Edin Dzeko is excited about seeing Bayern coach Kompany again

Schalke's veteran striker Edin Dzeko expressed his admiration for the FC Bayern coach before meeting Vincent Kompany again. "What Kompany has already achieved is crazy. He was always a captain and a leader, so it doesn't surprise me," said the 40-year-old professional footballer in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" about his former Manchester City teammate of the same age.

The newcomer from Gelsenkirchen welcomes the champions from Munich today (6.30 p.m., in the WELT sports ticker). "We always used to sit together on the bus, right at the back: Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Aleksandar Kolarov and me. We listened to music and always had a lot of fun. Only Kompany looked at the laptop. 'What do you do, what do you always study?' we asked him," said Dzeko. “When he was promoted to coach with Burnley, I wrote to him: 'Brate (brother, the editors), now I understand...'

Dzeko is hoping for FC Bayern's mercy in the duel against Schalke

The Schalke striker said he was looking forward to Kompany, who will soon end his career with the Bosnia-Herzegovina national team. At the same time he said: “Hopefully he won’t take it too seriously for the game against us.”

Kompany was captain during Dzeko's time in Manchester (2011 to 2015). “I am happy with what so many of my old colleagues have achieved in football: Kompany is a coach at Bayern, Martín Demichelis is a coach in Leipzig, Marcel Schäfer is a managing director in Leipzig, Christian Gentner is a sports director in Stuttgart,” added Dzeko.

Bayern will be visiting Schalke again this Saturday evening after a three-year break in the Bundesliga. The Royal Blues managed to return to the top German league last season as second division champions.

The Munich team, as league leaders, go into the game as clear favorites after their 5-1 opening win against VfL Stuttgart. Schalke lost 3-0 in Augsburg on the first matchday.

For Manuel Neuer it is a special game in his hometown. For the 40-year-old goalkeeper, it will probably be the last game with FC Bayern against his hometown club in the Veltins Arena. Neuer is expected to end his career in the summer of 2027.

Bayern have won 20 and drawn 3 in their last 23 Bundesliga games against Schalke. Felix Magath was the S04 coach during Schalke's last Bundesliga win against the record champions: it was a 2-0 home win in December 2010, the goals were scored by José Manuel Jurado and Benedikt Höwedes. The then Schalke keeper Neuer started the 1-0 with a long ball.