
Vincent Kompany: The Secret to Premier League Clubs' Success and Our Aim to Reach the Champions League Final
Bayern Munich's coach Vincent Kompany appeared at a press conference to talk about tomorrow's match against Augsburg in the second round of the Bundesliga.
The coach said: "The new Stuttgart coach Wagner? It's always exciting to face a new coach because you study your opponent with great interest. I don't know Wagner personally, but I know what he has done previously with Unterhaching and the national team. But in the end, it’s about this match. We hope to repeat the performance we had against Leipzig to give us the best chance of winning."
Regarding the departure of Bundesliga stars to the English league: "Money [laughing]. When we were promoted from the Championship to the Premier League with Burnley, suddenly you get the broadcasting money, which amounts to £100 million for promoted clubs. Your annual budget jumps from €25 or €30 million to €120 or €130 million, a figure that competes with elite Bundesliga clubs. We were at Burnley competing with Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg for players, and now we see Sunderland buying from Leverkusen and competing with Milan. This is the financial reality."
On tomorrow's match: "I always assume that every team facing Bayern plays as if it’s a final. But we must not underestimate our hunger for victory and enthusiasm for this match. We undoubtedly have the quality, but we don’t want to be judged solely on that, but rather on hard work and fighting spirit. Our foundation in every match is the hunger for victory, and that will be present tomorrow as well."
On the Champions League draw: "We were the first team to have our name announced, and with the press of a button, all the matches appeared. It took me a little time to absorb it. We will face two teams from England in addition to Paris Saint-Germain, all of whom are contenders. The two matches against the Belgian teams will be special for me. We know that six wins guarantee us a spot among the top eight, and four wins mean the playoffs. Our goal is to be among the top eight, and most importantly, to advance in the tournament. It won't be easy, but our dream is to reach the final."
He concluded: "My role is to choose the lineup and inject energy into the team for each match. We always communicate internally and work quietly away from media noise. The players who will be available tomorrow have the ability to win, and that is the most important thing in the next 24 hours."
The coach said: "The new Stuttgart coach Wagner? It's always exciting to face a new coach because you study your opponent with great interest. I don't know Wagner personally, but I know what he has done previously with Unterhaching and the national team. But in the end, it’s about this match. We hope to repeat the performance we had against Leipzig to give us the best chance of winning."
Regarding the departure of Bundesliga stars to the English league: "Money [laughing]. When we were promoted from the Championship to the Premier League with Burnley, suddenly you get the broadcasting money, which amounts to £100 million for promoted clubs. Your annual budget jumps from €25 or €30 million to €120 or €130 million, a figure that competes with elite Bundesliga clubs. We were at Burnley competing with Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg for players, and now we see Sunderland buying from Leverkusen and competing with Milan. This is the financial reality."
On tomorrow's match: "I always assume that every team facing Bayern plays as if it’s a final. But we must not underestimate our hunger for victory and enthusiasm for this match. We undoubtedly have the quality, but we don’t want to be judged solely on that, but rather on hard work and fighting spirit. Our foundation in every match is the hunger for victory, and that will be present tomorrow as well."
On the Champions League draw: "We were the first team to have our name announced, and with the press of a button, all the matches appeared. It took me a little time to absorb it. We will face two teams from England in addition to Paris Saint-Germain, all of whom are contenders. The two matches against the Belgian teams will be special for me. We know that six wins guarantee us a spot among the top eight, and four wins mean the playoffs. Our goal is to be among the top eight, and most importantly, to advance in the tournament. It won't be easy, but our dream is to reach the final."
He concluded: "My role is to choose the lineup and inject energy into the team for each match. We always communicate internally and work quietly away from media noise. The players who will be available tomorrow have the ability to win, and that is the most important thing in the next 24 hours."