Bayern's Kompany bewildered by Champions League format after PSG win
Reuters with editing from Stats Perform
November 27, 2024 16:49 MYT
November 27, 2024 16:49 MYT
Vincent Kompany admitted he did not fully understand the new Champions League format after Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain boosted their hopes of progression.
Kim Min-jae's first-half strike was enough to guide Bayern past PSG, who had winger Ousmane Dembele sent off for two bookable offences early in the second half.
It was the Bundesliga leaders' third victory in five matches under the Champions League's new format, lifting them to 11th in the 36-team table with nine points.
They are one point away from the top eight, which brings automatic qualification for the last 16. Teams nine through 24 will take part in play-offs to join them in the new year.
"I don't look at the table because, honestly. I don't yet understand it," Kompany told a press conference. "It will look good if we win a few more matches.
"What's important is to reach our goal. If we win our remaining games we have a chance to make the top eight.
"I'm obviously happy. Our pressing in the first half was very good. The discipline was there. We could have scored perhaps one or two more goals, but the result is good.
"We are on the right track but working to become even better."
7 – FC Bayern Munich have won and kept a clean sheet in each of their last seven competitive matches - the last time before FCB managed that was under Jupp Heynckes in August/September 2011 (10 in a row without conceding). K0mpany. pic.twitter.com/Kfdwfozrzg — OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 26, 2024
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Bayern have now beaten PSG eight times in the Champions League, with only Real Madrid (11 versus Bayern) and the Bavarians themselves (10 against Barcelona) winning more games against a single opponent in the tournament's history.
They are also unbeaten in each of their last 33 home games in the Champions League's group stage (31 wins, two draws).
That is the joint-longest such run in the competition's history, with Barcelona also going 33 without defeat at home between November 2009 and November 2020.
They will have a chance to break that record when they host Slovan Bratislava on matchday eight, following trips to Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord.