‘Absolute leader’ Kane helping Jackson at Bayern, says Kompany

Vincent Kompany believes Nicolas Jackson has benefited from training alongside “absolute leader” Harry Kane at Bayern Munich.

Jackson joined the Bundesliga champions on loan from Chelsea during the summer, but has been primarily used as a backup option for Kane.

The 24-year-old has scored three goals in 11 Bundesliga games this season, while also directly contributing to four goals in five Champions League matches (two goals, two assists).

Bayern face Mainz on Sunday in what will be Jackson’s final game for the club before he joins the Senegal squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kompany has been pleased with Jackson’s progression so far at Bayern, which he partially credits to Kane.

“I'm very positive about Nicolas Jackson. He has helped us a lot, his goal-per-minute ratio is good,” said Kompany.

“Of course there's competition up front in Harry Kane, but that's just part of it. For me as a coach, it's a privilege to see how Nicolas copes with it.

“What many people don't see is what Nicolas does in training and every time he comes on. I wanted to field him against Sporting, but then Lenny [Lennart Karl] scored and my plan was completely different. I hope he'll make the most of his moments again and again.

“Harry's consistency is very impressive. Harry and Nicolas have a very good relationship in training. They always work on their finishes together.

“Nicolas keeps making progress because he trains with Harry. You can tell he feels at ease in Munich, with his family and in this team. We have an absolute leader in Harry.”

It will be first against last on Sunday, with Mainz winning just six points from their first 13 games of the season to leave them bottom of the table.

They have won just once in the league this season, with new boss Urs Fischer set to take charge of his first Bundesliga game with the club.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bayern Munich – Harry Kane

Kane scored 17 goals in the first 13 matchdays of this Bundesliga season for Bayern – in Bundesliga history, only Kane himself has scored more goals in the first 13 matchdays (18 in 2023/24).

Against Stuttgart last time out, he scored his 10th Bundesliga hat-trick, with only four players having netted more in the competition’s history (Gerd Muller 32, Robert Lewandowski 16, Mario Gomez and Klaus Fischer 12 each).

Mainz – Nadiem Amiri

Amiri is Mainz’s top scorer in the league this season, finding the back of the net three times while also providing one assist.

However, the midfielder has not registered a direct goal involvement since their 2-1 defeat to Stuttgart on October 26.

MATCH PREDICTION – BAYERN MUNICH WIN

Bayern have won their last eight home league games against Mainz; among current Bundesliga teams, they only have a longer winning run at home against Hamburger SV (10).

Mainz face league leaders Bayern as the league's bottom side, the first time the Bundesliga's bottom club have travelled to the league leaders since Greuther Furth visited Bayern in February 2022.

In 46 such Bundesliga encounters, the bottom team have only won twice (W2 D7 L37) – Saarbrucken against Koln in January 1964 and Fortuna Dusseldorf against Bayer Leverkusen in August 1996.

Bayern have scored at least twice in their last 21 Bundesliga matches, a new league record for consecutive multi-goal games, while their 49 goals after 13 Bundesliga matches are also a new record in the competition's history.

In their 14th game of the season against Mainz, Bayern could reach 50 goals for the season, faster than any club before them.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bayern Munich – 82.3%

Draw – 10.4%

Mainz – 7.3%