‘It wasn’t possible to bring him on’ – Kompany explains late Nicolas Jackson substitution against Chelsea

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has shed light on why Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson only entered the pitch in the 90th minute of their UEFA Champions League opener against Chelsea.

Jackson, who left Stamford Bridge for Bavaria in the summer, had been widely tipped to make an early impact against his former club but instead saw just a few minutes of action.

Kompany revealed after the match that an untimely injury to defender Josip Stanisic disrupted his substitution strategy and forced him to rethink his game plan.

“I lost the timing of the substitution moment with Stanis’ injury. And I had planned for Leon to come on at some point to bring that energy back,” the Belgian coach told reporters. “Those were the two priorities.”

The Bayern boss explained that his final change had to be kept in reserve as the match unfolded, meaning Jackson’s introduction was delayed until stoppage time.

“That’s why it simply wasn’t possible to bring Jackson on earlier. We had to keep the final substitution moment in case something else happened,” Kompany said.

Despite the late cameo, Kompany praised the 24-year-old forward’s attitude and commitment to the team.

“But Nico was also happy for the team,” he added, suggesting Jackson understood the tactical decision and remained supportive from the bench.

The fixture marked an emotional reunion for Jackson, who spent two seasons at Chelsea before his high-profile switch to Bayern.