'A lot of respect' for Kiel: Bayern visit Bundesliga newcomers

The longest away trip of the season is here! Almost 700 kilometres as the crow flies separate Munich and Kiel, where the meeting between the record champions and the newcomers of the Bundesliga will take place on Saturday evening (live text and Web Radio commentary from 18:30 CEST on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app). Following the international break, FC Bayern are aiming to build on their performances in the opening weeks of the season and leave the far north with three points. Our preview contains all the key info on the clash with the Storks.

Here are the photos from Friday’s final training session:

The state of play for Bayern

While many of his players were away on international travels, head coach Vincent Kompany used the break to take stock. Bayern have six points from two games in the Bundesliga and are in the next round of the DFB Cup thanks to a convincing display at Ulm. The 38-year-old has no intention of resting on the perfect start and is looking forward, specifically to the next six games before his players again go off on international duty. “We’re thinking about how we approach the coming weeks,” said the FCB boss in Friday’s press conference.

That starts with the trip to Kiel. Kompany stressed that his team have prepared for the meeting “with a lot of respect for the opponents” but also pointed out his ambitions: “Obviously we want to win every game.” Meanwhile, sporting director Christoph Freund has no fear that the cup exit in Kiel in the 2020/21 season, the only previous encounter between the two teams, would weigh Bayern down – not least because the match was over three and a half years ago. “I'm sure it's not on the minds of our players that much anymore,” commented Freund.

Catch up on the key quotes from the press conference with Vincent Kompany and Christoph Freund below:

One player who was on the pitch then and could also be involved on Saturday is Leroy Sané. The 28-year-old winger is back in the Bavarians’ squad for the first time since his groin operation in the summer. Freund saw the “real fighter” in Sané, he explained in the press conference: “The nice thing now is that he's pain-free. We're glad he's back and properly fit."

The opponents: Holstein Kiel

Kompany can easily put himself in the shoes of the upcoming opponents and their situation, as he explained. In 2023, his Burnley side were promoted to the Premier League as champions of the second division, but the Clarets struggled last season and were relegated. Kiel have also had some teething problems following their first promotion to the German top flight, losing unluckily at TSG Hoffenheim (3-2) and at home to VfL Wolfsburg (2-0). “But you do all the work for exactly these games and I imagine that Kiel are looking forward to it,” said the Belgian.

The fact that the Storks are still pointless going into Matchday 3 is not down to a lack of attacking intent. On the contrary: Kiel have the highest figure of expected goals – the so-called xG – of all Bundesliga clubs (4.8). That’s why Marcel Rapp's team will not be deterred by the results, but will “do their thing”, as the Kiel head coach explained at the press conference on Friday. The 45-year-old stated that they wouldn’t stand with 10 men in their own penalty area from the start as he set out the direction: “It's time to get points so that the lads realise that there's something in it and it's not just the case that we play well but lose.”

The facts on the meeting with the newcomers:

Kompany expects opponents who are "flexible and good on the ball". The FCB coach also praised the promoted side's counter-pressing, and reckons that Kiel's momentum from last season hasn't completely disappeared: "They were dominant last season and even though they've been promoted, that's stayed in the team."

The team news

Bayern's players have all come through the international break unscathed. While long-term absentees Hiroki Ito (metatarsal fracture), Josip Stanišić (knee ligament tear), Daniel Peretz (muscle tendon injury) and Arijon Ibrahimović (muscle tear) won't be able to travel to the Holstein-Stadion, Sané will return to the squad.

For the hosts, centre-back Colin Kleine-Bekel is definitely out with a cruciate ligament injury. Coach Marcel Rapp left it open as to whether Steven Skrzybski and new signing Andu Kelati will be in the squad on Saturday.

What the coaches say