tag

Thursday, April 09, 2026 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Tag Results for "Vincent Kompany" (2 articles)

Gulf Times
Sport

Kompany warns of complacency as injury-hit Bayern host Atalanta

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said his "biggest role" was preventing complacency as his undermanned side host Atalanta today sitting on a 6-1 first-leg lead.Despite being without striker Harry Kane, the Bundesliga leaders thumped Atalanta in Bergamo last Wednesday in their Champions League last-16 opener, racking up three goals in each half. No team in European Cup history has ever overturned a five-goal deficit in a second leg but Kompany took the responsibility of ensuring his injury-hit side know the job is not yet done."That's precisely my biggest role in a situation like this," Kompany told reporters. "The crucial foundation from which we have to work is a willingness to work, a willingness to run, and the joy of playing football, which we will also show."Bayern were reduced to nine men but dug deep to draw 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and Kompany said the result would spur his men. "The result against Leverkusen was actually positive. It showed what kind of story our season could be. We don't have much room. I don't want to go into these games too laid back. But my greatest confidence is in this team."The six-time Champions League winners are odds-on to cruise into the quarter-finals but have been hard hit by injuries, particularly in goal. Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito are all injured, while Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise are suspended.In goal, Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich are injured, while back-up Jonas Urbig is facing a race against time to return from a concussion sustained in Bergamo. If Urbig does not return, Kompany confirmed teenage debutant Leonard Prescott would be between the sticks.At 16 years and 191 days, Prescott would become the youngest goalkeeper in Champions League history, beating the current record set by Maarten Vandevoordt by more than a year. But Kompany said the 2009-born 'keeper was not showing any traces of nerves. "He's very calm," Kompany said, adding "if he plays tomorrow, he'll get our full backing, our full support."Kane returned off the bench against Leverkusen after missing two games and is in line to start on Wednesday.In the Champions League, Bayern's big first leg win over Atalanta means that the club is on track for a meeting with Real Madrid or Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. 

Bayern Munich's Belgian head coach Vincent Kompany attends a training session on Tuesday in Munich, southern Germany, on the eve of the the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Bayern Munich (GER) and Club Brugge (BEL). AFP
Sport

Coach Kompany is happy with fuss-free Bayern contract extension

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany did not waste time thinking about his new contract, saying his main request to club bosses was that Tuesday's announcement did not disrupt preparations for Wednesday's Champions League match against visiting Club Brugge.The German champions announced a contract extension with the Belgian coach by two years following Bayern's winning start to the season with 11 wins from 11 matches across all competitions. "I did not spend any time thinking about it," Kompany told a press conference. "The question came and my only request was that this was not going to become a big issue. It will be done with quickly and we can focus on the next game. It was no big issue and no talks. Quickly and clearly and then we can focus on the next game. There are not too many better places (to work at) than Bayern."Kompany won the Bundesliga with Bayern in his first season in charge and the German champions are now on seven league wins from seven matches to top the league table. In the Champions League they are seeking their third straight victory when they host the Belgian club on Wednesday in a match for which Kompany, a product of Belgian rivals Anderlecht, feels like a bit of a rivalry."I just thought about it. We play a Belgian team but my youth was spent at Anderlecht. There is a bit of a competition feeling," he said. "I have a lot of respect individually for people at Club Brugge but if it is only about me, there is a bit of that rivalry feeling."One experience he is not keen on revisiting was the racist abuse he and his then Anderlecht team had to endure at a game in Brugge in 2021 when he was coaching the Brussels club. "It's a really difficult answer. I was the captain of the national team, I played for the national team for 17 years and you go to a place and your staff gets called 'a brown monkey'," Kompany said. "It is not easy. I don't want to focus on anything else right now. After the game I was speechless, four years later I am still speechless."