Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said his team would go into the new German Bundesliga season with “almost no preparation” because of their participation at the FIFA Club World Cup, but also highlighted some positives of being at the tournament.
FIFA’s new expanded competition in the US, finishing on July 13, means participating clubs would get limited time to rest and recover ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
As well as the riches on offer, with US$1 billion in prize money on the line in total, Kompany said there are some other benefits coming with working in a group abroad for several weeks.
Photo: AFP
“I think there’s two sides to the argument,” Kompany told a news conference on Monday.
“I think there’s the argument of us building team cohesion and spending time [together]. It’s perhaps faster for the integration of players like Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof, and players who are just joining,” he said. “But I think there’s a counterargument as well that for the next season we will have almost no preparation.”
Kompany said that the team would not be able to operate with their usual preseason schedule.
“I mean, if you look at all the scientific research around what is the right type of preparation to prepare a new season, we are just throwing the book away, and we’re just going to start the new season, with all the pressures that you have to win every game as well,” he said.
Kompany compared the tournament with national team events like the FIFA World Cup and European Championships, with the players grouped together.
However, he said unlike in international football, higher-level concepts can be worked on, because the players are not just getting to know one another.
“It’s got its advantages as well, because we’re working on details, whereas in national teams you’re working on basics,” he added. “It’s an interesting experience.”
Bayern ruthlessly dispatched Auckland City of New Zealand 10-0 in their first outing, before edging Boca Juniors 2-1.
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