The vibrant realm of FC Bayern is embracing a rosy hue.
At Bayern Munich, things are running smoothly under new coach Vincent Kompany. The squad is flyin' high after shaking off a few rough years and the atmosphere on Säbener Straße is brighter than ever. Fans are head-over-heels for their new coach, who stepped up when other candidates couldn't or wouldn't. If the word "head-in-the-clouds love" wasn't already reserved for Thomas Tuchel, it could be applied here.
But they're not diving into memories of the Tuchel days in Munich. Club patriarch Uli Hoeneß has made it clear that it's Kompany's time now. So far, the honeymoon phase is going well, helped in part by a light schedule. In the cup, they faced off against SSV Ulm 1846, and in the Bundesliga, they battled against Wolfsburg, Freiburg, and Kiel. None of these were the toughest opponents yet, not the kind of teams Bayern Munich considers themselves as. And Dinamo Zagreb doesn't belong in their league either. They brutally defeated the Croatians 2:9 on the first matchday of the Champions League, at the Allianz Arena.
"It was a tough night for us, Bayern is a different world," admitted the visiting coach Sergej Jakirovic. "We didn't play well in the first half. Bayern gave us little room. After halftime, we managed to score twice, but we couldn't keep up in terms of energy. Bayern saw all the openings, and we were severely punished for every error. It's a lesson for us."
Bayern Munich skirts a major upset.
Temporarily, they were within striking distance of the impossible. At halftime, Bayern led 3:0, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was left on the bench. He had taken a hard fall early in the game. Kompany wanted to keep Neuer safe, but the Belgian coach was confident he wasn't seriously injured. He confirmed this after the game, as did Neuer himself later that night: "Nothing too serious, just a little mishap." The fall disrupted his body's balance, and after that, he felt a twinge in his thigh. He consulted with Bayern's team doctor during a break in play.
Substitute Sven Ulreich took over, and Bayern Munich was suddenly trailing 2:3. The Croatians and Bayern players were both shocked. Ulreich even saved them from equalizing at 3:3. The Munich team had clearly been in the driver's seat, leaving the guests struggling to keep up. Everything was going one-way, at high speed, filled with enthusiasm and an insatiable hunger. Thomas Müller praised this before the game: "We're improving in the right areas, especially with the right mentality. There's no other way, and it shows now."
After a brief panic, things returned to normal. Bayern resumed their relentless attack and scoring spree. "I'm proud of the team. I didn't score the goals, they did. Despite giving up two goals, we stayed calm, and that's important," praised Kompany. "But we can't let that happen again. What's crucial is that we have a player like Harry Kane tackling our own penalty area and all eleven players giving their all until the final whistle."
Harry Kane scored four times, three from the penalty spot. New acquisition Michael Olise scored two goals. In the end, Leroy Sané and Leon Goretzka also joined the celebrations. The former national player was supposed to leave the club in the summer, but Goretzka didn't want to. When the bosses had plans to let him go, Goretzka rejected them, believing he could turn things around in his favor. So far, that hasn't happened. Lately, he wasn't even part of the squad. But when Sacha Boey joined the injured players Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, he got a few minutes in the 81st minute to prove himself.
Getting crowded on the wings
He made an impression with an impressive header. Eric Dier, another casualty of the coaching change, also got a chance. Goretzka utilized his brief time on the field to make a case for himself. Will it be enough for Kompany, the diplomat-in-training, to give him another chance? Kotampy, ever the diplomat, said that Goretzka is offering himself, performing well. "I don't think Leon Goretzka should be considered one of the losers in our first games. He's important to us, has a crucial role in the team, and will be important for us this season." Hardly more non-committal praise is possible.
Before netting another goal, Sane stepped up, attempting to regain his spot in the team following his injury. However, Olise is also vying for more recognition and game time. Gnabry and Coman are other rival contenders, while Musiala, who can slide into multiple offensive roles and is currently thriving in the middle, is also in the mix.
In this competitive landscape, Goretzka's spot isn't secure. Muller, with his new Champions League record, is a formidable opponent. His tally of records continues to grow, much to the dismay of the Bayern's in-house broadcast team, whose airtime is diminishing. Despite this, Muller has frequently been sidelined prematurely. At 34, he's now played 152 Champions League games for Bayern, surpassing his previous record shared with Xavi Hernandez of FC Barcelona. While he might not care much about the records, increasing his playtime is a priority for him, a sentiment he has voiced frequently in the past.
Julian Nagelsmann is now tasked with managing this situation. So far, he's performing admirably in Munich. The team still adores him, particularly due to his humility, a quality he demonstrated in joining Bayern later in life. "It's a good start. We're not playing Kompany football here, it's Bayern football. I'm a coach and I always maintain this positive demeanor, but of course, I'm never entirely satisfied. We can still win everything, that mentality will remain with me. There are always areas for improvement." The upcoming fixtures include Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen, and Aston Villa.
Despite the competitive situation on the wings with players like Leroy Sane, Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, and Kingsley Coman, Leon Goretzka managed to impress during his brief cameo in the game against Dinamo Zagreb. His impressive header showed his determination to reclaim his spot in the Bayern Munich squad.
With the return of Harry Kane and the impressive performances of players like Thomas Müller, who recently broke the Champions League appearance record, Bayern Munich's soccer squad is filled with talent, making it difficult for every player to secure a regular spot in the starting lineup.
