Dayot Upamecano thrilled to learn from Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich

Vincent Kompany has hit the ground running at Bayern Munich. The Belgian coach is already popular amongst players due to his playing style and intense training sessions. The good vibes in training have translated on the pitch, which has resulted in Bayern sitting at the top of the Bundesliga table.

The performance against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday suggests that the winless run of three games before the international break was a blip. Die Roten dominated Stuttgart and eventually clinched a comfortable 4-0 victory to extend their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to seven games.

Apart from doing well in possession against Stuttgart, Bayern also excelled defensively. The entire team maintained good shape when Stuttgart had the ball and conceded just one shot on target. The visitors managed to accumulate a meager xG of 0.51. (Stats courtesy: Fotmob)

Dayot Upamecano was one of the key players behind Bayern’s strong defensive performance on Saturday. While talking to Sky Sports in Germany, Upamecano admitted that working with Kompany has benefited him this season. The French international admits that intense video analysis sessions with Vincent Kompany have helped him to become a better defender.

"I'm very happy with him. He played in my position, he does a lot of video analysis with us defenders, he helps us a lot. I have confidence this season and will give it my all for him."

- Dayot Upamecano on Vincent Kompany

Make or break season for Dayot Upamecano at Bayern Munich

Apart from a couple of games, Upamecano has looked solid at the back for Bayern this season. The French defender has been good for Die Roten in patches since arriving from RB Leipzig in 2021. However, he tends to make poor mistakes in big games, which ultimately raises questions about his future in Munich.

Upamecano was heavily linked with a move away from Bavaria in the summer, but Bayern and Vincent Kompany wanted to keep him. The Bavarian club ended up selling Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United in the summer to make space for Hiroki Ito.

The French international still has several years left at the top level as he turns 26 later this month. However, he needs to show consistency over a campaign to remain at Bayern next season. Die Roten are expected to invest in a center-back next summer since Eric Dier’s contract expires at the end of the season.

Upamecano is expected to start for Bayern against FC Barcelona on Wednesday. The French center-back will come up against his former teammate Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker has been brilliant for Barcelona this season. Upamecano needs to start delivering good performances in such games to stop the narrative of him being poor in big European games.