Kassandra Potsi & Sophie Proost discover Munich

Top talents Sophie Proost and Kassandra Potsi are hoping to bring fresh impetus to FC Bayern Women. During a tour of the city, we found out just how well they already know their new home and whether they have what it takes to be winners.

“This is actually perfect for me,” said Proost shortly after we’ve boarded the double-decker bus at Stachus, which takes tourists on daily tours through the city. “This way I can finally see a bit of my new home.” She and Potsi have only been living in Munich for just under two months. On the bus, they take a seat on one of the back rows. They almost look like sisters: hair tied in low buns, loose-fitting trousers, trainers. And yet they could hardly be more different in their demeanour. Sophie, blonde and bubbly, chats away freely; Kassandra, with dark hair, seems more reserved at first and smiles a lot. No sooner do they have the headphones for the bus tour in their hands than the cables get tangled. Both lean over the tangle, tugging at different ends and giggling. They’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but you wouldn’t know it. The team chemistry is clear to see.

Since joining Bayern, the two prospects have been spending most of their time at the FC Bayern Campus in the north of Munich. The rest of the city is still just a series of routes for them: Marienplatz, training, home, supermarket. “When you’re new to a city and don’t know where to go, it can be difficult at times,” said Proost as the bus sets off with a jolt. In sporting terms, settling in has been quicker. She is 19 and joined from Twente in the Netherlands. Potsi is a year younger and spent almost her entire youth career at Essen. “The difference is huge,” the former stated of Bayern.

Welcomed into the Bayern family

For both of them, however, what seems far more impressive than the club’s size is just how close-knit the team feels. Before the move, Proost had wondered what it would be like to suddenly find herself in a changing room with Bayern’s players “who’ve already won everything”. But then experienced players like Pernille Harder and Magdalena Eriksson immediately approached them, explained things during training and paid them compliments. Potsi talked about a “little family”. That’s particularly important for her, as she tends to observe things from a distance when faced with new situations. Both say that they need to feel comfortable in order to perform at their best, and that’s exactly the feeling that set in surprisingly quickly in Munich. Sometimes Kassandra’s cousins ring up and say how incredible it is that she’s now playing for Bayern. “I just think to myself: yes, that’s just how it is.” But she doesn’t take her new club for granted: “Sometimes I still have to remind myself of it and simply appreciate that I’m here now.” And yet, the big move to Munich has quickly become the new normal.

How it all began

Potsi started out playing with her brother, friends and the neighbourhood children often just in the hallway of their home. “The neighbours would knock on our door, or we’d knock on theirs,” she explained. Then they’d play. Later on, they’d play outside too, performing tricks, one-on-ones, dribbles. “When I’ve got the ball, I don’t think too much. I just do my own thing,” Kassandra added. Perhaps that’s also why she still has the image of a ‘street footballer’ to this day – creative, intuitive, courageous.

In a group setting, Sophie and Kassandra are quite different. On the pitch, however, they are very similar. Both rely on pace and look to take on opponents one-on-one. Potsi says that if something doesn’t work out, she simply tries again and again. Proost cites her speed and drive forward as her main strengths. Both want to learn at Bayern how to make even more of their dribbling and runs forward.

Next stop: Champions League

Sophie says that when her teammates have a bad game, she thinks: “It happens.” “But when I play badly myself, I find it awful.” Kassandra describes herself as a “thinker”. When something doesn’t go to plan, even though she knows she’s capable of doing it, “the whole day feels awful”. At Bayern in particular, she wants to show “why I’m here”.

The pair will have that opportunity. Following their opening match against Manchester City, Bayern face two more tough fixtures at home in the Champions League against Barcelona and Real Madrid. Away from home, too, they are set to face strong opponents in Paris Saint-Germain and Austria Vienna. Yet neither of them seem intimidated – quite the opposite. When they talk about the upcoming Champions League fixtures, what comes across most is a sense of anticipation.

And Kassandra? Playing against Paris or Madrid is, of course, a tremendous experience. But simply being there isn’t enough for her. “Of course I want to win as well,” she insisted. Perhaps that really is a bit of the Bayern spirit, being able to marvel at the fact that you’re here and yet still wanting to win straight away.

The full version of this text appeared in October’s edition of FC Bayern members’ magazine ‘51’

🎟️ Get your tickets for FC Bayern Women vs. Real Madrid here! You can apply for tickets for the match against Barcelona here!