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26-year-old France international who has played for FC Bayern since 2021 says he has learnt a lot from new coach Vincent Kompany, who used to play in the same position during his own active career.
In our interview, Upamecano reflects on the secrets behind Bayern’s current success, Kompany’s coaching style, and what his team needs to do to maintain their current momentum.
Read about the French-born player’s mind-set and priorities as a defender, his almost symbiotic relationship with Min-jae Kim, how he prepares for Der Klassiker, his thoughts about Serhou Guirassy, and his expectations for the soon-to-follow game against his former club RB Leipzig.
Where has your recent defensive stability come from?
“I think we have adapted very well to the style of play that our coach expects. We are looking to play as a team. If you watch our games, it’s not just the defenders who are defending; it’s the offensive players too who help us out. We are a team, and when we step out onto the pitch, we play as one. That is what is helping us to be successful.”
Did you make any tactical adjustments that have helped?
“He (Vincent Kompany) has helped us a lot as a coach since coming in. He played in my position for many years and has a lot of experience. We do a lot of video analysis. As a defender, I have learned a lot from him – both on the pitch and off the pitch. He talks to me a lot, which helps.”
How is the current run of clean sheets benefiting the team?
“It’s very good for the defence. As defenders, we don’t score that many goals, so the best thing you can do on the pitch is keep a clean sheet. When I step out onto the pitch, I am clear with myself that I don’t want to concede goals. So it represents a big victory for us as defenders when we keep a clean sheet. I hope it continues.”
What makes your relationship with Minjae so strong?
“To be honest, I love playing with him. He is a bit like me as a player; he is calm, and when he steps out onto the pitch, he shows his personality. You shouldn’t forget that he was the best defender in Italy as well. He’s a very good defender, even though, like me, we didn’t have a perfect season last year. But this year, we understand each other better. And I hope to continue playing alongside him for as long as possible.”
Dayot Upamecano competes during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart at Allianz Arena on 19 October 2024 – Getty Images
How do you communicate with each other?
“We don’t speak the same language. He speaks English and Korean. I speak French and German. But we mix it all together when we speak. I speak in English sometimes, even though I don’t find it that easy. We understand each other on the pitch. Like I said, it’s a pleasure playing with him because he’s calm, and he’s a bit like me as a player; he is powerful on the pitch. It’s interesting watching him, and I learn a lot from him too. He is a big player with lots of experience. I think he brings a lot to this team.”
What sort of instructions do you get from Vincent Kompany?
“When we’re out on the pitch, he will often correct my positioning. And encourage me to be more vocal, as I am a leader in the team. I have learned a lot from him as a coach. I used to watch him at Man City when I was growing up, and I saw how he used to play himself. I have learned a lot, but I don’t think that will ever end – I still have a lot to learn. I am very happy that he is here.”
How do the defenders benefit from having him as a coach?
“If I give you an example of something I like a lot, in our training session yesterday, we were working on an exercise, and I was not able to do it. He kept going and going and never stopped. We kept repeating the exercise until I managed to do it. He’s almost like a big brother in that sense. He really encourages and supports his younger brother. I hope it continues in the same way. He corrected my positioning. I was in the wrong position. He showed me exactly what I needed to do to defend better in that situation. He was right that I was in the wrong position relative to the attacker, but he corrected that, and after that, the exercise went a lot better.”
How is his coaching style different from other managers?
“I like his style as a coach. He encourages me to stay close to the attacker, to seek out one-on-one situations, and to press aggressively. I have played a pressing game since I was 15 years old in Strasbourg. I like playing like that. It doesn’t scare me. And you need to be brave to defend one vs. one. I like the way that he plays his football, and that’s why I’m so happy that he’s here as our coach.”
You have a six-point lead at the top of the table. How motivated are the team to extend that lead?
“We have to keep our feet on the ground. We need to keep working hard. We know that there’s a lot of matches to come. We will take it game by game. We want to win every single game, of course. But that isn’t easy, and the important thing is continuing to work hard and learn. The teams behind us are not sleeping. We need to keep going, match by match, and we’ll see where we end up.”
You are full of confidence as a team. Do you know any different?
“No, as I said, we are keeping our feet on the ground. But we know that we’re Bayern. And our opponents know that we look to win every single game we play. But we’re having a good year so far. We need to stay grounded, take it match by match, and look to win as many matches as possible.”
Der Klassiker is just around the corner. What memories do you have of this fixture?
“It’s the yellow wall, the stadium; the stadium is incredible. It’s a big stadium, and we really look forward to playing against them every season. I actually scored a goal in my last match against them. We will go there to get the win. It will be a big game and we will do everything we can to leave with three points.”
Are you looking forward to facing the yellow wall?
“We’ll have our tactics. They have a great coach and some great players like us. But like I said, we are going there to win. That’s what we do every game, and that won’t change against Dortmund. They are looking very strong as a team this season, like Leipzig and Leverkusen. But we are going there for the win, not to look at the yellow wall.”
What lessons from previous encounters will you take into the game?
“It’s teamwork. I know they have some very good players, people like Guirassy and Malen, who are difficult to contain. But as I said, we’re a team. We win together, and we battle together.”
What makes Serhou Guirassy so special?
“He has a lot of experience as a player. He likes the ball at his feet. He reminds me of Harry Kane somewhat because he’s good at holding the ball up. He knows how to score goals. So he’s not easy to play against. But we’re a team. He is not their only threat, though. We need to focus on stopping the team as a whole, not just Guirassy.”
What will you have to do to stop him?
“As I said, it’s not just him. Dortmund are a big club with lots of quality players. We will listen to the advice from our coach and play our game.”
You’ll face Leipzig shortly before the winter break. How will you prepare for that game?
“Leipzig are my former club. They are a great club, and I’m still in contact with some of the players there. They are just behind us at the table and are pushing us hard. We know it won’t be easy to play a team like Leipzig, who press aggressively and who have a good coach. We need to be ready, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Are you in touch with any of the RB players?
“I am in contact with Amadou Haidara. He is my friend, so we speak regularly before and after matches. It will be an interesting game for sure, and I look forward to it.”
What sets Sesko, Openda, and Simmons apart as an offensive trio?
“They are powerful forward players. They like going up against defenders one on one. And they know how to score goals too and how to press you. That is the type of player that plays at RB Leipzig. But I have lots of experience playing against players like Sesko – there are lots of physical strikers in the Bundesliga that can score goals. As I said, they are a good team. We will defend well and look to leave the game with the clean sheet intact.”
