Bayern Munich Advances in German Cup Despite Musiala's Absence
OSNABRÜCK, Germany — Bayern Munich rolled into the second round of the German Cup with a 4-1 win at Osnabrück on Wednesday night, but the real focus hovered over a player who never kicked a ball.
Kompany urges patience over Musiala
Vincent Kompany revealed Jamal Musiala could be back on the pitch soon, yet made it clear he will not rush the Germany star’s return after a worrying preseason.
Musiala was left out of the squad entirely in Osnabrück and has not featured under Kompany since collapsing in two preseason games because of a neurological issue. The 21-year-old later disclosed he is dealing with treatable absence seizures, having gone down twice in four days — first in a friendly against RB Leipzig, then again on Aug. 18.
Asked postmatch whether Musiala might be involved when Bayern face promoted Schalke in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Kompany allowed a sliver of optimism.
Musiala, he said, “might” be an option.
Then came the line that mattered more than any team-sheet hint.
“I don’t want to put any more pressure on the guy,” Kompany stressed, underlining that Bayern’s long-term view on one of their most important players outweighs any short-term need.
Kane at the double as Bayern cruise
On the pitch, Bayern did what Bayern usually do in this competition: survive an early scare, then pull away with cold efficiency.
Robin Meissner stunned the visitors with a spectacular opener, smashing a shot from around 30 meters into the top right corner. It was the kind of strike that briefly silences even an away end used to seeing their team dominate. Harry Kane and Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig both congratulated Meissner on the goal — a rare moment of shared appreciation in a knockout tie.
Osnabrück’s lead didn’t last.
Kane equalised shortly after that thunderbolt, steadying Bayern before Tom Bischof flipped the game on its head with a 24th-minute finish to make it 2-1. The holders had control, but not complete comfort.
Osnabrück stayed compact, disciplined and awkward. Kompany resisted the temptation to rotate heavily, starting Kane, Luis Díaz and Michael Olise together, while new signing Ismael Saibari earned his first start since joining from PSV Eindhoven. Bayern kept probing, kept dragging Osnabrück’s back line from side to side.
“We kept finding the spaces and the chances eventually became bigger as well,” Kompany said. “We were battling their compactness in the first half; in the second they tried to press us, which also gave us opportunities.”
The pressure finally told. In the 73rd minute, Olise struck to give Bayern breathing room at 3-1, killing any real hope of a late Cup upset. Kane then finished the job from the penalty spot, his second of the night sealing a scoreline that looked comfortable, even if the path to it hadn’t always been.
“At the end of the day, it’s a 4-1 win away in the cup. You can’t get much better than that against a compact, defensively strong team, who have built their success on just that,” Kompany said. “To win a match like this 4-1 away from home is not easy.”
Kane: “Games like this are never easy”
Kane’s assessment matched his manager’s: this was a professional job in a hostile setting.
“I think it was a good performance. Games like this are never easy,” he said. “We played away from home against a good side and the atmosphere the fans created was really impressive. In games like this you have to be disciplined and mentally switched on — especially when the opponents start with such an outrageous goal.”
Bayern’s early-season form under Kompany now reads impressively: a 2-1 win over Dortmund in the Super Cup, a 5-1 dismantling of Stuttgart to open their Bundesliga campaign, and now a 4-1 Cup win on the road.
The goals are flowing. The new signings are bedding in. The structure looks clear.
The only missing piece is Musiala — and with Schalke looming and the season stretching out ahead, Bayern must decide how long they can wait for their most gifted playmaker to feel truly ready to step back into the storm.
