FC Bayern is set to play its first competitive match of the new season—and a special challenge awaits right away. In the Super Cup, the German record champions will face Borussia Dortmund on the road. Vincent Kompany is not only looking forward to the showdown with the archrival, but also has a clear idea of how the match will turn out.
Tomorrow, Saturday, FC Bayern will face Borussia Dortmund at 8:30 p.m. in the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup. For Vincent Kompany, the away game at Signal Iduna Park holds a special appeal. The fact that Dortmund enjoys home-field advantage as the host doesn’t bother Kompany.
“It doesn’t bother me; it’s also a bit of a tradition in Germany. It would be great if we could win a title in Dortmund,” the Belgian explained ahead of the match.
Kompany would have preferred a different distribution of fans, however: “Maybe it could have been 50-50 in terms of fan numbers—that would have made it feel a bit more like a final,” said the Bayern coach.
For him, though, that doesn’t change the fundamental appeal of the match. At the pre-game press conference, Kompany made a clear statement: “I think there’s nothing better than winning a title on the road in Dortmund.”
Kompany’s goal for the season’s first competitive match is thus clear: He wants to win in Dortmund and bring the season’s first title back to Munich.
At the same time, Kompany warned against underestimating the challenge: “But it’s difficult. The Dortmund team has a high level of quality and power. There’s no tougher challenge in the Bundesliga.”
Eberl: “We’re starting from scratch again”
Max Eberl is also eagerly anticipating the first highlight of the season. However, he noted that preseason preparations were once again marked by unusual circumstances and therefore weren’t easy. Due to the World Cup and injured players, FC Bayern was unable to train under optimal conditions.
Nevertheless, Eberl made it clear: “Not a single one of us is complaining. We’ve made the signings we wanted with Nene, Ismael, and Bara. We’ve also had a few players leave.”
For the sporting director, this marks the beginning of a new phase. “We’re starting from scratch again, to some extent,” Eberl explained.
„Dortmund is the first real challenge“
The Super Cup is now set to kick off the new season. Eberl expects a highly intense opener.
„Tomorrow we have our first final against Dortmund, and they’ll do everything in their power to keep us from winning the trophy. We’ll do everything we can to win it. It’s going to be a really intense game right off the bat,“ said Bayern’s sporting director.
For the Munich team, this isn’t just about the first title of the season. The match should also show how far the team has come after a difficult preseason.
„We have high goals, and now is the time for us to get back on track. But we’ll have to work hard to earn it all again for the new season. Dortmund tomorrow is the first real challenge we’ll have to overcome,“ said Eberl.