Bayern Will Not Ease Off PSV, Kompany Confirms Ahead Of Champions League Clash

Bayern Munich have already sealed a last-16 place in the Champions League, yet Vincent Kompany insists the trip to PSV will be treated as a serious test, with Bayern targeting another strong performance despite qualification and recent domestic disappointment.

The Bundesliga side visit Philips Stadion on Wednesday with a top-eight finish in the league phase already secured, after victory over Union Saint-Gilloise, and Bayern arrive with confidence despite a 2-1 home defeat to Augsburg ending a 27-match unbeaten Bundesliga run.

Kompany made clear that rotation will not turn the Champions League game into a soft assignment for PSV, even though qualification is assured, and the coach also wants to avoid experiencing back-to-back defeats in all competitions

for the first time since taking charge at Bayern.

Historically, the Champions League meetings between these clubs have favoured Bayern, with PSV suffering six defeats against the German team, more than against any other opponent in European competition, while PSV’s loss rate of 75 per cent from eight games is their highest against a side faced at least five times.

Bayern are the joint-highest scorers in the Champions League this season with 20 goals, underlining the strength of Kompany's attack, yet the away record in the competition against Dutch opposition is modest, with only one win from seven visits since 1992-93, alongside three draws and three defeats, and no clean sheets.

PSV have lost the last two Champions League matches but have also delivered standout league phase results, producing heavy wins over Liverpool and Napoli that confirmed their attacking threat and increased respect from opponents, including Bayern, who see PSV as dangerous despite recent setbacks.

6-2 and 4-1 against Napoli and Liverpoolthose are unique results, which are surprising! But you can see the team believes in itself, warned Kompany. They're strong up front and very quick to counter-attack and get in front of goal. They also have the players to score goals.

𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛: Back under the lights in the Champions League! We travel to Eindhoven on Wednesday to face PSV in our last Champions League group phase match!pic.twitter.com/Feqrd1OZtiFC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) January 25, 2026

Champions League selection plans for Bayern and Kompany

And though already through, Kompany added that he would not make wholesale changes to his team, saying: We're not going easy on anyone. We're in the position of having almost the entire squad with us. Only a few players still have to integrate after their return. We also have players who have played a lot of minutes. We know the qualities of PSV, so we can't just turn up and play with any old players. We have confidence in our squad. We believe in those who will start tomorrow. And if there's a decision that a player won't start, then we believe that in this case there's a lack of freshness.

Kompany stressed that defeat is never discussed as an option before a Champions League match, especially with Bayern chasing a seventh win from eight group games and aiming to finish second in the league phase standings despite the setback against Augsburg at the weekend.

I never talk about losing when we still have a game to play. That's not my mentality. It's all about winning tomorrow, Kompany said. It will be difficult, and we can win or lose, as always in football. It's about winning our seventh game out of eight and finishing second. It's going to be a terrific game tomorrow.

Champions League role of Harry Kane for Bayern

Harry Kane remains central to Bayern’s Champions League threat, with seven goals so far, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe on 11, and questions before the PSV match focused on whether Kompany might rest the England captain during the busy schedule.

When we have so many games, I don't decide the day before the game who will play. I'll think about it tomorrow when I get up, Kompany said. I have 100 per cent respect for PSV, I know it will be difficult. It's not just about Harry. The quality of the pressing also depends on the energy levelsthat was our problem against Augsburg. I have to think about whether it's a question of quality or energyI'll decide that tomorrow. I want to win, one hundred per cent!

Kompany’s approach leaves Bayern balancing rotation with the need for intensity against PSV, while statistics, recent results and Harry Kane’s scoring form show why this Champions League fixture carries weight for both clubs, even with Bayern’s place in the knockout stage already secure.