Wednesday evening, April 15, will bring one of the biggest matches of this Champions League season.
At Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich will host Real Madrid for the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
The first match, played at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, ended 2–1 in favor of the Bavarians.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany spoke about this clash and tomorrow’s match in a press conference.
“I think it was a good result. That’s it. Maybe we could have scored one more goal, but we could also have conceded more. We have a small advantage, nothing more. It was a high-level, difficult match and it’s not over yet. I’m very satisfied with the result. And everything we can improve, we will try to improve,” said the Belgian coach initially.
Kompany went on to say that they are preparing for the best version of Real Madrid in tomorrow’s match.
“One of the main things, without a doubt, is that we have a lot of respect for Real Madrid. That’s how we felt before the match at the Bernabéu and we still feel the same. We are preparing for the best version of Real, which is the one we saw against Manchester City. Their recent results do not reflect the talent they have. They are still one of the best teams in Europe. But what about the history of FC Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Liverpool FC, Bayern Munich, Arsenal FC? All of them can tell a story of doing something extraordinary. We can too! When we lost to Inter Milan and traveled to Milan, we were 100% convinced we could win. Real feels the same now. But we also know how to hurt them. I strongly believe we can win. We can talk about everything else afterward, but I’m leaving no room for anything else before this,” Kompany added.
Kompany also spoke about the atmosphere at the Allianz Arena, making it clear that it will be difficult for Real and for any opponent.
“I’ve played at the Allianz Arena as an opponent and I’ve felt it. The stadium can suffocate the opponent. And I hope that tomorrow there will be no fans who have come as neutrals. Drink tea with honey beforehand and use your full voice,” said the Bayern coach.
How does Kompany expect the match to go tomorrow and what will decide this clash?
“It will depend on many things. It starts with individual quality. Then there is collective intensity and the willingness to push beyond the pain barrier. Sometimes even the referee can decide the match. I hope not [laughs]. But I mean every detail matters. We are well prepared mentally and physically. And we are excited for this match. You need to have these positive emotions,” he explained.
Finally, Kompany also spoke about his colleague at Union Berlin, Marie-Louise Eta. She is the first woman to be appointed as head coach of a club in one of Europe’s top five men’s leagues. She will lead Union Berlin in the final five matches of the season, aiming to secure survival in the Bundesliga.
“I’m very happy for her. It’s very easy to underestimate these moments and say she’s just a coach like everyone else. But in the end, it’s something special. It opens opportunities for young girls who feel they can also become coaches. It opens doors. I wish her all the best. The only thing I hope is that she is not treated like male coaches, in the sense that people show more patience with her than with male coaches. Coaching is a profession where you really wish there was more patience,” he concluded.
