Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

 Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
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Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

 Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)

Bayern Munich have enough talented players to replace injured striker Harry Kane, starting on Tuesday with their German Cup round of 16 tie against holders Bayer Leverkusen, coach Vincent Kompany.

The England captain, who has netted 20 goals across all competitions this season and leads the Bundesliga scorers' list with 14, suffered a thigh muscle injury in Saturday's 1-1 league draw at Borussia Dortmund.

Kane is expected to be out for a couple of weeks but Kompany said he hoped he could still return to action before the winter break starts on Dec. 22. Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with a four-point lead over Eintracht Frankfurt.

"It is difficult to say at this moment but there is a chance for him to still play this year," Kompany told a press conference on Monday.

"But he will miss several games and to replace him, you know you cannot replace the goals or the player one-for-one. That's why he is a top player."

Kompany said players like Thomas Mueller, Serge Gnabry, Michael Olise and Leroy Sane had enough experience to fill the gap.

"We have talent in the team and need to solve it differently. We won't be lacking talent tomorrow but it will look different," Kompany said.

"We have many options. Thomas Mueller, Mathys Tel, Gnabry, Olise, Leroy. I now named almost everyone. Obviously, Harry has scored 20 goals... but we have dangerous players in attack."

Bayern last won the German Cup in 2020 and have failed to get past the quarter-finals since, losing in the second round in three of the past four seasons.

"We play the Cup holders tomorrow. One of the top two or three games in Germany, and I hope our performance will match the importance of the game," Kompany said.



No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton's last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender next weekend.

He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.

Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton's form going into next year, Ferrari's Vasseur replied: "Not at all.

"I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 (10th place), finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I'm not worried at all."

Hamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on Nov. 24.

Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday -- a five second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane -- as well as a puncture.

At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.

The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints but has also won two grands prix.

"I know I've still got it," Hamilton said on Saturday. "It's just the car won't go faster. But I definitely know I've got it. It is not a question in my mind."

On Sunday he was prepared for one last push.

"I'm still standing, it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up, so I'll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot next week," he said.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff rejected any suggestion Hamilton was losing his speed.

"I'm certain that it's not true. It's just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now," said the Austrian. "He's a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner and the car doesn't take it."