Bayern Munich (Bayern Munich) will face their long-time rivals, Dortmund (Borussia Dortmund), on Saturday in a crucial and important match. This match comes after a tumultuous week for Bayern, which included the hospitalization of Vincent Kompany, the team's coach, as well as Harry Kane's success in winning the Ballon d'Or.
Close Competition at the Top of the Bundesliga Table
The two teams, Bayern Munich and Dortmund, are the only unbeaten teams this season after seven weeks of Bundesliga competition, and both teams are tied on points. Bayern sits at the top of the table with a better goal difference than Dortmund. However, Bayern's off-field issues have cast a shadow over this big match.
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Joshua Kimmich, the captain of the German national team, has missed three games due to the sudden death of his father and is currently on compassionate leave. Additionally, players such as Luis Diaz, Manuel Neuer, Jamal Musiala, and Alexander Pawlowski are also facing injuries. Niko Kovac, the coach of Dortmund, announced on Thursday that his team has closed the gap on Bayern and they are also grappling with injury challenges.
Bayern's Challenges and Kompany's Return
Vincent Kompany, Bayern's coach, showed symptoms of illness following a 6-1 victory against RB Leipzig and returned to the bench in last week's home game against Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw. However, two days later, he collapsed during training and was hospitalized for five days after being diagnosed with meningitis. Bayern has stated that Kompany is unlikely to return to work in the coming weeks.
Aaron Dangs, Kompany's assistant, who is currently the interim coach of Bayern, said: "Last week, we experienced all aspects of life. The joys and successes for Harry and the sorrows from some of the challenges we had to overcome in these seven days." He added: "These moments bring us closer together because these are challenging moments."
Harry Kane, who is the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or since 2001, said this week has been very exciting and at the same time 'crazy' for him. When asked about requests for the title 'Sir', he said: "I definitely can't say no, but I feel it would be a bit strange for everyone to call me 'Sir', so it's better to just stay 'Harry'."
Lothar Matthäus, the former captain of the German national team who won the Ballon d'Or in 1990, believes this award should be a motivation for Kane. He stated: "Football is a team sport. This Ballon d'Or is not just for Kane, but also for Bayern Munich."
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