After leading his side to a 2-1 victory over Elversberg in the third round of the DFB-Pokal, FC Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany attended the post-match press conference.

Match Summary

First, I want to address the media directly. Today we faced a very brave and intelligent opponent who showed great determination. The match was intense from start to finish. I say this in respect of their performance – this wasn't a game we wanted to have, but I still think it was valuable for my team. They came out fighting in the second half, found their rhythm through their own effort, and we created good scoring opportunities. It was a genuinely difficult test against such a determined opponent.

I also want to express my gratitude: since we arrived in this region, tens of thousands of people have given us a genuinely warm welcome at the stadium. It was an intense match, but everything outside the pitch... yes, it's been an outstanding football experience. And I want to say that regardless of what happens,

was the support for Bayern particularly intense today compared to usual away matches? What was the atmosphere like when the fans arrived?

I've genuinely never seen anything like this before. Never! When we drove to the hotel, I thought there must be some kind of festival happening nearby because the time of year would fit. But it wasn't a festival – it was tens of thousands of fans waiting for us. This is an experience completely different from anything we're used to. Even with major occasions, this is still something special. I now have every reason to wish Elversberg the best of luck so we can come back and play here again next year.

That's a nice thought! But what about the visiting team's dressing room facilities here? How do you feel about them, and did they affect your pre-match preparations?

No, no – everything was fine. We're not complaining or being arrogant. We're all normal people. I myself coached in the second division not long ago, and sometimes for away matches you even have to change in private homes next to the stadium. So no, this is just part of football.

Our first-half performance fell short of expectations. We wanted to show full respect for this match and the completely different competitive environment, which is indeed very different. I thought we could do well, but we didn't in the first half. Normally our players are accustomed to away matches and are happy to compete fully under any circumstances.

You made seven lineup changes again today. It seems your rotation has been broader than in the past two years. Can you explain your thinking? Is this about giving every player minutes and experience, or are you planning long-term for the critical period in spring to minimize injury risk at this stage?

This involves multiple factors, and there's strong logic behind it. There are reasons for every decision. Of course, sometimes you make decisions on instinct, which is unavoidable. But what matters most is the broader strategic vision: we're giving players playing time – not just to get minutes, but to ensure they're genuinely ready to perform in the most important situations. If we wait all season until something goes wrong before we try to fix it, it's too late.

As for making more changes than usual, that's not really what's happening. It's just how it feels intuitively – just external perception. Of course, if you don't win or win narrowly, this question becomes especially pointed. But if you win 3-0 or 4-0, everyone thinks everything is fine. But that's part of football, and we're used to it.

There's another crucial point that can't be overlooked – something I've felt deeply not just as a coach but as a former player – there's a big difference between rotating six or seven players who are experienced and have recently returned from injury, and rotating with players who have all played competitive minutes in the past seven days.

Looking back over the past 7 to 10 days, every player who started today has been in the lineup and performed well – they just didn't perform well in the first half today. Still, we went into the dressing room at half-time with a 1-0 lead. That's football. What matters is that the logic is clear. This isn't about charity or gifts – we need to prepare correctly.

Kompany, another question about the first half: Michaël Olise played in the number 10 or attacking midfield role. Will this be your regular option going forward? How do you assess his performance? And a specific follow-up: after Harry Kane scored, Kim Min-jae couldn't return to the pitch immediately, and we saw you protest quite strongly. Can you explain or clarify what happened then?

Yes, this is due to a new rule that was just introduced. In principle, I think the new rule is good because in my view time-wasting is the worst thing in football. Fans come to the stadium and the ball should be rolling – so the new rule is a good starting point in theory. But in that specific situation, a player shouldn't be forced to wait on the sideline for nearly a minute, whether it's a Bayern player or an opponent's player. In this detail, we may need better communication and coordination with those involved to handle such situations more reasonably in future, which would help preserve the good spirit of the game.

Regarding Michaël Olise: Michaël has complete freedom. He can start from the wing or move through the center. The key idea is positioning Michaël where he can create the most danger. Playing in the number 10 role facing the defense feels completely different because you're in the center of the pitch rather than on the wing, and you don't always need to press the opponent's fullbacks. In possession, I give players considerable freedom.

When Michaël appears in the half-space and central areas, he can create real threats because he feels he can do the most damage there. When he's on the wing, it's because he feels he can control the game through one-on-one duels. He has excellent technical ability overall, and of course all this must be integrated with our passing patterns and overall control. What's important is that these players have the capability to manage these areas, which I think is crucial. So whether he plays on the wing or inthe center, both options work.

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