Moreover, some of Bayern’s regulars needed rest ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League showdown with defending UCL title-holders PSG. Leverkusen simply wasn’t an adversary worthy of Kompany’s best men. By the time Kane, Diaz, and Olise were finally introduced in the 59th-minute, Bayern were already up 3-0 and cruising to victory.
“When I received the schedule six weeks ago or so, it was clear that this game could potentially be dangerous in terms of the workload,” Kompany told Sky Germany before kickoff. “If it’s clear that players can’t play 90 minutes today, I’d rather have them come on late than play an hour. That suits them and us better.“
“I’m not surprised [by Kompany’s personnel rotations],” FCB board-member-for-sport Max Eberl added in his own Sky pre-kickoff interview. “As a club, we aim to achieve the greatest possible success in all competitions. Vinny has a clear plan and a clear vision that he communicates to the players. Harry [Kane] needs a break at some point.“
“If I were in your [journalist’s] position, I would have thought that something could go awry today [with the squad rotations],” Kompany then added at the post-match press conference. “The opponent probably also thought ‘this is our big chance’. I would have thought the same if I were sitting in the opponent’s locker room [when the team sheets were released].
“What was important for me is that we began [the match] as if we were shot out of a cannon,” Kompany continued. “That we committed 100 percent to marching forward without giving things a second thought. That’s what we did in the first half and we were able to settle into a comfortable rhythm. We didn’t think. We just did.
“That can potentially be dangerous, but one has to do it anyway,” Kompany concluded. “Otherwise, what’s the point of building a squad?“
