Bayern Munich rotated for a second straight Bundesliga match on Sunday and nearly paid the price once again.
While Harry Kane led the line for Bayern’s 2-1 road win over SV Elversberg, four starters from the midweek Champions League thrashing of Bodø/Glimt — Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz, and Alphonso Davies — were left to come off the bench. The quartet came on together in the 64th minute with the score level at 1-1.
Manuel Neuer also took a turn on the bench in favor of Jonas Urbig at
keeper. After the match, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany explained the thinking behind the moves.
“There’s a logic behind it. Sometimes your gut feeling also plays a role in such decisions,” Kompany shared in comments captured by @iMiaSanMia. “Overall, we have to give the guys minutes so that they’ll be there in the right moment. If they just keep waiting the entire season and then something happens, then it’d be too late.
“That’s part of football. It’s important to have a logic behind it, it’s not about giving out gifts to the players.”
Bayern finds itself in third place in the Bundesliga after three matchdays thanks to last week’s draw to Schalke. But the early Champions League momentum and minutes for rotational players will hopefully pay dividends down the road.
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