Bayern Munich is heading into its final Bundesliga game of the season against FC Köln with Vincent Kompany insisting the approach will be no different from any other match. The coach said Bayern will do everything to win on Saturday, even as the club prepares for a farewell scene before kickoff at Allianz Arena.
Kompany said Köln are dangerous on the break and bring the kind of emotion that can lift a crowd, which is why Bayern need energy and concentration from the first minute. “They are very strong on the counter and also an emotional club that brings a lot of fans. We won’t forget that and we want to have a positive experience, which requires energy and concentration. We will approach this task like any other and do everything to win the game,” he said.
The match matters because it closes Bayern’s Bundesliga campaign, and Kompany made clear the group wants to finish on a high before turning to a celebration of the season. He said the team deserves to enjoy the moment after the final whistle, adding that every season begins with the hope of winning the trophy again and that it is always good to have family and supporters present for that end-of-season feeling.
There is also a lineup decision that carries more weight than sentiment. Kompany confirmed that Manu will start against Köln and said Jonas will have plenty more chances in the future, while Leon Goretzka is set to begin the match as well. “Leon Goretzka will start tomorrow. But it’s not a gift [because it’s his last game at Allianz Arena]. He deserved it for his performances and what he experienced with the team over the years,” Kompany said.
That point lands alongside a farewell planned before the game. Bild reported that Bayern will bid goodbye to Goretzka, Raphaël Guerreiro and Nicolas Jackson before kickoff, with all three players set to receive flowers and a collage in front of 75,000 fans at Allianz Arena. It gives the afternoon a second layer: Bayern are chasing one last result, but they are also marking the end of an era for three players in front of a full house.
For Bayern, the task is simple and the setting is not. They have one more league match to manage, one more chance to finish with authority, and one more occasion in which the football and the emotions will arrive together. Kompany has made the priorities clear: win first, celebrate later.
