Dayot Upamecano lavished praise on Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany and hailed the former Manchester City captain as "an example" to follow. Kompany’s Bayern Munich juggernaut is tearing through German football: ten games, ten wins, and not a single sign of slowing down, and Upamecano has now lifted the lid on his manager's methods amid their fine start.
The Kompany effect: From City legend to Bavarian master
When Kompany walked into the Allianz Arena, there were murmurs that Bayern had taken a gamble, a relatively inexperienced coach at the helm of one of the world’s biggest clubs. However, those critics have been silenced in stunning fashion. The Bavarians reclaimed the Bundesliga title last season, and Kompany has wasted no time in pushing them even higher. Bayern began the current campaign by lifting the DFL-Supercup after beating Stuttgart 2-1, setting the tone for a near-flawless run. New arrivals Jonathan Tah and Luis Díaz have slotted into the starting XI seamlessly, while younger players are emerging as stars, and no one embodies that more than Tom Bischof.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportUpamecano has found a leader to follow
Upamecano has impressed under Kompany. In an interview with he said: "We all watched him when we were young; he was a legend for Belgium and Manchester City. He was a very aggressive defender in duels, a leader on the pitch too, a good example for me. He helps me a lot; we do a lot of videos, he talks to me about my positioning. With him, it's always very intense."
Bischof, 20, has also made his way into the starting XI. Having missed the start of the season due to appendicitis, Bischof’s first Bundesliga start came on September 26, and he immediately made his mark, setting up Konrad Laimer’s late goal in a 4-0 demolition of Werder Bremen.
In an interview with , he said: "I've rarely seen a coach who has the team so under control and, at the same time, brings so much fun to training sessions and the team as he does. The first three weeks were truly crazy. He told me something about practically every move. I almost thought: 'Please, that's enough.' I was annoyed, but I have to say that, looking back, it's helped me tremendously. I constantly think of his words in my actions. Run after them, always keep up! He drilled that into my head. And it's stuck there forever."
The young German has since made seven appearances.
Bayern board backing Kompany for more success
It’s not just the players who have been impressed by Kompany’s work, as Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund believes the club has struck gold by appointing the Belgian.
Speaking on , Freund said: "He's extremely ambitious, but so are the players. They want to win games, they want to win titles, and he knows how they feel in different situations and how to approach them. He simply has a really, really good relationship with the guys and lets them play attractive football. The foundation of everything is that they work hard, but also that they have fun. I think there's never been so much running or sprinting at Bayern Munich. But the boys don't mind because they have fun together. In the end, we found the perfect coach, who will hopefully stay at Bayern Munich for a very long time."
Getty Images SportThe Champions League is the real test
While domestic dominance is Bayern’s trademark, Kompany’s eyes are already locked on a bigger prize: the Champions League. The Belgian never won Europe’s top honour as a player but is clearly determined to find a way to lift the trophy as a coach. Last season, Bayern fell short, bowing out to eventual finalists Inter Milan in the quarter-finals. This year, they’ve started their continental campaign in style, brushing aside Chelsea 3-1 at the Allianz Arena. The dream of conquering Europe again, for the first time since 2020, feels closer than ever. With Kompany’s impressive work thus far, and his players clearly buying into his vision, Bayern Munich might just be on the verge of something historic.
