FC Bayern kicks off the new Champions League season on Thursday evening against Bodø/Glimt. Head coach Vincent Kompany is once again relying on his formidable offensive firepower for the opener at the Allianz Arena. Harry Kane and Michael Olise return to the starting lineup after sitting out the 0-0 draw against Schalke 04. Luis Díaz starts on the left wing.
The biggest surprise, however, is at the playmaker position. Jamal Musiala is back in the starting lineup for the first time. The German national team player had recently been regaining match fitness after his collapses due to a neurological dysfunction. Now comes the next important step.
Before kickoff, Kompany made it clear that Musiala’s return to the starting lineup is by no means for symbolic reasons. For the Bayern coach, only on-field performance matters. “Yes, for me right now, it’s really all about performance. Jamal has earned this opportunity; he’s actually trained very well with us,” he emphasized in an interview with DAZN.
“A lot of normalcy” in dealing with Musiala
The Bayern coach’s message is clear: Musiala shouldn’t be defined permanently by his health issues and his comeback. Kompany wants to treat the 23-year-old exactly the same as his teammates. “The way we treat Jamal is with a great deal of normalcy, and accordingly, these remain objective decisions based on the information I have.”
Musiala has thus earned his spot in the starting lineup through his performance in training. Kompany now hopes that the offensive star can carry this form over to the big stage of the Champions League.
“If everything goes well today and he shows what he’s shown in training, then it’ll be a treat for the fans.”
Most recently, Musiala had already played more than 30 minutes in the 0-0 draw at Schalke. Against Bodø/Glimt, the next step up in workload follows—and, for the first time again, the chance to make an impact on a game from the start.
Kompany doesn’t see any new risk
Kompany also spoke clearly about potential risks associated with Musiala’s playing time. When asked about this, he initially replied: “No, nothing. That’s something we’ve known for a long time.”
The club has been closely monitoring the situation for quite some time. “This is a situation we’ve been managing for a long time.”
In doing so, club officials rely on medical expertise and a clearly defined process. “We’re not just managing the risks—we’ve discussed all of this with the best experts.”
For Kompany, therefore, soccer is once again the main focus. “We know that Jamal can focus on his performance and nothing else.”
It is precisely this sense of normalcy that the Bayern coach hopes to see in the public perception of his player going forward. “Hopefully, that will soon become the public perception as well.”
At the same time, Kompany knows that, for that to happen, Musiala must first draw attention to himself again through his athletic abilities: “But of course I understand that. First, he has to show his talent again, and then things will eventually return to normal.”