Kompany Raises Fixture Congestion Concerns Ahead of Bayer Leverkusen Clash | OneFootball

The top two in Bundesliga clash this weekend as Bayern Munich travel to Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany is expecting a battle of “high quality” but has already raised concerns about fixture congestion.

Bayern beat Celtic 2-1 in Glasgow on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League play-off and the games are coming thick and faster for the Bundesliga leaders.

It will be Bayern’s tenth game in five weeks and is just three days prior to their Champions League second-leg play-off on Tuesday.

Bayern are unbeaten in Bundesliga in 2025 and eight points clear of Leverkusen, but time and history favour Xabi Alonso’s side.

Die Roten have not won in their last five games against Leverkusen, stretching back to 2022 but Kompany is excited for the battle ahead.

Packed fixture list

In his press conference today, Kompany said that the packed fixture list might play a role physically and mentally on his side:

“It shouldn’t play a role, but it might play a role. We’re used to it, mentally as well. We want to play again and take on this game now. We’ve got the squad for it, we don’t have many injuries right now. So, we’re not saying this game isn’t coming at the right time. We’ve said we’re excited about this period.”

Past encounters

Bayern have already played Leverkusen twice this season: a 1-0 home defeat in the DFB Pokal and a 1-1 draw in the league. Bayern dominated both fixtures but Kompany knows that it will be another stern test for his side:

“Both games [this season] were very tight. The quality in both teams is very high. But both games this season were also different. In one, we got an early red card; in the other, we dominated. Now we’re playing away. You don’t know how the game will go, but it’ll definitely be a high-quality game.”

Florian Wirtz versus Jamal Musiala

The game will feature two global superstars in Wirtz and Musiala. Kompany said that Germany should savour the moment as two “special” players come head-to-head:

“You need to deal with him as a collective. Players like him always find a moment. Germany can be very pleased to have players like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

German football can be really pleased that both play for Germany. You don’t need to look too much for differences or who’s better. They’re both super players. We know what makes them special. It’s special to have two players like them in the same generation, the same league, and the same national team. I don’t know Florian Wirtz personally, but I do know Jamal. I think they can both develop even further.”

On the Leverkusen Press

“The game will be of interest to a lot of people. You can’t forget that they’ve only lost once in the league in the last 18 months. It wouldn’t surprise me if they regularly got over 80 points. That shows how well they’re working. We’re aware of that and have taken steps to be competitive. We want to be one of the teams to win away there.

Leverkusen have shown they can go for a full press when they need but can also defend deeper. We’re in a spell where we don’t need to think too much about the opposition. We know they can defend deep but also press high. We need to be prepared for both. We’ve often pressed high, which has worked well. But when someone plays through, we can also defend deep. We’re prepared for both. We want to have the ball and score goals, no matter what phase of the game.”

Team news

Kompany is expecting to name a relatively unchanged side that beat Celtic in midweek and has few injury concerns to contend with:

“Hopefully, and normally, there aren’t any real changes to the squad from the last game in terms of who’s available and who isn’t. The injured players aren’t far from returning to training. Normally, we’d first have Joao Palhinha, then Alphonso Davies, and then Daniel Peretz back.”

Kompany will be hoping to extend a five-game winning streak but Xabi Alonso’s side will aim to capitalise on a fatigued squad.

GGFN | Oscar O’Mara