Three players are in the spotlight, and Kompany heaps praise on VfB and Freiburg

Vincent Kompany

At FC Bayern Munich’s press conference, manager Vincent Kompany praised the second DFB-Pokal semi-final between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg.

"Anyone who watched yesterday's match will have seen the sheer quality on display," enthused the Belgian ahead of the German record champions' Bundesliga trip to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday.

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.”

Manzambi

Is Manzambi set to join FC Bayern Munich?

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.