Faltering spine! Are Bayern Munich now facing a full-blown crisis?
2-2 in Augsburg, 3-3 in Stavanger: Bayern Munich have suddenly been struggling badly since the international break. An assessment.
This Friday will mark exactly four weeks since Bayern Munich last won a match. Only the extended international break has kept the Munich side out of a crisis of historic proportions: they have played just two competitive matches in that time. First came a 2-2 draw away to FC Augsburg, then a 3-3 draw away to Viking Stavanger.
Both slip-ups came against sides considerably weaker on paper. Both followed a similar pattern.
Bayern Munich are undoing themselves with their own mistakes. "I'm standing here again, just as I was after the Augsburg game, and basically we've done the same thing again," a resigned sporting director Max Eberl said in Stavanger. "Almost an identical pattern to the game." He went further: "We made even more mistakes today than against Augsburg."
Bayern Munich: Early goals conceded and costly losses of possession
An early goal put Bayern Munich behind in both matches. Against Augsburg, they conceded the fastest goal in Bundesliga history, after eight seconds. Against Stavanger, it took 72 seconds. Individual errors opened the door each time. In Augsburg, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer lost possession disastrously. In Stavanger, Min-Jae Kim unnecessarily conceded the corner that led to the goal. Coach Vincent Kompany bemoaned his side's "overconfidence" in always wanting to find a way to play their way out.
Both opponents scored their second goal with a through ball straight through Bayern Munich's poorly coordinated defence. Viking captain Zlatko Tripic had almost prophetically said at the pre-match press conference: "If they send a lot of players forward, spaces open up." In Stavanger, though, Bayern Munich's mistakes went beyond footballing errors.
Harry Kane scored twice and Luis Diaz struck to put Bayern Munich 3-2 ahead, before Michael Olise lost his head. A yellow card for a tactical foul. Another for throwing the ball in an opponent's face. Off he went for a second booking. "Incredibly stupid," Kompany said. With Bayern down to ten men, Joshua Kimmich then gave away possession needlessly before the late equaliser made it 3-3.
Bayern Munich: A shaky spine and referees in the spotlight
Several key Bayern Munich players are struggling individually, leaving their spine looking shaky. After his mistake against Augsburg, captain Manuel Neuer has faced debate over a possible premature change of guard in the Munich goal. He is also dealing with health problems again. Vice-captain Kimmich has faced questions since an international break with the Germany team that went so badly for him. His central midfield partner, Aleksandar Pavlovic, calls the debate "Unnecessary", but it has not gone away.
After a very poor first half in Stavanger, Jonathan Tah came off at half-time. Luis Diaz still looks tense following his special leave. Little of his former positive energy is evident, and three disallowed goals for offside have not helped. Perhaps his legitimate goal in Stavanger will turn things around. Olise, meanwhile, must come to terms with the first sending-off and probably the most idiotic act of his professional career so far. He will also definitely miss next week's big game against last year's finalists Arsenal through suspension.
As in Augsburg, Bayern Munich took issue with the referee in Stavanger, although nobody at the club complained about Olise's entirely justified sending-off. They let the referee distract them during the game, as Kompany admitted: "We were perhaps preoccupied with things that don't help us in that situation, like the referee." Afterwards, the complaints became a major part of their analysis.
In Augsburg, Bayern Munich objected to the decision to disallow Diaz's first goal, which probably should have stood. In Stavanger, they took issue with the general attitude of the Bulgarian Georgi Kabakov, who had already drawn scrutiny because of his previous suspension. Both complaints had some substance. But after dropping points against teams of Augsburg's or Stavanger's calibre, Bayern Munich should focus more on their own shortcomings than on the referee's performance.
What next for Bayern Munich?
Since Kompany took charge in summer 2024, Bayern Munich have gone at least two consecutive competitive matches without a win on four occasions. Three came in his debut season. The fourth came this spring, when the Munich side drew with 1. FC Heidenheim in the already-decided Bundesliga between their two Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain (4-5 and 1-1).
Last season began very differently. Bayern Munich now have three slip-ups after nine games, but they opened the previous campaign with 16 consecutive wins across all competitions, the best start to a season by any club from Europe's top five leagues in history. That run included impressive victories over Club World Cup winners Chelsea and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. They did not drop their first points until a draw against Union Berlin in mid-November.
Two games without a win leave Bayern Munich facing three difficult assignments in a row: a Bundesliga meeting with an apparently resurgent RB Leipzig, a Champions League clash with Arsenal and then a return to league action against leaders SC Freiburg. This dip could yet become a genuine crisis.
For all their sometimes inconsistent finishing, Bayern Munich are still scoring goals. Harry Kane has led the way, playing a part in all five against Augsburg and Stavanger.
