FC Bayern are playing a first half of the season like the Bundesliga has never seen before. 47 points, a historic goal difference, only two draws – the record champions are marching through the league seemingly unstoppable. But anyone who believes that this dominance is solely the result of individual quality is missing the point. The decisive factor is on the coach’s bench. Vincent Kompany has lifted FC Bayern to a new level not only in sporting terms, but above all mentally
After the 3:1 victory at 1. FC Köln, which sealed the best first half of the season in Bundesliga history, there was no sign of complacency from Kompany. While figures and comparisons with Pep Guardiola made headlines, the Belgian remained true to his line. „This is not a title,“ he emphasised and spoke openly of an inner conflict about celebrating records in the middle of the season. This is precisely one of the central components of his success. For Kompany, every game starts from scratch mentally. The past is ballast, not capital
This attitude is transferred to the team. The golden first half of the season is not preserved, but consciously completed. The day after the Cologne game, the focus was already on the start of the second half of the season in Leipzig. The furious 6:0 from the first leg? Meaningless for Kompany. Only the next game is decisive
Psychological pressure – deliberately shifted to the outside
Another aspect of Kompany’s work unfolds away from the public eye. Internally, the coach regularly makes it clear to his players that a win against FC Bayern is an event that feels like a title for every opponent. This is exactly what he wants to prevent. This mindset creates a permanent inner drive to approach every game with maximum seriousness
A look at the statistics shows that this approach works. In 27 competitive matches to date, only one team has managed to beat FC Bayern: Arsenal FC. In the Bundesliga, the record champions remained stable even on difficult days, such as in the draws against Union Berlin and Mainz. Even there, Bayern’s game never got out of hand
Tunnel vision instead of sideshows
Kompany’s perhaps greatest strength lies in his uncompromising focus. Statements from the competition, table constellations or historical comparisons play no role for him. „Tunnel“ and „focus“ are terms that characterise his work. This approach is supported by sporting director Max Eberl, who repeatedly reminds us of where FC Bayern was just a year and a half ago
Under Kompany, the record champions are not loud, not arrogant, but controlled. The team appears stable, hungry and remarkably disciplined. Manuel Neuer put it soberly in a nutshell when he explained that records are „gladly taken“ without attaching too much importance to them
In Munich, they know that titles are not awarded in January. The real harvest time begins in the spring. Kompany is working towards exactly that. Stress management, mental freshness and the return of injured players are part of a larger plan. Eberl recently spoke openly about the „really big titles“ being at stake in March and April
FC Bayern are currently in a sphere of their own. Not because everything is easy, but because everything is controlled. Vincent Kompany has formed a focused unit out of a talented team. His tricks are not magic tricks, but the expression of a clear idea