Vincent Kompany hits back at criticism after record-breaking Bayern Munich UCL opener

Vincent Kompany's record-breaking 9-2 win in the Champions League opener on Tuesday has left critics with much to think about. The match saw England captain Harry Kane on target four times, along with goals from Olise (brace), Guerreiro, Sane and Goretzka, which broke the record for most goals scored by a single team in a Champions League match. The fairy tail start to the season has also been reflected domestically by the Bavarians, who count four wins in four games in the Bundesliga under new head coach Vincent Kompany. 

Facing relegation from the Premier League with Burnley the previous season was not a great look on the Kompany's CV, who was nonetheless selected as Bayern Munich boss, taking over from Thomas Tuchel. The Belgian's appointment was received with a lot of disapproval, as critics did not deem the former Man City defender fit for job, insisting that he did not have the managerial pedigree to lean Bayern to success. 

Current results, however, suggest otherwise, prompting Kompany to respond to the backlash he faced with a smile on his face. "I'll tell you something in a quick way just to prove a point," he said post-match, following a question asking for his take on the criticism. "I was born in Brussels, my dad was a refugee who came from Congo. What are my chances of even playing in the Premier League, winning something as a player, playing for the national team? The odds were 0.000 something," he continued.

"Now I'm a coach, do you just stop believing in yourself and what you can achieve because of what other people say? The mentality is to keep going and in the end if you fail, you fail [and] if you succeed, you succeed. But you can always become better. Online you can always find stuff [criticism] so I really don't take it personal. What am I supposed to do? Stop because of what other people think? Let's encourage people to succeed and break barriers," he responded.

So far, Kompany's men have come away with three points in all games against Wolfsburg, Freiburg, Holstein Kiel and Zagreb, netting 20 goals in the process. Their upcoming challeges include facing Leverkusen at home in the Bundesliga and a trip to Aston Villa for their second Champions League fixture. 

 

September 18, 2024