FC Bayern will not drag their bitter 2-1 home defeat against FC Augsburg on for long. At the Champions League match in Eindhoven, the leading players demanded an immediate reaction – and spoke openly about anger, energy and a lack of consistency
The first Bundesliga defeat of the season has left its mark. The reaction of the Bayern players was correspondingly clear, especially from Jonathan Tah. The centre-back made it clear before the last game of the league phase against PSV Eindhoven that the defeat against Augsburg will not simply be put behind them – but should serve as additional motivation
„We want to bring the anger that’s in us now onto the pitch in the next game – and show our quality and energy again,“ explained Tah with a view to the clash on Wednesday evening. For the defender, it is clear that FC Bayern must provide a clear response in order to get back on track
Kimmich warns against carelessness
Joshua Kimmich also sees the defeat as a warning signal. The midfielder emphasized that the game against Augsburg had shown one thing above all: as soon as Bayern let up even slightly in their system, they lose their dominance. The aggressive pressing under Vincent Kompany in particular requires maximum consistency
„If we let up there, then we’re not top, top,“ Kimmich made clear. For him, the reaction is now crucial: „The reaction is very important now.“ Especially against an opponent like Eindhoven, who can switch quickly, you can’t afford to be passive
PSV Eindhoven will have analysed Bayern’s defeat very carefully. FC Augsburg showed how to cause problems for the record champions with bold transitional play and high intensity. These elements are also part of the Dutch side’s DNA under coach Peter Bosz
For Bayern, this means that a hesitant performance like the one against Augsburg would be punished again, and concentration is correspondingly high ahead of the clash in the Netherlands
Defensive personnel worries for Kompany
The situation remains tense in terms of personnel. Dayot Upamecano is still doubtful following his illness and a start is on the cards. Minjae Kim is suspended following his yellow card, while Serge Gnabry is also in danger of missing out due to an infection. In addition, Raphaël Guerreiro has to miss out with a calf strain
Vincent Kompany will therefore have to improvise again, with a back four of Tom Bischof and Alphonso Davies on the flanks and Jonathan Tah and Hiroki Ito in the center looking likely. Regardless of the line-up, the direction is clear: FC Bayern don’t just want to win in Eindhoven – they want to send out a clear message.