Bayern Aim to Go Full Throttle Despite Weakened Defense, Says Kompany

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v St. Pauli - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - March 29, 2025 Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reacts REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v St. Pauli - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - March 29, 2025 Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reacts REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo
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Bayern Aim to Go Full Throttle Despite Weakened Defense, Says Kompany

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v St. Pauli - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - March 29, 2025 Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reacts REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v St. Pauli - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - March 29, 2025 Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reacts REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are aiming to go "full throttle" and adapt creatively in the final stretch of the season after injuries in defence, coach Vincent Kompany said ahead of Friday's visit to mid-table Augsburg.

With 65 points from 27 games, Bayern hold a six-point lead over holders Bayer Leverkusen. They have won one of their last three Bundesliga matches, losing to lowly visitors VfL Bochum and drawing at Union Berlin before a 3-2 home win over St Pauli.

They are without left back Alphonso Davies and central defender Dayot Upamecano, probably for the rest of the season, and lost centre back Hiroki Ito to a metatarsal fracture in the St Pauli win.

However, Kompany has backed his side to stay confident and aggressive in their seven remaining league games.

"We have a few options for the full-back position. You can also get creative. The important thing is that we have confidence and it doesn't change the fact that we have to go full throttle. We want to win," the 38-year-old told reporters on Thursday, Reuters reported.

"During the international break, we had time to look ahead. You think about how you want to approach these upcoming games, but then we had three fresh injuries. What I want is for the lads to stay fit and then we will get the results."

The Belgian coach named defender Sacha Boey as a good addition to the back line. The 24-year-old has made 12 appearances for Bayern in all competitions this season.

"Sacha is a player who loves playing on the right. He's fit and definitely an option, and he'll get his minutes in the coming weeks. He was in a good position before his injury and hopefully he'll show his qualities again," said Kompany.

"We currently have six players who have regularly played at full-back. It's important that they stay fit."

After the Augsburg trip, Bayern host Serie A leaders Inter Milan in a Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.



Soccer-Bayern Munich on Brink of Bundesliga Title, Kane Eyes Record

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Heidenheim v Bayern Munich - Voith-Arena, Heidenheim, Germany - April 19, 2025 Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller and Harry Kane celebrate after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becke/ File Photo
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Heidenheim v Bayern Munich - Voith-Arena, Heidenheim, Germany - April 19, 2025 Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller and Harry Kane celebrate after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becke/ File Photo
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Soccer-Bayern Munich on Brink of Bundesliga Title, Kane Eyes Record

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Heidenheim v Bayern Munich - Voith-Arena, Heidenheim, Germany - April 19, 2025 Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller and Harry Kane celebrate after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becke/ File Photo
Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Heidenheim v Bayern Munich - Voith-Arena, Heidenheim, Germany - April 19, 2025 Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller and Harry Kane celebrate after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becke/ File Photo

Bayern Munich will secure the Bundesliga title on Saturday with a win over top four hopefuls Mainz 05 if rivals and reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen fail to beat Augsburg.

The Bavarians, who last year saw Leverkusen clinch a league and Cup double undefeated, are eager to seal their 34th German league crown and reestablish their domestic dominance.

It would also help put last week's bitter Champions League quarter-final exit to Inter Milan behind them.

For 31-year-old forward Harry Kane, who has scored 60 goals in his 60 Bundesliga matches for Bayern so far, it would be the first major club trophy of his career, having failed to lift any silverware with Tottenham Hotspur or England, Reuters reported.

With 24 league goals so far, Kane is also on track to become the first player to win the top scorer title in both of his first two Bundesliga seasons.

Bayern are on 72 points with four matches left to play, and with Leverkusen second on 64.

For 35-year-old Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller, who will be leaving at the end of the season after 25 years at the club, it could be his 500th league game for Bayern.

Only three other players in Bundesliga history have ever reached that mark playing for just one club: Charly Koerbel (602 games for Eintracht Frankfurt), Manfred Kaltz (581 matches for Hamburg SV) and Michael Lameck (518 for VfL Bochum).

While Bayern's title win looks all but certain and Leverkusen are sure of Champions League football next season being 12 points ahead of third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, there is a battle raging for the last two spots in the top continental club competition.

The top four finishers qualify automatically for the Champions League.

Eintracht, third on 52 points, host fourth-placed RB Leipzig, on 49, on Saturday. Freiburg, on 48, are fifth.

Mainz, sixth on 47 points, and seventh-placed Borussia Dortmund on 45, are still in with a chance, albeit slim, of finishing in the top four.

Dortmund, who travel to Hoffenheim on Saturday, have had a disappointing domestic campaign, dropping outside of the European spots.

Failure to qualify for the Champions League, a competition in which they reached the final last year, would be a major financial and sporting blow to the publicly-traded Ruhr valley club.

But club bosses know that the horror scenario would be missing out on European football completely next season.