On September 3 at 8:45 PM CEST, Bayern Munich will face Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal first round. Ahead of the match, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany held a press conference.

Key points from the press conference are outlined below.

On Saturday, Kompany discussed how his squad's players have differing levels of match fitness and recovery following the World Cup. Some players had extended World Cup campaigns while others returned earlier. Given these circumstances, what is the biggest challenge you face in preparing for opponents like Stuttgart? Is it about preparing Bayern to compete against teams like Bayer Leverkusen, whose capabilities may match or exceed yours, or ensuring you're ready for a fierce battle inside the stadium with an emotionally charged crowd?

Vincent Kompany: I think the key point is that every match can be difficult, and you shouldn't underestimate any opponent. I've heard a lot about Bayer Leverkusen and know what the environment there is like. But that's a puzzle you always have to solve. Whether the opponent is a Bundesliga club or a Champions League club, you have to approach the problem the same way. Because at this moment, there's nothing more important than winning. But at the same time, we also have to think about the team's development trajectory after the match. We don't want unnecessary defeats to hurt the team. So we need to gather information and make decisions accordingly. Regardless of who we face, we must maintain the same high standards. This is sometimes a complex puzzle, but we have the quality of players to do it.

You've always emphasized that analysis of opponents and preparation for matches remains consistent, whether the opponent is Bayer Leverkusen or Arsenal. So specifically, what are you expecting from Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow?

Vincent Kompany: Regarding Bayer Leverkusen, I can say they had a successful season last year, primarily focusing on defensive stability and creating threats through quick counter-attacks based on this defensive foundation. When they moved to the 2. Bundesliga this season after their strong previous campaign, they weren't initially able to play at their previous level in some early matches. However, they later recovered their defensive solidity in the match against Bochum.

I can explain how they play now, where their strengths lie, and what opportunities we might see. But ultimately, the important foundation of their success last season was this defensive strength and counter-attacking ability. I'm confident they will strive for their goals and success again. Such matches are never easy. If we're in good form, most things tend to go smoothly. However, it depends on many factors: how long it takes to find our rhythm, how quickly we can grasp the match's dynamics, and how much of a threat we can pose at their level of play. Matches like the DFB-Pokal are always full of excitement.

As usual, questions about the squad list: which players are returning, which will be available for Leverkusen, which cannot play, and maintaining last season's tradition—you typically announce goalkeeper lineups in advance because you tend to inform goalkeepers early about their status. So how is Urbig scheduled for tomorrow, and what development trajectory do you expect from him over the season?

Vincent Kompany: Urbig will start as goalkeeper tomorrow. Looking at the entire season, it's essentially the same as last season. I believe we're placing great trust in Urbig. He has already played many important matches for the team, including the DFB-Pokal final. These are important milestones showing he can represent the team in top-level competition. Part of his development process requires continuous playing time.

Our current goalkeeper lineup has Neuer as the team's number-one goalkeeper. He will continue to be selected as the starter. However, with this goalkeeper arrangement, we can ensure it's good for Neuer while simultaneously supporting Urbig's development through playing time. I'm aware that I've spoken about goalkeepers multiple times regarding player status. However, I don't typically reveal the complete squad list status in advance. But I have shared some information frequently.

However, you have disclosed some information before.

Vincent Kompany: Yes, but not always. Well, let me summarize this week's situation regarding this topic. Sometimes I only learn certain information after the press conference. That's why I often think, "We need to discuss first whether this information can be disclosed." It's confirmed that Gnabry cannot play tomorrow. Lennart Kimmich is returning. He has been getting playing time, which is very good for us. Musiala is generally in a similar situation. But I must be honest: we haven't finalized the last discussions before the match yet. So we'll wait for the final decision. His training this week has been very good. He performed smoothly throughout the training process as we expected. The remaining question is to discuss with medical staff and Musiala himself to determine the right time for his return—tomorrow, end of this week, or next week. I can't say at this moment.

I have a follow-up question about Urbig and Neuer. You just said that as he gets playing time, he'll develop, and he'll play tomorrow. So have you considered designating him as the "DFB-Pokal goalkeeper," or have you completely ruled out this arrangement? Also, can you provide more clarity on Gnabry's situation—when can he return and what's his recovery plan?

Vincent Kompany: No, no, I firmly reject the concept of a "DFB-Pokal goalkeeper" or "Champions League goalkeeper." We make decisions based on the schedule. Sometimes that also considers what's best for Neuer, because he can't play every match. At the same time, we want to maintain Urbig's positive development trajectory.

As a coach, I made similar decisions early in my tenure. It was a big risk and a major mistake at the time. I learned from that experience. So I'll continue to manage this flexibility. But simultaneously, I always respect the condition of both goalkeepers.

Regarding Gnabry's situation, realistically speaking, we still need to discuss further with him. He could return by the end of this week, but it's not certain. If I had to estimate now, I think he'll be available again within the next 10 days. Then he can fully rejoin the team.

AI ဘာသာပြန်ဆိုသည်။

AF ၏ PC ဝဘ်ဆိုက် စတင်ထွက်ရှိပြီ! သင့်ကွန်ပျူတာမှ သတင်းများ၊ မှတ်ချက်များ၊ ပွဲစဉ်အသေးစိတ်နှင့် စာရင်းဇယားများကြည့်ရှုနိုင်သည်။ ဝင်ရောက်ရန်: www.allfootballapp.com