Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany says his team is showing an extra edge in training like “healthy poison” ahead of a “Klassiker” against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday which could all but seal the Bundesliga title.
Bayern leads Dortmund by eight points with 11 games remaining.
Kompany said he was aware of the potential for Dortmund to bounce back at home following the shock of a last-minute elimination from the Champions League against Atalanta on Wednesday.
“It’s obviously a blow and that was the sort of game where Dortmund could have progressed, so that obviously always has a mental effect, but what happens from that can go in both directions,” Kompany said.
“What we have under control is how we approach this game and we’ve had a good week. We sensed it was a ‘Klassiker’ week. There were even moments sometimes where we had this healthy poison in training that I love. We’ve done everything right going into the game and want to continue that in the game.”
Dortmund is the only team not to lose at home in the Bundesliga this season. Bayern is yet to be beaten away.
Goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer is doubtful after not having played since sustaining a calf muscle tear two weeks ago. Backup Jonas Urbig played in last week’s 3-2 win over Frankfurt.
“For me (Neuer’s recovery) is all actually going well but perhaps it’s not for tomorrow,” Kompany said. “Even so I’d like to talk this over once more with Manu.”
With Neuer’s future still unclear ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the season, it could be the 39-year-old goalkeeping great’s last “Klassiker” for Bayern.
Hiroki Ito is out “for the time being” with a hamstring tear. It’s the latest injury setback for the defender, who was out from March until November with a recurrence of an earlier fracture in his foot.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said his players were keen to move on from their defensive troubles against Atalanta and to focus on a “100% good game tomorrow from start to finish”.
“I have to say we’re looking forward to it, everyone, the whole team, the whole staff,” Kovac said. “We obviously want to show a totally different side to ourselves than we showed in Bergamo (against Atalanta).”
Kovac said Dortmund remains without defender Niklas Süle, who also missed the Atalanta game with a thigh injury.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
