The start into the group phase was successful with the convincing 3:0 at FC Barcelona. Against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday evening (9 p.m.; LIVE! on kicker), FC Bayern wants to go one better. Coach Julian Nagelsmann can draw almost from the full range and is well prepared.
If Kiev coach Mircea Lucescu was listening to his colleague Julian Nagelsmann at the press conference on Tuesday lunchtime, he must have been somewhat impressed by how detailed Bayern’s coach lectured about the opponent and how well prepared he appeared. “I have the claim to know about every opponent equally well,” Nagelsmann replied to a question about whether gathering information about the Ukrainians was more difficult than about FC Barcelona, for example.
Focus on counter protection
Accordingly, he said, he watched Dynamo’s games as well as those of Barca or Greuther Fürth. “In the league, they are usually top favourites and they show that. They are a very young, talented team,” Nagelsmann told us. However, he said he noticed that Dynamo stood much deeper in the first group game against Benfica Lisbon (0-0) or in the Supercup against Shakhtar Donetsk (0-3) and had significantly less possession than their opponents. “Then they act with a compact centre, stand deep, also with the strikers, and come via the switching game.” Accordingly, a stable rest defence and thus counter-attack protection are important to Nagelsmann on Wednesday. “I have confidence in our team that we will win the game. We want to stay top of the group.”
Coman “beaming, happy and joyful “
With the exception of Corentin Tolisso, substitute goalkeeper Sven Ulreich and Kingsley Coman, Nagelsmann has the entire squad at his disposal. Coman is back in team training after undergoing minor heart surgery, but according to Nagelsmann he will not be available until Sunday against Eintracht Frankfurt at the earliest. He will not travel to the national team afterwards. “He is beaming, happy and glad that the heart issue has been removed. But we already decided before the operation to train him up for a fortnight.” This was not possible because of the European Championship and the short preparation, but Coman needs a good basis for his game.
