DPA
Munich
Bayern Munich enter the international break fully satisfied after a solid start into the Bundesliga season from victories in their first two matches under new coach Vincent Kompany.
Bayern opened with a 3-2 success at Wolfsburg and won their first home game 2-0 against Freiburg on Sunday, with Thomas Müller the centre of attention playing a club record 710th match and scoring the second goal, after Harry Kane’s opener.
"Two games, two wins, that’s on target. It’s all good,” board member for sport Max Eberl said.
Bayern are only not top of the table because Heidenheim, with impressive Bayern loanee Paul Wanner, have a better goal difference.
Eberl cogratulated Heideheim but also said that "it doesn’t really matter who tops the table after matchday two.” Step by step Bayern Bayern are coming off a first season without silverware since 2012, and off a long and at times farcical search for a new coach before former Manchester City captain and Burnley manager Kompany was appointed in succession of Thomas Tuchel.
It is the biggest job to date for the Belgian and he has so far delivered, with Bayern also convincingly through in the German Cup.
"We always strive for a perfect game, but today was another good first half ... You could see in the second half that we still need to find our rhythm,” Kompany said.
"With every win we take another step forward,” he said, with captain Manuel Neuer adding that "we are slowly getting into our stride.”
Big games ahead
The solid start is a good foundation for the next tasks, starting with a first ever Bundesliga match on September 14 at promoted Holstein Kiel, where the then treble winners Bayern were famously beaten in the German Cup in 2021.
Things really get serious from the end of September, with champions Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and runners-up VfB Stuttgart Bundesliga opponents, plus trips to Aston Villa and Hansi Flick’s Barcelona in the Champions League.
A record extending 33rd league title is the top priority but Bayern always also want to do well in the Champions League, even more as this season’s final on May 31, 2025, is in their home stadium.
Champions League dreams Müller and Neuer were already present when Bayern lost the 2012 final at home against Chelsea, and would love to lift the trophy this time in the dusk of their careers.
"We really want to go all in this season,” Müller vowed.
Quieter times post-transfer period Müller and Neuer can now rest for the tasks ahead as they have retired from the national team, and Eberl is also happy that things are becoming more quiet overall now that the transfer window has closed.
"There was a lot of unrest during the transfer period,” Eberl said, with especially the future of Leon Goretzka and then also Kingsley Coman uncertain - but both still there and coming on as substitutes against Freiburg.