Kane & Co granted extra time off after 'extremely intense' period

FC Bayern München v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second Leg

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has decided to reward his squad with a period of unexpected rest following a grueling run of fixtures across three competitions. The Belgian tactician has granted Harry Kane and his team-mates three days of special leave to recharge both physically and mentally before they embark on their final push for a domestic double.

Rest and recovery for the champions

Following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg on Saturday evening, the Bayern Munich squad returned from Lower Saxony to a welcome surprise from their manager. Vincent Kompany has officially sanctioned a three-day break for the players, allowing them to switch off and replenish their energy levels ahead of the season's decisive final week.

The decision was confirmed by sporting director Christoph Freund in the aftermath of the win at the Volkswagen Arena. Speaking in the mixed zone, the Bayern chief explained the reasoning behind the hiatus: “The boys have a few days off now. The weeks were extremely intense, also from a mental point of view, with a lot of travel.”

TOPSHOT-FBL-EUR-C1-BAYERN MUNICH-PSG

Overcoming Champions League heartbreak

The fatigue mentioned by Freund stems from a relentless schedule that saw the record German champions playing every three days across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League.

This heavy workload coincided with the emotional toll of their narrow semi-final exit from Europe at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, which ended their hopes of a continental treble.

The lingering effects of that European disappointment were evident against Wolfsburg, where Bayern struggled in the first half and relied heavily on 22-year-old goalkeeper Jonas Urbig. The youngster, standing in for Manuel Neuer, produced four magnificent saves to keep the scores level before a late flight back to Munich allowed the players to begin their collective recovery period.

Focus turns to the Bundesliga trophy

The squad is expected to return to the Sabener Strasse training ground on Wednesday afternoon to begin preparations for their final Bundesliga outing.

They host Koln on May 16, a match that will be followed by the official presentation of the Meisterschale to the squad and the fans at the Allianz Arena.

Freund emphasised the importance of this short break in order to finish the league campaign strongly: “Now let's power down for a moment and then we have our championship game at home, which we definitely want to win. Then we have full focus on Berlin; we want to stay in the rhythm now.”

FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-WOLFSBURG-BAYERN MUNICH

What's next for Bayern Munich?

Once the league celebrations conclude-including a traditional reception at the town hall by Munich's new mayor Dominik Krause - the focus will shift entirely to the DFB-Pokal final. Bayern are scheduled to face Stuttgart at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on May 23, with the chance to secure a domestic double to round off Kompany's first season in charge.