Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has described his side’s upcoming Club World Cup quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain as the “perfect storm,” pointing to both teams’ bold and high-intensity playing styles.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Belgian coach said he was relishing the encounter between the German and French champions, who are both known for their aggressive pressing, ball dominance, and commitment to attacking football.
“You have two sides that use the ball exceptionally well in any situation—whether it’s against deep defences or high-pressing teams,” said Kompany. “It creates a kind of thunderstorm. It’s the perfect storm. Matches like this are always special—I’d pay to watch it.”
Saturday’s clash will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the roof ensures no real storms will interfere, though Kompany believes the action on the pitch will be electrifying enough.
“As a neutral, you’d want to see this one. Both teams have quite extreme principles, and that’s what makes these games exciting,” he added.
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Despite the calibre of the opposition, Kompany said he wouldn’t want to face anyone else. “They’re the Champions League winners—it doesn’t get tougher than this. But if you’re a competitor, you always want to go up against the best. I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said.
Kompany also offered praise for PSG manager Luis Enrique, commending his resilience during a rocky period late last year.
The two clubs last met in November when Bayern edged PSG 1-0, a result that drew harsh criticism for Enrique.
“I remember watching his press conference after that game—the questions thrown at him were totally over the top,” said Kompany. “It was all doom and gloom—that he’d failed, that he couldn’t do the job. But if you watched the games, PSG were dominating and should’ve won comfortably, despite the results saying otherwise.”
He continued, “It’s good to see his consistency being rewarded. It’s not flattery—it’s just fact. And now, six months later, we’re back here, and things look very different.”
Kompany concluded that Saturday’s quarter-final will be a proper test—not just of quality, but of mentality—and he looked forward to seeing how both sides meet the moment.
