Joshua Kimmich believes Bayern Munich has learned an important lesson from some of their past struggles against underdogs in the DFB-Pokal.
In previous seasons, Bayern Munich occasionally made life much more difficult for itself in cup matches against lower-division opposition. The talent gap was obvious, but the performances did not always reflect it, particularly away from home.
Kimmich believes that has changed.
“We have become more stable and more reliable in what we do and how we play. We have good
principles and automatisms that we bring to the pitch. You can see that no matter the opponent, we take every game very seriously,” Kimmich said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
That last point might be the most important.
The DFB-Pokal has produced plenty of surprises over the years, and Bayern Munich knows better than most that reputation does not win a knockout match. A complacent performance, a slow start, or a failure to respect the opponent can quickly turn into a difficult night.
Under Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich appears to have developed a greater consistency in their approach. The expectation is that the team will impose its style regardless of the opposition rather than adjusting its mentality based on the quality of the opponent.
For Bayern Munich, that could be a crucial difference when the pressure of the knockout rounds arrives.
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