one result
For Neuer, the start to the year felt exactly as the team had planned. „It tastes good, I have to say,“ explained the 39-year-old, making it clear that it was about more than just three points. „Playing our way back into people’s hearts on such a cold January day – that worked out well.“ Bayern wanted to make a statement, for themselves and for those around them. And they did it with force
Particularly striking was the greed with which the record champions went for the next goal, even in the closing stages. Neuer himself accelerated a throw-in in stoppage time, celebrated goals like an outfield player and exemplified exactly what currently characterises this team. „We really always play to score. You can see that in the result, too, that we don’t stop playing soccer or somehow manage it, but we go for the next goal,“ explained the captain. The decisive factor is consistency over 90 minutes: „You can actually see that from the first minute to the last.“
Every player counts – and that’s what makes the difference
Neuer made it clear that this attitude is not only carried by the starting eleven. The players on the bench are also an essential part of this Bayern face. „Every player in our team is simply important,“ he emphasised. That’s exactly why he deliberately sought contact with the substitutes behind the goal after the 7:1. „I like to go and clap because every player is important.“ The goals were the reward for a cohesive team performance: „We celebrated because the goals were sensational today – from the first to the last.“
There was also plenty of focus on individual players. Neuer highlighted Michael Olise in particular, without wanting to exaggerate him. For the captain, it is crucial that young players at Bayern have one thing above all else: enjoyment. „It will be important that he enjoys playing soccer here. And that’s what we try to give him as a team,“ said Neuer. Olise is creative, intelligent and already a decisive factor: „I simply believe that he is a really important factor for our game.“
The 8:1 win against Wolfsburg was more than just a perfect start to the year for FC Bayern. It was a pointer. And Manuel Neuer provided a fitting explanation. This team no longer manages games. It plays them – right up to the last attack.