Kompany urges Bayern to bounce back after Feyenoord defeat
Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany wants his players to put the midweek defeat to Feyenoord behind them when they face Freiburg on Saturday.
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has urged his players to deliver a winning performance when the Bundesliga leaders face Freiburg on Saturday.
Kompany's side had fallen to a 3-0 defeat to Feyenoord in the Champions League in the midweek - a result that dented their chances of a top eight finish in the league phase and securing an automatic spot in the last 16.
But the Bavarians have been in excellent form domestically and are four points clear at the top of the German top flight, with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in second place.
And the Belgian tactician is hopeful his side can build on that momentum at the weekend.
"It is good that we play so soon again," Kompany said ahead of their return to Bundesliga action.
"It is something we hoped for. We lost that game, that is a fact. I think it is important if you want to be at the very top to put in the work. Hopefully, the answer will come on the pitch and that is the most important thing."
Their 45-point haul is their best in the league in eight years at this point and their 56 goals in 18 matches has only been bettered by one side in Bundesliga history - Bayern themselves during the 2021-22 campaign, when they scored a goal more.
Furthermore, they have also not lost any of their last 17 Bundesliga games against Freiburg, winning 12 and drawing four matches during that period.
However, they will be without suspended Konrad Laimer for the game while fellow defender Alphonso Davies is set for a prolonged time out with a muscle injury.
Full-back Davies has appeared in 16 of 18 league games for Bayern this season and has a goal and two assists in his bag.
The defeat to Dutch side Feyenoord left Bayern in 15th place with only 12 points from seven matches in the Champions League.
The 16 teams below the top eight in the Champions League will go into a play-off in order to qualify for the last 16 of the competition.
Kompany added that, despite their midweek loss, his players were committed to the season's goal of winning titles.
"If you want to win titles you have to be there every moment. But it is unusual in a season when you go after titles not to see things [like the Feyenoord defeat] happen," he said.
"It is in the decisive moments that you have to be there, and these moments will come.
"We lost, that's correct. But the lads showed full commitment until now. We want to keep seeing that," he said.
While Bayer make the trip to Freiburg, their closest rivals Leverkusen will be at RB Leipzig on the same day as they look to cut the gap to the leaders.