Kompany Praises Bayern's Fighting Spirit After Comebacks As They Seek Consistency Ahead Of Union SG

Vincent Kompany praised Bayern Munich’s resilience yet warned that greater control is needed when they face Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League. Bayern are unbeaten in the 2025-26 Bundesliga,

but they have fallen behind in two of three league matches in 2026, and Kompany wants that habit removed before European action.

Those league games still ended in convincing wins, including a 5-1 victory over RB Leipzig, which underlined Bayern Munich’s attacking power. Kompany has highlighted the squad’s ability to respond under pressure, yet the coach believes smoother starts will be vital as the season’s schedule tightens and the Champions League demands increase.

In the Champions League league phase, Bayern Munich currently sit second in the table before their penultimate fixture. The Opta supercomputer rates them second favourites for the trophy with a 20% chance. Bayern are three points behind Arsenal yet hold only a three-point buffer over ninth-placed Liverpool in the chase for automatic progression.

A win against Union Saint-Gilloise, who meet Bayern Munich for the first time in their history, would very likely confirm a top-eight finish. That would secure a direct route into the last 16 and remove the risk of a play-off tie, which Bayern had to navigate last season before continuing their Champions League campaign.

Kompany stressed how demanding it is to secure one of the leading positions in this expanded Champions League. "I’d like to achieve [a top-two finish], but the example of Paris Saint-Germain last season changed a lot," he said. "The knockout phase is a different competition. We also won against Bayer Leverkusen last year, even though we had to go through the play-offs. I’d like to achieve it because we’re close, and we’ve deserved it up to now. It’s incredibly difficult to finish in the top eight; it’s a bit underappreciated. For that reason alone, it’d be nice. "

Domestic performances in 2026 have underlined both strengths and flaws. Bayern Munich have trailed in every league match this calendar year, including in Leipzig, yet still produced emphatic victories. Kompany appreciates the mentality shown but sees this pattern as risky, especially with "so many games in January" and the Champions League entering a decisive phase.

Bayern Munich Champions League build-up and performance analysis

Kompany reflected on the recent Bundesliga run with mixed satisfaction. "All three games were different, but we always conceded first," he said. "We have so many games in January. They’ve all been close at first, but it’s a great quality of ours that we always manage to make the difference. We had periods where we were dominant for 90 minutes, which hasn’t always been the case recently. But of course, our opponents want to make it difficult for us. Nevertheless, we did a lot of things right. The first half in Leipzig wasn’t good. We have to get through this phase now, then we’ll get our consistency back. But we’re also drawing strength from our recent successes. "

Harry Kane enters the Union Saint-Gilloise meeting under scrutiny in the Champions League. Kane has gone three Champions League games without a goal or assist, matching a three-match drought experienced with Tottenham in 2022. Even so, Kane has five Champions League goals this season, the most for Bayern Munich, and 32 goals in all competitions in 2025-26.

Bayern Munich Champions League challenge and Harry Kane’s role

Kompany underlined how much Kane still contributes beyond the current Champions League drought. "He has so much experience and knows exactly when and in which gaps to move," Kompany added of Kane. "He’s constantly communicating with his team-mates. He finds a good balance between distance and closeness to the defenders. He’s always very alert to second balls. He can score goals in a lot of ways. There’s always more to analyse. It’s always a question of what works best. We’re not the ones who can influence whether Harry scores or not. But we try to find ways to help him and show him things. A lot of it comes down to routine. And, of course, Harry has incredible talent. "

As Bayern Munich prepare for Union Saint-Gilloise, the club carry strong form, clear Champions League ambitions and some tactical concerns. Recent comebacks, Kane’s scoring record and their current league-phase position suggest a team well placed, yet Kompany continues to stress consistency and control as the decisive elements for the next stage of their European campaign.