In Munich, they have noticed that Bayer Leverkusen are performing in the Bundesliga just like in the championship season. Wolfsburg should provide the right answer.
24.08.2024, 13:01
dpa
Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen's spectacular opening win in the Bundesliga has only served to spur FC Bayern Munich on for the new championship campaign. "Now they've got luck on their side again," said sporting director Max Eberl the morning after double winners Leverkusen scored the winning goal in stoppage time in a 3-2 win at Mönchengladbach.
More on Leverkusen's disastrous win
Vincent Kompany wants to counter Leverkusen's success on Sunday in his first Bundesliga match as coach with the record champions from Munich. "It's important that we show the mentality we want to show this season in our first game," said the 38-year-old Belgian ahead of the match at VfL Wolfsburg. "Hopefully we'll be there!"
Kompany's calculation: champions must get 90 points
Kompany is taking the title fight with Leverkusen in his stride: "We want to be the competition." He believes that around 90 points will be needed to finish first after 34 matchdays. That's how many points Bayer scored last season. Bayern finished a distant third in the table with 72 points.
"For eleven years, the champions were always the favorites, Bayern Munich," said Eberl. This time, the role of favorites is not so clear, but Leverkusen are definitely among them. "We want to make sure that the only way to the championship is through Bayern Munich," said the 50-year-old.
Kompany expects "a difficult away game against a strong team" in Wolfsburg. Apart from a few long-term injuries such as Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, all players are fit. Kompany did not reveal whether new signings Michael Olise and João Palhinha will start straight away. However, he said that the aim was to "get to a starting eleven more quickly", especially in his early days. He is "not nervous" ahead of his league debut as Bayern coach, but is looking forward to it.
