With Bayern Munich’s 2-1 preseason victory over Jeju SK in the books, head coach Vincent Kompany has already turned his attention to Friday’s friendly against Aston Villa, outlining how he plans to manage his squad as the players continue building fitness ahead of the new season.
Rather than focusing solely on the result against Jeju SK, Kompany revealed that every substitution was part of a carefully planned workload strategy designed to gradually increase each player’s minutes.
“I think the players
who played 30 minutes today will be able to play 60 minutes on Friday. And those who got 60 minutes today will play 30 on Friday. Lucho Díaz, (Konrad) Laimer, and (Josip) Stanišić are not ready for that yet. But the German internationals, (Kim) Min-jae and (Hiroki) Itō are ready. Guys like (Tom) Bischof and (Arijon) Ibrahimović who did all the preparation with us can do a bit extra. We want to perform and get a result,” Kompany said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
The comments offer an interesting glimpse into Bayern Munich’s preseason planning. While Díaz, Laimer, and Stanišić are still catching up after joining the squad later in the summer, players who have been with the team throughout preseason are now ready for a heavier workload. That includes Kim and Itō, as well as youngsters Bischof and Ibrahimović, who have benefited from completing the full preparation under Kompany.
Even with fitness remaining the priority, Kompany made it clear that Bayern Munich will not simply treat the match against Aston Villa as another training exercise. The goal is still to compete at a high level and continue building momentum before the competitive campaign begins.
As Bayern Munich enters the final stretch of preseason, the balance between managing minutes and maintaining a winning mentality will be crucial. Friday’s clash with Aston Villa should provide another important test as Kompany edges closer to having his squad fully prepared for the start of the Bundesliga season.
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