FC Bayern faces a tough test in Augsburg on Saturday. Vincent Kompany warns of an opponent that has already given the Munich team a hard time recently.
FC Bayern’s next Bundesliga match is set for Saturday. The record German champions are set to visit FC Augsburg—and Vincent Kompany knows full well that the task at the WWK-Arena will be anything but easy.
Ahead of the match, the Bayern coach specifically recalled last season. Back then, Augsburg—of all teams—handed Munich their only Bundesliga loss. With that in mind, Kompany heads into the rematch against their Bavarian neighbors with caution.
When asked what makes FCA particularly dangerous right now, Kompany explained at the press conference: “It’s a very important game; we lost a Bundesliga match last year, and that was against Augsburg. It’s still a derby, and it’s on the road. What sets FCA apart is that they play very compactly and can be very dangerous on the ball. They have a lot of individual quality. They have more than people sometimes realize. They’ve started the season with momentum. It’s still a derby—the fans are looking forward to it, and so are we.”
Augsburg has surprised Bayern before
There’s a clear reason why Kompany isn’t underestimating Augsburg. Last season, FCA beat Bayern 2–1, ending Munich’s long unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga.
Back then, Augsburg managed to throw Bayern’s offense off its rhythm for long stretches. At the same time, the FCA consistently capitalized on its own opportunities—precisely the mix of compact defense and dangerous attacks with the ball that Kompany is now warning about once again.
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Their start to the new season also shows that Augsburg is currently playing with confidence. The FCA has established itself near the top of the table early on and is proving to be significantly more dangerous offensively than in many phases of last season.
For Bayern, therefore, patience will be key. Against a compact opponent, it will be crucial to build their own positional play cleanly and avoid turning the ball over. Augsburg can be particularly dangerous on the counterattack with its individually strong offensive players.
In any case, Kompany makes it clear that he does not view this match as just another Bundesliga game. In addition to the opponent’s athletic quality, the derby atmosphere also plays a role for him. The memory of last season’s defeat is likely to provide additional motivation.
For FC Bayern, the situation is clear: The favorite is traveling to Augsburg, but there they’ll face an opponent that has already proven it can beat Munich.