Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany message to player is – possession matters, but only if it leads to danger, intensity and results.
In his second season in charge, the Bayern head coach wants a team that is comfortable dominating the ball – and just as ready to suffer without it.
Bayern have continued to control matches under Kompany, often seeing between 60 and 75 percent of the ball in the Bundesliga. But the former Manchester City captain insists possession is not an obsession.
“We usually have between 60 and 75 percent possession,” Kompany said in an interview with club magazine Sabener 51. “The players actually want the ball. They didn’t start playing football to chase after it.”
For Kompany, having the ball only counts if Bayern use it with purpose. He wants constant movement, space and a threat in every phase of the attack.
“It’s crucial that we are active in possession, that we create space and constantly threaten to score,” he said. “We don’t voluntarily give up the ball and space.”
However, Kompany has also set a clear standard for the moments when Bayern are pushed back.
“If we have to defend deep, the opponents have to earn it,” he added. “And then we have to enjoy defending.”
That balance will be vital as Bayern move into the Champions League knockout stage, where control is never guaranteed. Kompany knows his side may face opponents who force them into uncomfortable spells without the ball.
“But otherwise, I want us to be ready at every moment, with every pass, to always have an idea, to always be dangerous,” he said.
For Bayern to lift trophies, Kompany believes they must master both sides of the game – loving possession, and respecting the fight without it.
