Vincent Kompany's First Bundesliga XI for Bayern Munich
Vincent Kompany has rolled out his first Bundesliga starting XI as Bayern Munich coach – and once again, Ismael Saibari will have to wait.
For the league opener against Stuttgart on Friday, Kompany stuck to the same bold idea he unveiled in the German Super Cup: Nathaniel Brown starts in the attacking midfield role, while the new Moroccan signing begins on the bench. Brown, naturally a full-back, keeps his place in the most creative zone on the pitch, a clear sign that Kompany is not afraid to bend positions to fit his vision.
Saibari’s omission is striking. The 23-year-old arrived in Munich this summer on a wave of excitement after standout performances for PSV Eindhoven and the Morocco national team, his form making him one of the most intriguing additions to the squad. Yet Kompany, at least for now, prefers continuity over hype.
Bayern Line-up Against Stuttgart
- Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer.
- Defence: Alphonso Davies, Kim Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano, Konrad Laimer.
- Midfield: Aleksandar Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich, Nathaniel Brown.
- Attack: Luis Diaz, Michael Olise, Harry Kane.
It is the core that already delivered Kompany his first piece of silverware in Germany. Bayern opened their season by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the German Super Cup at Signal Iduna Park last Saturday, a statement win that eased some early doubts and sharpened expectations.
Now comes the real grind of the Bundesliga – and with Saibari again looking on from the sidelines, the next question is obvious: how long can a player of his talent be kept out of this evolving Bayern side?
