Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are not short of motivation going into the Klassiker against visitors Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, coach Vincent Kompany said on Friday, with his team desperate to bounce back from a midweek Champions League loss.
Bayern want to show an instant reaction to Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal 2-1 home loss to Inter Milan, in order to go into next week's return leg with a shot of confidence, the coach said.
"It (defeat to Inter) does not feel like a defeat because our will and belief is so big for the return leg," Kompany told a press conference. "But on Saturday we want to show a reaction. There is Klassiker and the history between the two clubs."
"So we are not lacking in motivation or energy going into the game. I also like that these matches against Dortmund have this extra spice."
Bayern are top on 68 points in the Bundesliga, six clear of reigning champions Bayern Leverkusen, in second place, with six matches left to play, with any slip-up potentially proving costly.
Dortmund, who lost 4-0 to Barcelona on Wednesday in their own quarterfinal first leg, are in eighth place on 41 points and at risk of missing out on Champions League football next season.
"We are in a phase of the season where everything is important. Every minute, every moment," Kompany said. "So everything is a priority."
The Belgian, in his first season in charge, is missing half a dozen key players to injury, including playmaker Jamal Musiala and keeper Manuel Neuer. He said the absences would have no impact on the desire of his players to bounce back.
"We always want to win but it is still too early to define it as a really negative result (against Inter)," Kompany said.
"In the end it is about winners and losers but our belief is there in our squad despite the absences, and that spills over to the Dortmund game tomorrow."