Bayern won a narrow victory over PSG to continue their steady progress in the Champions League qualifying round. The 1-0 result was not as spectacular as usual, but it brought many other meaningful aspects. It was a huge progress for the "Gray Tigers" in the Champions League after a dull season. Not only that, it was a great encouragement for young coach Vincent Kompany.
Bayern Munich have won seven games in a row since being thrashed away by Barcelona at the end of October. Without this run of good results, Kompany would have found himself in the same position of doubt as when he first made his debut.
Bayern not only won, the Allianz Arena team also kept a clean sheet in the last 7 matches. That is the result of hard training and high synchronization, from the coaching staff to the players. In the loss to Barca, Bayern's defense was criticized as heartless. This time, the central defenders Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano not only played well, Kim was even the owner of the only goal to help the home team keep 3 points.
The narrow win over PSG may not have satisfied the Allianz Arena fans in terms of the number of goal celebrations, but it showed that Kompany's team have matured a lot. Bayern did not allow PSG to coordinate as they wanted, even though the visitors' coach - Luis Enrique is one of the masters of that.
The "Gray Tigers" showed the nature of a predator when they always played in ambush, teasing their opponents until they were exhausted and then unleashing the only finishing blow. The home team applied pressure in a disciplined and highly organized manner. The players took turns pressing in layers, organizing each small group of 3 instead of assigning each person to chase the opponent. This was nothing else, this was Kompany's tactical influence on the team.
The Belgian captain was once suspected of being lucky to get into the hot seat at the Allianz Arena. However, Kompany showed that his mental strength was the most formidable weapon in a team that already had many big stars. From young players without a title to veterans with many glories, all followed Kompany's way of playing.
Kompany's playing career was synonymous with being strict. Now he is applying the same to keep Bayern's players' feet on the ground. Bayern are no better than last year in terms of personnel additions but their results are becoming more outstanding. Once the spirit is clear, everything is easy for a strong team like Bayern.
Goal-scoring strikers, good midfielders, solid defenders and a goalkeeper who is still excellent - that's what Bayern have been like in the last 7 games. Opponents are getting tougher and tougher, but Bayern are still the same. When they need to, they can score 9 goals in a match. But sometimes, they only need one blow to defeat those who stand in their way.
Not long after the referee blew the final whistle, Kompany entered the pitch, hugged and celebrated with the players. The high-five between Kompany and Neuer not only showed solidarity, it was also a testament to the team's victory over countless critics after the painful defeat to Barcelona.
A win over PSG would be a good start to the Christmas tourmalet. This narrow victory was not enough to make fans burst into many emotions. However, when calmed down, it showed that Bayern now knows how to adapt to the increasingly strong opponents.
This weekend, another victory over Dortmund in Der Klassiker will further confirm Bayern's dominance. It may happen again with the same 1-0 scenario as against PSG, but that is enough to make the "Gray Tigers" increasingly scary and unpredictable in the eyes of opponents.
