Three players under the microscope: Bayern boss Vincent Kompany is full of praise for the DFB-Pokal semi-final between Stuttgart and Freiburg

Kompany highlighted three players who excelled on Thursday evening. “People always thought that England had snapped up a lot of quality from Germany. But what’s happening in Germany now? You’ve got players like (Yuito) Suzuki (SC Freiburg), (Johan) Manzambi (SC Freiburg) or (Bilal) El Khannouss (VfB Stuttgart) on the pitch. There’s a new generation of top talent emerging in Germany.”

Such depth will ultimately benefit the Bundesliga and its clubs, he added. “It’s proper football. Both teams gave it their all.”

Day-to-day life in the top flight of German football is therefore anything but a walk in the park for his Bayern side: “Being successful in this league isn’t easy, and staying successful isn’t either.”

Suzuki, Manzambi and El Khannouss have all established themselves as key players for their respective clubs this season. Leading the way is Swiss winger Manzambi, whose 13 goal contributions in 41 appearances have made him one of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents.

That form has triggered reports linking him with FC Bayern Munich. A natural central midfielder who can both shield the back four and contribute goals, Manzambi is viewed as an ideal long-term replacement for Leon Goretzka, who is expected to depart this summer.

The 20-year-old is under contract with Freiburg until 2030, and because his deal lacks a release clause, any suitor will have to pay a hefty fee—reportedly at least €30 million—to secure his services this summer.