Surprise complete: Kompany confirms goalkeeper change at FC Bayern | OneFootball

Vincent Kompany has rotated the squad a lot at FC Bayern in recent weeks. Now, even regular goalkeeper and FCB captain Manuel Neuer is affected. The 39-year-old will have to take a seat on the bench for the Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

As early as Thursday, initial rumors were circulating that 22-year-old Jonas Urbig could move into the starting lineup for the away game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. At the press conference before the match, Kompany has now officially confirmed the speculation: “Jonas Urbig will start tomorrow. Normally, I don’t say anything about the starting eleven. But I’ve learned that goalkeepers are always a bit different. We discussed it clearly, and it also has to do with the fact that Jonas is playing in Cologne.”

Neuer’s Cup Suspension as the Trigger

Photo: IMAGO

The background to the decision: Manuel Neuer is suspended for the upcoming DFB-Pokal match against 1. FC Köln. The captain received a red card in last year’s cup quarterfinal against Bayer Leverkusen after a foul on Jeremie Frimpong and still has to sit out one more match.

To optimally prepare Urbig for his competitive debut, Kompany wants to give him match experience already in Gladbach. The young goalkeeper is supposed to build up the necessary rhythm and gain confidence for the cup clash in his hometown. “The match against Cologne is so important that we want to give Jonas a fair chance,” emphasized Kompany.

The appearance is a special comeback for Urbig. The former Cologne player suffered a muscle fiber tear during training at the end of September and was sidelined for about two weeks. Now he is fit again—and immediately in the spotlight.

The two upcoming matches against Gladbach and Cologne are emotionally charged for him anyway: Urbig is from Cologne and only moved from Effzeh to Munich at the beginning of the year.

At FC Bayern, the 22-year-old is considered a potential long-term successor to Manuel Neuer. Even in the second half of last season, Urbig gained valuable playing time: in twelve competitive matches, he convincingly filled in for the injured Neuer and proved he has what it takes to play for Bayern. So far this season, he has only played once in the cup against Wiesbaden for the Munich team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.