Kompany ahead of Super Cup against Dortmund: "Ready to give everything"

Discord in Dortmund

At BVB, the scheduling of the Super Cup at their own stadium already caused irritation before kickoff. BVB managing director Lars Ricken had said the day before: "Honestly, I don't want to see the Bayern in our stadium celebrating a title." BVB are hosting the match at Signal Iduna Park because the DFB-Pokal winner enjoys home advantage – in this case the runners-up of last season.

Sporting director Max Eberl sees Bayern well equipped despite the absences. The team has the quality and depth to compensate for the loss of the injured players, according to the Munich leadership. The Super Cup is regarded as the first benchmark of the new season.

From Dortmund, Carney Chukwuemeka was also a talking point. The midfielder, who only recently joined BVB's squad, could play an important role in the final. His settling into the team of coach Niko Kovac is largely complete, it was said.

Favorite role and conditions

Kovac himself, who took over the Borussia after a rebuild, looks ahead to the match with mixed feelings. A title in their own stadium would ease the debate over the club's sporting direction somewhat; a defeat would instead intensify the criticism. The Munich side travel as Bundesliga champions and DFB-Pokal winners and are considered favorites.

Kompany stressed that his team want to win the trophy to build confidence for the upcoming tasks in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League. The competition may be new, but the players "know how to win". Munich have recently won the Super Cup frequently against BVB and want to continue that streak.

Off the pitch, the Super Cup also remains a political matter. The scheduling amid international fixtures regularly sparks debate in professional football. Clubs complain about the additional burden on players; the DFB points to the sporting value of the competition.

Match as a mood test

For fans of both sides, Saturday evening's duel is the first meeting of the new season. Big emotions are expected even before kickoff – also because the stadium will be sold out with around 81,000 spectators.

From Munich, it was said that Kompany had repeatedly emphasized during training over the past week that he considers the Super Cup a "real title". A philosophy he has pursued at his previous stops. The team has internalized this attitude, the coach said.

Looking ahead to the coming weeks, the Bayern coach also announced that new signings will be integrated gradually. The pace of settling in will be tailored individually. That too is part of the "long-term vision" for the club, Kompany said.