'We're all human': Tah opens up on Bayern's difficult week

A 6-1 victory might look comfortable on paper, but Jonathan Tah knows there is more to Bayern Munich's performance than the final score suggests. After Wednesday's DFB-Pokal win against 1. FC Magdeburg, the defender praised his team's patience, togetherness and ability to respond to a challenging situation.

"It's never easy, even though it looks like it from outside. It's always a lot of hard work. And the way our opponents tried to play today, they were brave. They tried to do things with the ball rather than simply sitting deep and hoofing it long. That's why we gradually found our rhythm, and at some point, the momentum shifted in our favour," Tah explained.

"Regardless of who's on the pitch, when I look at the players who came on towards the end, Daiber scoring the goal and Binder coming on, it shows that we stick together as a team and that everyone is ready to deliver when called upon. That's something you have to work for in training. It makes me happy to see that, despite having players missing and the coach being absent at the moment, we're still able to produce performances like this on the pitch," he added.

With head coach Vincent Kompany recovering at home after being discharged from hospital, Bayern have had to deal with an unusual situation. 

"Well, I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect us in some way, because we're all human. Of course, you feel for those affected. But ultimately, I think it's about being professional. When you consider what we can do right now to give those who aren't here some positive energy, the answer is to go out on the pitch and show what we showed today. I'm pleased that we've managed to do that in each of our last two games," the defender said.

Former Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger also asked Tah about the demands of playing in a defensive system that often leaves centre-backs exposed in one-on-one situations, and whether he would prefer an additional defensive midfielder for protection.

"Generally speaking, that's our style of play. We press high and, most of all, defend 1v1. As a defender, that sometimes means you have large spaces to cover. But, of course, the aim is that once you get into your own half, you can provide better cover for one another and avoid constantly finding yourself in 1v1 situations," Tah explained.