Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and head coach Vincent Kompany preview their UEFA Champions League clash with PSG
Courtesy of UEFA
Munich, Germany
Courtesy of UEFA
Munich, Germany
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello everyone. It's the Champions League again. FC Bayern are looking forward to their game against Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow at 9pm in the Allianz Arena.
00:17Welcome to the press conference. We'll warm up now with Harry Kane. Hi Harry, servus.
00:22Servus.
00:23Good to see you. We'll start now. The first question is from Heiko Niederer for the Bild newspaper.
00:54Yeah, for sure. I think it maybe is a little bit out of context. I think if you look at my goals last season against some of the bigger teams, Dortmund away, Stuttgart, all those types of games, maybe it's taken a little out of context.
01:10I try and score in every game. I try and help the team in every game. Obviously this week is a really big week and we know that. As the striker in the team, the goal scorer in the team, I want to help the team by scoring goals for sure.
01:23But as always, I always feel like my performances are more than just goals, both with and without the ball. So if we get three wins and I don't score, I'll be happy and the coach will be happy. So that's the most important thing.
01:35Next question is from Vincent Scherpke for Merkur and TZ.
02:05Yeah, for sure. I think they have a really good team, play with a lot of style and try and dominate the game with possession. Obviously, we'd like to do the same. We'll go tomorrow night at home to try and dominate the ball, to try and create chances, put them on the back foot in our pressing as well because we want to make it as difficult as we can for the opposition, both with pressing from maybe their goal kicks, but also in the counter-press when we lose the ball to try and suffocate them in their half.
02:34I think we've done that really well this season. In terms of my role, I think the plan is really clear with the coach on how he wants me to press. I almost have a man-for-man reference going into each game, especially when we're in their half of the pitch.
02:51And I feel like I do that really well. I think sometimes people confuse pressing with having to have speed and pace, but a lot of it is in your brain and in your head and being in the right place and stopping the right lanes of passes.
03:05Once the ball goes over your head, being back for the second balls, they're big things that we've been working on with this coach and I think that's been a big difference into why we dominate games because even when teams go long, a lot of the time we pick up the second balls and then play from there.
03:23Hi Harry, you're a striker, you always want to score by yourself, but how important are the wingers for you and what can you do to help them?
03:36Like I always say, after each game I score a few goals. It wouldn't be possible without the players around me. I think they create a lot of space for me. I think they create a lot of chances for me. Our wingers in particular, we have great competition for places.
03:49Whoever plays tomorrow night will be looking to impress the coach. I think with the speed, with the 1v1 ability. For me personally, when I'm dropping into the pockets, I feel like I can try and play through balls or play them in behind to utilise their pace.
04:05Also when they have the ball in 1v1 areas, obviously being a striker, I try and help them by being in the box and being in good areas. I feel like we've all got a good connection, obviously with Jamal and Thomas as well in the number 10 pockets. I think as the season's been going on, we've been improving and hopefully that will continue this week as well.
04:36Harry, when you look on the scoreboard of the Champions League, are you surprised?
04:42We're not used to being that far down in a table, but obviously the new format, no-one really knows what to expect. The situation we're in now, we know we're going to have to win pretty much all our games if we want to get into the top eight and probably the same for Paris as well.
05:01Tomorrow night's a big night. I think being at home we have a slight advantage, but of course it's going to be a difficult game. A lot to play for, we know that. It's the start of a busy period up until the winter break and we obviously want to start with a good victory at home in front of our fans.
05:21Since the defeat against Barcelona, you've won all six games and you didn't concede any goals. What was the key to that and also did you notice any changes within the team?
05:34I'm not sure. I think we learnt from the Barcelona game. I think when you actually analyse the game, especially in that first half, the difference weren't too much. They were just very clinical in their chances.
05:45But I think since then, especially when we're pressing, sometimes we've tried to gain an extra man if we're cutting the line of the pass, especially when their keeper or their centre-backs have the ball.
05:55It allows maybe one of the midfielders to cheat a little bit and pick up the second ball a little bit better. Like we said after that game, it wasn't a time to panic, but it was a time to analyse and see where we could improve.
06:07I think we've done that really well. Credit to all the players in the team because we speak a lot about defending as a team. When we keep clean sheets, I'm really happy as a striker.
06:16Obviously, when we score goals, I know it wouldn't be possible without the guys at the back and in midfield as well. Everything we're doing at the moment is together and to have six in a row shows we're in a really good moment.
06:27Next up is Heiko Niederer.
06:57He's close to being there this season at the moment. I think the big thing with Jamal is we know how much quality he has 1v1. When teams try and press us and break us out to press, he's as good as anyone in the world for sure.
07:11Me and some of the more experienced guys are forcing him to score more goals and more assists and get into the box. I think you've seen that this season. He's scored a few of his head, he's scored a few open goal tap-ins.
07:23They're the areas, playing as a number 10, you have to get into. It's not enough probably nowadays just to be the best player on the pitch with the ball. You have to try and affect the games and he's been doing that.
07:35He's definitely improved in that aspect since I've arrived at the club. I think if he's putting up the numbers he's putting up this season, scoring important goals and also playing with the ability he has, he's as good as anyone in the world.
07:48You already talked about some tactical topics. If you compare the last season to this season with a new coach and you had to name one thing, what's the biggest difference?
08:08I'd probably say our higher pressure. Last year, maybe with Thomas, we went into a mid-block and then tried to press from the mid-block a little bit more. I feel like with the boss here, he likes to press higher from goal-kicks and almost man-for-man in that aspect.
08:28That's probably the biggest change. Both with the ball, we tried to play, we tried to keep possession, we tried to build through the two number 10s and then the wide players. Every coach has their own imprint, every coach has their own impact.
08:44I think, like I spoke about a bit earlier, with the second balls and the recovery runs has been a really important factor for us when teams break out of the 1v1 pressure. We watched a lot of clips of us all getting back together into that low block and then from the low block, then squeezing up the pitch again.
09:03I think a lot of teams have found that difficult to find any momentum in the game. Tomorrow will be a little bit different. PSG are really good on the ball and I know their three midfielders especially will try and have short connections and try and keep that possession. We need to get our pressure right and make sure we're not overrun.
09:24Would you say this now is the best part of your career here in Bayern Munich? You've scored a lot of hat-tricks and it looks very good on the pitch.
09:39I think so. I think it's the best I've felt. I think, obviously, the goals I'm scoring and the numbers I'm putting up is the best I've had in my career. I feel we're in a really good moment. I spoke before about being, as an experienced player now, you learn a lot about the game. I've had plenty of experience at the highest level and you start to learn about different phases in the game, you start to learn about physically where you're at.
10:07Also how you can impact the game in the right way. Just from a goalscoring point of view, for sure, at this stage in the season, it was similar to last year. Since I've been at Bayern, the numbers have gone up and I hope that continues. With the players I have around me and the self-belief I have in myself to finish the chances off, I feel like I can keep the standard even higher and hopefully even push it a little bit further as well.
10:34Stefan Kumberger, again.
10:37Harry, it seems that many people in England have the focus on Germany or the Bundesliga. What do you tell them about Germany and especially about the quality in the Bundesliga?
10:49I think it's probably growing. If you look at a lot of the teams that are in Europe, we've done well in Europe last year with a lot of German teams. I think it was the top seven of the Bundesliga are in Europe now with the extra spot that we got. A lot of really, really good teams. I think each of the top teams in the Bundesliga try and play in a really good style, try and have possession, try and play front foot.
11:16Of course, it's going to be different to the Premier League. Every league is different to each other. With La Liga or any league you can name, you have different styles, you have different cultures. I've been really impressed. I think for sure it's probably growing in the UK since I arrived. Ultimately, you have to watch for yourself and judge for yourself. I've been really impressed since I've been here.
11:46Thanks, Harry. See you tomorrow.
12:17Torben Hoffmann for Sky.
12:21Servus, Vinnie. What kind of game, what kind of opponent do you expect tomorrow? And I'd like to ask Alexander Pavlovic again. He came back relatively quickly. He was in training today. Is he fully integrated into the team training again and can he come back in the next few days, weeks?
12:38No, Pavlovic isn't fully integrated yet. It's going well, it's going fast, but it's going to take a while for him.
12:47The opponent tomorrow, I think we're playing against one of the biggest clubs in Europe, one of the top ten. They have a lot of individual quality. They also have an outstanding coach. They have speed, they have technical ability.
13:07In my opinion, it's going to look like a top game. I think both clubs want to win, but of course we're playing at home and it's a top priority for us.
13:27A quick follow-up to Alex. What does that mean? Approximately when will he be able to play again? Is it still this year?
13:57I think it's important for him to stay fit. It doesn't matter if it's a week earlier or later.
14:10But you're probably going to ask every player if Pavlovic is coming back. Let's not ask that question this week.
14:19You said before the Augsburg game that you have four world-class players on the wings. It sounds like it doesn't matter who plays, but according to what factors do you decide who plays?
14:35Factors? I think it's our role to get as much information as possible so that we can make a decision. But I don't want to talk about it afterwards.
14:49It's a positive thing for the squad. It's going to be a different position when the others are fit again. We wanted that before the season.
14:59It doesn't matter, but I can say that I'm never disappointed when I have to make a decision.
15:09We don't want to forget that Matisse can play and has the qualities. But at the moment it's our decision to continue his learning in the middle and to help us in a position where we don't have as many players as necessary.
15:40Since the game against Barcelona you have won all six games and played 6-0. What has changed in the team and how is the situation against Paris?
15:53We played 0-0 before Barcelona, but it's football. I think we stayed calm before and after Barcelona and we worked hard.
16:09We knew that the season so far has been good. We just know that it's not perfect. It's never perfect, but I think I said right away that it's not about the base.
16:26The team runs and fights. The players participate in every phase. In possession of the ball and without it.
16:36There was a game and for us it's important that we learn from those moments. Now the last games are probably over and we're looking forward to the next game.
16:50But for us it won't change much. We will just keep going.
17:20When you see Paris Saint-Germain in this season, don't get me wrong, but do you think this is the weakest squad in the last years for them?
17:32It's absolutely not the weakest squad at all. It's an incredibly talented squad. Some players in a matter of years will arrive to the levels of the players that you described.
17:49But it doesn't happen from one time to the other. I think the main thing is when you look at them as a team, the distance between the lines are never big.
18:03The striker and the defenders are never too far from each other. The pressing is really aggressive, really good.
18:10When they have the ball, they're obviously a team with a lot of clear playing patterns.
18:18I don't know. If you judge on talent, it's hard to ever be better than the names you mentioned.
18:25You named maybe some of the players who were the best in the history of the game.
18:30But as a team, they're a good team. Very, very good team.
18:40You mentioned that you would like to be a bit higher in the table. How much pressure is there for you tomorrow in the air on both sides?
18:50Three games you're in the quali, six games you're in the top eight. That's roughly what I can say.
18:59The table doesn't work with me yet.
19:03There are a lot of teams we haven't seen yet, and we won't see them until February.
19:14Of course, I think the format is interesting. It's not that it's uncomfortable.
19:25It's just a bit difficult to look at the table. Some have four very difficult games, some have four easy games.
19:34There are no easy games, but there are a few easier games.
19:37It's so different. If you know what the program looks like for each team in this table, then it's already strong.
19:44The only thing I know is, as I said, we always talk about top eight, but our claim is just top one.
19:53Let's be clear. Hopefully we'll get further.
20:00But right now, it's enough if I just say we want to win tomorrow against PSG. That's our main goal.
20:14In the middle, Heiko Niedera.
20:23It's going in the same direction. You've received a lot of praise for the season, especially in the Bundesliga.
20:30Still, Bayern still need to win this top-top game.
20:35How important would it be for you personally to say, I finally want to win this top game?
20:39Tomorrow against Paris, I think we're all in agreement, it's an absolute top game.
20:44First of all, praise or criticism doesn't matter to me.
20:50It doesn't play a role in my life, and I won't let it play a role.
20:55What's important to me is how the team lives and improves, and how each individual player develops.
21:03Even if it's a top game, I want them to keep trying to take the next step.
21:09Tomorrow is a top game.
21:12We always make a difference between top games and other games.
21:17But as I said, we were third in the Bundesliga last season.
21:21Don't forget, 70 points or so.
21:24All these games are not easy.
21:27For us, it's a top opportunity to show something for our fans.
21:37But our mentality can't be different, because we're playing against a top opponent.
21:42We always have to play against a top opponent.
21:46Tomorrow is PSG, and we'll prepare well.
21:49Hopefully, our fans can go home with a good feeling.
21:57Klaus Bergmann for the DPR.
22:00You said both teams want to win, both teams want possession and want to play forward.
22:05Do you expect PSG to play very offensively, that it will be an open exchange of blows, or rather tactical?
22:13If both teams want possession and pressure, something can happen.
22:19But I can't say more.
22:21I've seen PSG's games.
22:24They've seen our games.
22:29Something has to give, they say in English.
22:33But I didn't answer the question.
22:36I think the analysis is correct.
22:41I wouldn't expect this game to be boring.
22:46Was that a statement, Alex?
22:49Last question, please.
22:51I'd like to touch on the topic.
22:54On Friday, Augsburg coach Toruk said that Bayern's counter-pressing was outstanding.
23:01They didn't allow many opportunities to switch or counter quickly.
23:06Harry just said that Paris is a different team.
23:10They're playing at a special level.
23:13What has to change in this area tomorrow, when it comes to counter-pressing?
23:18This game isn't just about counter-pressing.
23:21It's about everything.
23:23You have to be very good individually on the day.
23:28You have to press, counter-press, possess the ball, run deep.
23:33Everything has to be right.
23:35Otherwise it doesn't work.
23:37Counter-pressing is a counter-position.
23:43These are all factors, of course.
23:48But it's not the only one.
23:50There's just too much going on in the game.
23:52The focus should be on one phase only.
23:55It's everything.
23:58But don't forget that we have our own strength.
24:02We want to use that.
24:06Okay, thank you very much, Vini.
24:08See you tomorrow in the Arena.