München – Vincent Kompany, head coach of Bayern Munich, is feeling the palpable anticipation surrounding the DFB-Pokal final as his team prepares for a challenging round of 16 match against 1. FC Union Berlin on Wednesday at 20:45 (ZDF and Sky). After only two years in his role, Kompany expressed his desire to return to Berlin for the final on May 23, 2026, stating, “I definitely want to head back to Berlin after this match.”
Since their last DFB-Pokal victory in 2020 under coach Hansi Flick, the Bavarians, who hold the record with 20 titles, have faced early exits five times, including three times in the second round against lower-league opponents such as Holstein Kiel and Saarbrücken.
One of the key aspects of the upcoming match will be the return of captain Manuel Neuer, whose suspension has ended. Neuer will be back after missing two games due to a red card in last year’s round against Bayer Leverkusen. This time, Kompany and the team are determined to avoid an early knockout. “We obviously want to perform well,” Kompany said. “Ultimately, we want to win, whether it’s in the first 90 minutes or the extra time that follows.”
In their recent encounter just a few weeks ago, Bayern Munich had to rely on a late equalizer from Harry Kane to salvage a 2-2 draw against Union Berlin. Sport director Max Eberl noted that the team is well-aware of what to expect this time around, suggesting that the players do not need further warnings about their opponents’ strengths, which could serve as an advantage.
Kompany acknowledged the importance of learning from their last encounter, emphasizing that the team must improve their performance, particularly in maintaining focus from the start of the match. He described Union as a physically strong and formidable opponent, highlighting the need for Bayern to up their game against them.
As Bayern Munich looks to advance further into the cup tournament, the players and coaching staff are feeling the pressure, which Kompany refers to as “good pressure.” He believes that the team must embrace these high-stakes moments, indicating that this is the type of atmosphere they aim to thrive in throughout the season.