Upamecano and Stanišić talk modern defending

Vincent Kompany’s Bayern currently sit six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a goal difference of +29, having only conceded six times so far this season - the best defensive record in the league.

Bayern’s ability to keep the ball away from their own net is mainly down to not giving it away in the first place. They lead the league for average possession (60 percent), as well as for pass completion rate in open play (90.2 percent).

Modern football often requires a passing game that starts right from the back, with the defence’s ability to play out from the backline being the foundation of Bayern’s attacking play, something which France international Upamecano fully understands the importance of. "Especially in phases when the team is tired, we have to keep the ball so we can recharge," he said.

Watch: Upamecano's best Supercup 2025 moments

Upamecano himself sits in the top five for pass completion rate in the Bundesliga this term (93.47 percent), with his central defensive partner Jonathan Tah in second place (95.92 percent).

Aside from his qualities on the ball, Upamecano still relishes the challenge of stopping strikers, something he has a strong eye for given his footballing upbringing, during which he played as both a midfielder and a striker.

"That still helps me today: I know how attacking players think and how they move," he said. "In the end, the coaches said: 'Dayot, you're tall and strong in challenges – you belong in defence.' And that was the right thing to do."

Not only are completed passes important, but also where they end up. Again, Bayern’s defenders excel in that regard. Upamecano and Stanišić, the record champions’ versatile full-back, average 6.18 and 6.85 progressive passes per game, significantly above the average for their position of 3.63.

Unsurprisingly, Stanišić cites Bayern and Germany legend Philipp Lahm, who excelled at right-back, left-back and in central midfield, as one of his idols growing up.

"He practically never made mistakes, knew what to do in every situation, and always made the right decision," the Croatia international explained.

Focus, concentration and decision-making have all contributed to Bayern’s formidable unbeaten start to 2025/26.

Today’s defender must also possess pace, particularly as part of a Bayern team that plays on the front foot. The Bavarians' deepest outfield player stands, on average, 41.75 metres from the goalline, the most in the division. As such, it is perhaps no surprise that four of Bayern’s seven quickest players this term are all defenders, with Stanišić (34.12 km/h) registering the highest speed among his teammates.

At the end of the day, though, keeping the ball out of the back of the net is the most important factor. "I hate conceding goals," Upamecano said, while Stanišić admitted, "the foundation remains defending – especially in the penalty area." 

The basis of clean sheets is stopping opposition teams from getting a sight of goal, and with only 83 shots faced in the Bundesliga this term, Bayern have conceded fewer attempts than any other team in the division. 

That is eight fewer than the next most frugal team, Borussia Dortmund, who have shipped seven goals across the opening 10 matchdays.

Still, as Bayern dispatch all before them, they have done so with a defence that offers far more than the traditional standards. They will aim to show that once more when they host Freiburg after the November international break.