Kompany reveals Arteta’s greatest similarity with Guardiola – ‘It’s impressive’

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Kompany reveals Arteta's greatest similarity with Guardiola - 'It's impressive'

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Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany has revealed the biggest similarity between Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola, ahead of the German champions’ UEFA Champions League clash with Arsenal – live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Bayern make the trip to the Emirates on Wednesday night with both sides having won all four of their league-phase matches.

Both Kompany and Arteta have been influenced by Guardiola, having played for him or worked alongside him at Manchester City.

And Bayern manager Kompany says he can see a quality in Arteta that he has taken from Guardiola.

“What I think Mikel has taken most from Pep, from what I’ve seen so far – and eventually he’ll have the trophies, I’m sure – is the relentlessness of the way the team’s set up, every phase,” Kompany said in an interview with TNT Sports.

“Also, the amount of pushback he’s had over the years and the calmness of how he just went through it and became stronger and stronger. It’s impressive, and that’s why I’m looking forward to the game, to be honest.”

Bayern, led by the prolific Harry Kane, have been an attacking force this season, netting 14 times in their four Champions League games.

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But they will face an Arsenal side yet to concede in the competition, with a reputation for being obdurate defensively.

Asked if he admires that resoluteness, former defender Kompany said: “Love it. It’s the centre-backs but it’s also the rest of the team: the amount of work they do, the compactness between the lines, the way they’re always able to put pressure in the right areas to defend a shot, defend a cross and make it very, very difficult to have a clear attempt on goal.

“Everyone can set up a formation with a lot of players defending the goal, but it’s another thing to read the moments when you need to pass on a man, stop the inside dribble, stop the cross, get out and block a shot, and those sensations you can see they have in the squad and they enjoy. I can appreciate it.”

Bayern beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain last time out in the Champions League and continued their charge towards another Bundesliga title with a 6-2 drubbing of Freiburg last weekend.

Kompany, though, admitted the trip to Arsenal will be among their biggest tests of the season.

“It feels like it,” he said.

“Recently we played against the Champions League winners [PSG], now it feels like we’re playing against probably the most in-form team in Europe, maybe the most complete team in Europe in the way they present themselves in every phase of play.

“It’s a good challenge: it’s away from home, we won four games, they won four games. The winner of this competition will not be decided by this game, but it’d be awesome to get three points there.”