Vincent Kompany (R), head coach of Bayern Munich, speaks with his team's Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha during the German Bundesliga match between Holstein Kiel and FC Bayern Munich in Kiel, Germany, September 14, 2024. /CFP
Bayern Munich get their UEFA Champions League campaign going at home against Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb tonight.
Six-time European champions Bayern start the new group stage with hopes of reaching the final which will be played in their Allianz Arena in May.
Bayern trained without French defender Sacha Boey, who underwent meniscus surgery in his left knee after being injured in training on Sunday and will be sidelined for several weeks. Another injured right-back, Josip Stanisic will also be absent from the match.
Tonight's game is the first Champions League match as head coach for former Belgium international Vincent Kompany, who took over Bayern this season. Bayern is on a four-game winning run since Kompany took over with three of those wins coming in the Bundesliga and one in the German Cup.
"So I'm not someone that's going to start feeling sorry for myself because we lost a player. And yes, we have an injury. Yes, it's two right-backs. But we will find a solution. We have a team to do it. And we have the time tonight and tomorrow to discuss what we think is the best solution. But the one priority is to win the next game without anything negative about the situation that we're in. It's a shame, but we're going to deal with it," said Kompany.
Harry Kane (#09) of Bayern Munich scores from the penalty spot during the German Bundesliga match between Holstein Kiel and FC Bayern Munich in Kiel, Germany, September 14, 2024. /CFP
Dinamo Zagreb have a very tough opening trip to Bayern with the Croatian side facing one of the toughest tests in European football: taking on six-time winners Bayern Munich at the imposing Allianz Arena.
Manager Sergej Jakirovic's Dinamo will also travel to FC Salzburg, SK Slovan Bratislava, and Arsenal, during the eight-game league phase of the reformatted competition. They take on last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco, Celtic, and AC Milan in their home games.