Vincent Kompany takes aim at Real Madrid arrogance and dismisses Champions League comeback myth

Ahead of a high-stakes second leg at the Allianz Arena, Kompany has moved to dismantle the "mythology" that often surrounds Real Madrid in European competition. While Los Blancos pride themselves on their ability to produce late miracles, the Bayern manager believes such stories are far from unique to the Spanish giants.

Speaking to the media in a fiery pre-match press conference, Kompany claimed that "those stories are not real" when asked about Madrid's historical dominance in the competition.

He continued: "I believe they are in a phase of development, and they are still among the best in Europe. I don't see 'remontada stories' as unique. They are stories of other clubs, such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Every club can tell these stories when they achieve an exceptional feat. I believe in Real Madrid when they think they can make a comeback, but I want to win. Nothing will affect me before the match."

The tension between the two European heavyweights has been exacerbated by comments from Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa. The former defender leaned heavily into the club's "DNA" during his own media duties, suggesting that a recovery from their 2-1 first-leg deficit in Germany would be nothing out of the ordinary for the 15-time winners.

The Madrid boss was particularly vocal about the weight of the club's crest and its history, stating: "We are the team that never gives up and the one with 15 European Cups".

Arbeloa went further by insisting that his side does not need to perform a "miracle" to progress, a stance that has been interpreted by some as a lack of respect for the challenge posed by the Bavarian side on their home turf.

Bayern stormed to a two-goal lead in the first leg at the Bernabeu last week, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring in the first-half before Harry Kane struck early in the second. Madrid had plenty of chances beyond Kylian Mbappe's 74th minute effort, sparking claims that Bayern were a bit lucky to leave with the lead.

Kompany, though, suggested otherwise, saying: "We could have scored more goals in the first leg, not just Real Madrid. It's true they improved in the second half, and those 45 minutes might give them confidence. But in the first half, we had a very good feeling, and I think we can still do even better. Winning at the Bernabéu gives you that confidence, but now you have to prove it at the Allianz Arena. And with their quality, their speed... they can be very dangerous. But I think we need to focus on ourselves, on how we can find solutions."

While the psychological warfare dominated the build-up, Kompany did provide some positive news on the fitness front for Bayern. The coach confirmed that Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala are both in contention to play a part in the second leg, which serves as a major boost given the offensive threat they possess.

Regarding Musiala, Kompany noted that the young starlet is moving in the right direction and is "almost at 100%" following recent injury concerns.