Berlin, March 7 Not much of Vincent Kompany's demeanor hinted at the significance of the evening's achievement.
"There is no time to celebrate, it's only halftime," the Bayern coach said, surrounded by TV cameras while the party in the Munich arena showed no signs of ending.
"We continue to work. Saturday is a league game, and on Tuesday we travel to Leverkusen," the 38-year-old said, maintaining his focus despite the wave of enthusiasm around him, reports Xinhua.
The night marked a pivotal 3-0 victory for Bayern Munich in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen, a win that brought them close to securing a spot in the quarterfinals. However, the confirmed injury of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, requiring a two- to three-week recovery following surgery, cast a shadow over the Bavarian celebration.
Neuer's mishap occurred around the 60th minute while celebrating Bayern's second goal. The news broke Thursday morning, just hours before reports of progress in contract extension talks with midfielder Joshua Kimmich. The club's supervisory board is said to favor a four-year contract for the 30-year-old after weeks of fluctuating negotiations.
For 21-year-old Jonas Ubrig, Neuer's injury opened the door to an unexpected debut. The young goalkeeper joined Bayern only 37 days ago from second-division side Cologne during the winter break. He had not played a competitive match since October 2024 but now faces the task of stepping in for Neuer in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Ubrig's rapid rise reflects the current buoyant mood at Bayern. The victory ended a seven-match winless streak against Leverkusen. The sports magazine Kicker described the result as "a statement," noting that Bayern's win "comes near an exclamation mark" and sends a strong message to European competitors.
The tabloid Bild called it Kompany's most important victory since taking over the Bayern job. "The game was about the country's number one status in football," the paper said.
Sky Sports emphasized Kompany's tactical prowess, stating that the former Manchester City defender "tactically outpaced Leverkusen's Spanish star coach Xabi Alonso." The broadcaster added: "On the point for crunch time, Kompany pushed the best out of his squad," highlighting the contribution of England captain Harry Kane, who scored twice.
Kompany kept his focus clear: "to stay calm, recover, and go at full speed again," while Bayern board member Max Eberl anticipated "a hard ride with us having to invest all as we expect Leverkusen to head for a turnaround.
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