Bayern looks to bounce back from Bochum defeat
Vincent Kompany acknowledged Bayern Munich's trip to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga will not be easy as it looks to get back to winning ways.
Bayern, which had Joao Palhinha sent off in the first half against Bochum, suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to the struggler at home last weekend, giving up a 2-0 lead.
The Bavarian side got a confidence boost in midweek with a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, giving it an aggregate 5-0 victory and a spot in the last eight, where it will face Italy's Inter Milan.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern is eight points clear of defending champion Leverkusen, which is in second place, despite last week's surprise home loss.
"There are no easy games. We need to win, that's where we start," Kompany said.
"Union did very well last time out against Frankfurt and convincingly won. It's very clear what they do and they can always pose a threat.
"Our demand is that we deliver a complete performance and pick up three points. Obviously, that isn't easy in the Bundesliga. That's football."
Bayern's 3-2 defeat to Bochum was just its second Bundesliga loss of the season. It means it has now dropped points in two of its past four league games, as often as it did across its previous 15 league fixtures combined.
The league leader has only endured a two-game winless run once this season, across September and October – 1-1 against Leverkusen, 3-3 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Union, in 14th place, has struggled in the league this season but bounced back last week after three straight losses with a 2-1 away win at fourth-placed Frankfurt.
It has won only one of its past nine home league games, losing five of them, but has not had much luck against Bayern in the Bundesliga. Bayern has not lost any of its 11 games against Union in the competition, winning eight of them.
Kompany said Union had done well to win at Frankfurt, and was full of praise for a side he expects to throw up some surprises on Sunday (AEDT).
"They're a team who live for special moments," he added. "They have an interesting way of moving the ball at the start of a phase.
"They're little moments of chaos that can bring energy in particular in home games. They try to defend in a compact way but also have players who aren't just about defending. They can defend but can also apply pressure.
"We're not going there underestimating the opposition. We know their quality and need our best performance. Then there's a chance we can win."
Bayern is on 61 points, with Leverkusen, which travels to Stuttgart on Monday (AEDT), on 53, and surprise package Mainz in third place on 44.
