Kompany praises Bodø/Glimt ahead of Bayern Munich Champions League opener

Vincent Kompany says Bodø/Glimt are “a wonderful story in football” as Bayern Munich prepare to face the Norwegian club at Allianz Arena on Thursday in their opening Champions League fixture.

The Bayern manager believes Bodø/Glimt’s success is particularly impressive given the financial gap between them and Europe’s biggest clubs.

“Bodø/Glimt are a wonderful story in football,” Kompany said at his pre-match news conference. “The more you analyse the team, the more you realise that what they do makes complete sense. Every player can run a lot, every player wants to defend and press, and they have a clear idea.

“Given the money available to them, they really should not be able to compete with these teams, but they are doing it. That is the biggest praise you can give them.”

Bayern begin the match among the clubs expected to challenge for the Champions League title, but Kompany said his squad’s immediate attention was firmly on Thursday’s opponents.

“Bayern are one of those clubs who start the season aiming to win the title,” he added. “But right now, the focus is only on Bodø/Glimt. I do want to make our objectives clear, though, and we will do everything to achieve them.”

Kompany also reflected on the influence of injuries and availability over the course of a campaign, insisting that teams must learn from difficult circumstances rather than look for excuses.

“There are always lessons to learn,” he said. “Two years ago, we were missing eight or nine players against Inter, while last season almost everyone was available. You cannot control that.

“It is about the details and there are no excuses. You have to be better than your opponent, but you also need some luck. You have to create your own luck.”

Musiala return being managed carefully

Jamal Musiala has already made a brief appearance since returning from injury, but Kompany said the Germany international is still being gradually brought back to full fitness.

“Musiala played a few minutes, but he is still in the process of building up,” said Kompany. “He has felt fine since returning to team training and we are getting closer to bringing him back to his normal condition as much as possible, but we need to be a little more patient.”

The Bayern boss said his decisions over player availability were part of a longer-term plan rather than simply resting individuals.

“We want all the players to be available at the end of the season,” he said. “To achieve that, you need a plan. I do not like the word ‘rest’; it is about making logical decisions. Those decisions are made calmly.”

Serge Gnabry is also nearing a return, although he is not expected to be available for the match against Bodø/Glimt if he does not make it back in time.

“If Gnabry does not return tomorrow, his comeback will be close,” Kompany said. “When he is available, all the players will be at our disposal.

“We must not forget how good he was last season. Our aim is for him to recover that level, and the sooner he returns, the better. But we want him with us throughout the season. If he gets back to his level, all the other players in his position will also have to be good, and then there will be competition and intensity.”