Kompany: Bayern happy with any win at Real Madrid

Vincent Kompany struck a composed and pragmatic tone after guiding Bayern Munich to a crucial 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The result marked a significant milestone for the Belgian, who was overseeing his 100th match in charge, yet he resisted any temptation to dwell on personal achievements or sentiment ahead of his upcoming 40th birthday.

Instead, Kompany maintained that the job remains incomplete, stressing the importance of finishing the tie strongly in Munich.

“I try to separate out things like that and my imminent birthday. This isn’t over,” he said, underlining his focus on the second leg rather than any celebrations.

Bayern seize advantage in Madrid

Bayern delivered a disciplined and efficient performance in the Spanish capital, taking control of the contest through goals from Luis Díaz and Harry Kane.

The German side established a two-goal cushion before Kylian Mbappé halved the deficit midway through the second half to keep the tie finely balanced.

Despite Madrid’s late surge and attacking threat, Bayern held firm to secure a valuable away win, placing themselves in a strong position ahead of the return leg on home soil.

Kompany acknowledged the quality of the opposition, highlighting the challenge posed by a club of Madrid’s pedigree while also expressing belief in his own team’s ability to compete at the highest level.

“We’ve been very respectful of Madrid at Bayern. We appreciate what kind of club it is,” he noted, while reinforcing Bayern’s ambition to rise to the occasion.

No regrets as Bayern look ahead

When asked whether his side could have extended their advantage further, Kompany dismissed any notion of missed opportunity, instead emphasizing the significance of winning at one of Europe’s most formidable venues.

“No, we are happy… any win at the Bernabéu is a good result. We can build on it and the next game is at home.

“They were incredibly dangerous at times – look at their quality – but we stayed dangerous, too. Now our objective is to go and win at home.”