MUNICH: The Club World Cup may have hampered some clubs’ pre-season preparations but for Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany the month-long tournament helped with a quick and seamless integration of new signings.
The Bavarians had new arrivals Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof in the squad for the June 14 to July 13 tournament in the United States, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Paris St. Germain.
Several teams, including Borussia Dortmund, have said they felt the impact of a shorter-than-usual pre-season training period because of their participation in the Club World Cup.
The tournament left several top European teams with only four weeks to rest and prepare for the new season. Most top European leagues usually end in late May.
“The Club World Cup certainly helped in the integration of newcomers,” Kompany told a press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday’s league game at Hoffenheim.
“There is this feeling that players like Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof have been here longer (than they have been).
“Maybe it has to do with the fact that we were living together for an entire month.
“We don’t really know how the Club World Cup will influence the season but we stayed together for a month and that is rare for a club. If we can use that then we will,” he added.
Whatever influence it may have had the champions have hit the ground running, winning all their domestic and European matches and topping the Bundesliga with nine points after three games.
They made a winning start in the Champions League after forward Harry Kane scored once in either half to guide Bayern to a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in their league phase opener on Wednesday.
“But to grow more together we have to win against Hoffenheim,” Kompany said. “We are playing well, scoring goals and have worked hard to deserve this momentum. We have to keep working in order to maintain this momentum.”
Club World Cup helped new Bayern players integrate quickly, says Kompany
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Club World Cup helped new Bayern players integrate quickly, says Kompany
- “The Club World Cup certainly helped in the integration of newcomers,” Kompany told a press conference
- “There is this feeling that players like Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof have been here longer”
Pineau leads by 1 as Vecchi Fossa stars at Hilton Classic in Tangier
- Leaders hit a 2-under-par 70 in what proved arguably the most challenging conditions of the MENA Golf Tour season so far
TANGIER: France’s Pierre Pineau holds a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hilton Classic at Al-Houara Golf Club in Tangier after battling to a two-under-par 70 in arguably the most challenging conditions of the MENA Golf Tour season so far.
Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa produced a stunning six-under 66 to storm into contention despite the torrential afternoon rain.
Pineau, who began the day on three-under par, made four birdies against two bogeys to move to five under overall and head a congested leaderboard.
He navigated the morning conditions well enough, reaching the turn one-under for his round, before digging deep on the back nine as the weather deteriorated sharply.
“On the back nine I just fought as hard as I could,” Pineau said. “The rain was not so much about distance, it was more about the ball sliding on the face on chips and wedges. I have played in tough, changing weather before so I felt comfortable adapting.”
“It would mean a lot to win because I have struggled over the last 12 months, so it would be a big boost of confidence,” he added. “After today my confidence is in a good place.”
Three players share second place on four-under par. England’s Curtis Knipes carded a composed 71, making birdies at the ninth, 13th and 15th to offset bogeys at the first and 17th and maintain his challenge.
Pakistan’s Aadam Syed also signed for a 71, his four birdies countered by three dropped shots in a battling round he described as a constant test of patience.
“It was a real battle out there today,” Syed said. “Yesterday was windy but it eased over the last six holes and you could start firing at flags. Today it was constant all day, so patience was key.”
Syed, who had his father on the bag, is chasing a first title. “To win on the MENA Golf Tour would mean a great deal,” he said. “I have not won as a professional yet, so to tick that off would be huge and would confirm to myself that I am good enough.”
The third member of the second-place trio was the story of the day. Fossa, who started on the first tee, produced a flawless six-under 66, featuring four birdies and an eagle at the 10th, all without a bogey despite the increasingly brutal afternoon conditions.
“Honestly, I don’t really know how I did it,” Vecchi Fossa said. “On the back nine it was rain and wind the whole way and I was hitting hybrid and three wood into par fours straight into the wind. It was crazy out there.
“The hardest part was gripping the club with so much water, but I managed to hit a lot of fairways and the putts went in, which made the difference.”
France’s Andoni Etchenique and overnight leader Aron Zemmer, who slipped back with a two-over 74, share fifth place on three-under par.
Ireland’s Alex Maguire, the round one co-leader, dropped two shots to sit at two under with New Zealand’s Luke Kidd and Ireland’s Paul McBride in a tie for seventh.
Ayoub Lguirati remains the highest-placed Moroccan heading into the final round, the home favorite signing for a 74 to sit on two-over par in a share of 20th place, with compatriots Ayoub Ssouadi and Issam Nakrou also making the cut.
The final round of the Hilton Classic gets underway on Wednesday, with the $100,000 prize fund and Official World Golf Ranking points on the line.
