Kompany says Bayern’s draw with Arsenal was “perhaps fair”

Bayern Munich and Arsenal drew 2-2 at the Allianz Arena in a Champions League match on 3 November. Vincent Kompany said his side could regret not winning, while accepting that a share of the points was defensible given Arsenal’s periods of superiority and its late equaliser.

The Bayern coach did not describe the contest as one-sided in his team’s favour. He portrayed a closely fought match in which both sides tried to reach the final third, and felt Bayern had repeatedly found dangerous areas. The chances his players created added to his frustration, but did not erase the spells when Arsenal took control.

Kompany summed up his view: “We felt we could win, and perhaps we deserved to, but the opposition were very strong and the match was never a foregone conclusion. The equaliser we conceded in the final minutes was regrettable.” He also stressed that neither side had dominated throughout: “The result is perhaps fair, even though we created clearer chances.”

The coach noted that Bayern had fashioned more dangerous opportunities than he expected, before losing some momentum in the closing stages. He described Arsenal’s pressing as comparable to Bayern’s. In his view, his side reached advanced areas more often and posed a threat, particularly in two or three situations when it had a numerical advantage.

The result comes with Arsenal second in the Premier League on 18 points after 7 matches. The London club has 6 wins, no draws and 1 defeat in the competition, with 11 goals scored and 5 conceded. Across its last 5 league matches, it has 4 wins and 1 defeat. Those figures add context to Kompany’s assessment: Bayern created chances, but faced an opponent capable of imposing its own strong spells.

After the match, the coach also referred to a crowded schedule and the need to turn quickly to the next game. He praised Harry Kane, named man of the match after scoring a goal and assisting Alphonso Davies. Kompany highlighted the forward’s movement and passing, which give the team more ways to advance and create danger.