Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has defended his side’s performance following their Champions League quarterfinal exit to Inter Milan on Wednesday night.
Kompany, who is of Congolese descent, saw his team draw 2-2 at the San Siro, but the Italian giants advanced 4-3 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals.
Despite the disappointment, the Bayern boss praised his players for their resilience and commitment amid a heavy injury crisis that saw several key players sidelined.
“I think the big issue, before Inter, was injuries,” Kompany said after the match.
“We had to understand what we could do without Ito, Upamecano, Musiala, Neuer, Davies, Coman, Pavlovic. I think in the first match we showed a good Bayern Munich: I’m not talking about the result. In the second match we also showed a positive attitude in Milan, today we had very positive feelings: there was great support from the fans.”
Bayern started the match on the front foot and created more goal-scoring opportunities than their hosts. However, two key moments cost them dearly, which Kompany admitted were influenced by Inter’s quality.
“There were two moments, and you have to recognize Inter’s qualities, in which we should have done better,” he said. “We know we have done enough to win these matches. The harsh reality is that we will not play the Champions League final at home. We cannot change this.”
The manager also cited Bayern’s congested fixture schedule as a contributing factor to their fitness issues, stating: “In addition to the many games, there are long trips and the pressure increases when we have defections. Tonight we were decimated, in such an important phase of the competition.”
Despite the setback, Kompany believes Bayern can still take pride in their efforts. “I would play the way we did again,” he said. “The big regret is the result.”
