Willpower and force: A statement to kick off the season

When the going gets tough, you need resilience, you need bite and stamina. Apart from three points in Wolfsburg, the fact that Bayern showed all of these attributes during their 3-2 away win against the Wolves is the most important takeaway from the start of the new Bundesliga season. Bayern Munich are ready. The determination to be more successful than last season became evident immediately.

Whatever tactical instructions Vincent Kompany had handed to Thomas Müller on a piece of paper to pass along to his team mates following his substitution, the attitude the Bayern legend displayed once he came on made a crucial contribution to Bayern's away win.

Every player matters

It was also an example of how important squad depth can be. Every player will be needed during this long season. When one player needs a break, the next one comes on. “Müller reintroduced speed to our game, as did Kingsley Coman,” Kompany observed.

Müller came on after 65 minutes and celebrated his 709th Bundesliga game for Bayern. Immediately, he proved very active, driving his team-mates forward and providing a stunning assist for Serge Gnabry's winning goal (3-2, 82'). Jamal Musiala had opened the scoring in the first half (19') before Wolfsburg struck back after the break with a brace by Lovro Majer (pen 47'/55'). The visitors' equaliser came from an own goal scored by Jacub Kaminski (66').

“It was tough but we fought back. That's good for team morale and for our confidence ,” Gnabry summarised: “The penalty knocked us out of our stride to an extent but in the end we rewarded ourselves for the hard work.”

Following the two goals they conceded early in the second half, Bayern managed to resume the good work from the first half during which they had completely controlled the opposition with over 70 percent possession. “The first half was dominant, but the second half wasn't good initially. Mistakes happen but what matters is how the team reacts,” Kompany clarified. And Bayern's reaction had indeed been “good”, as Joshua Kimmich and others agreed following the game.

However, it's more than just these comeback qualities that allow Bayern to look towards the future with optimism. Particularly in the first half, it was apparent how potent this new Bayern style can be. Kompany's team gave a very dynamic and flexible performance featuring constant positional changes.

Many good attributes in Bayern's game

Bayern's high press allowed the team to retake possession very early on and disrupt Wolfsburg's game. The Reds' set-pieces looked dangerous, the movement without the ball impressive. The Bayern players were alert, aggressive and hungry. On their way forward, they never seemed to hesitate as they played a fast, vertical style of football.

“The pitch was very dry, which made it difficult to play direct passes a lot,” Kimmich analysed. Having said that, Bayern fired 14 shots on goal, Wolfsburg achieved only half that number.

The successful start to the Bundesliga season shows that Bayern are ready and well-prepared for the new campaign. Obviously, there are still plenty of areas to work on at this early stage but the hunger to improve is the driving force behind this Bayern team. “Our performance wasn't perfect but what is ever perfect? We'll continue moving forward,” said Kompany, already looking towards the future after the final whistle.

Now, the new head coach has a full week of training to prepare for the first home game of the season against SC Freiburg on 1 September. And with three points already in the bag, this challenge should feel just a little easier.

Reaction to the win at VfL Wolfsburg: