FC Bayern can still lose in the Bundesliga. The German record champions suffered a 2-1 home defeat in the Bavarian derby against FC Augsburg, of all places, and thus bid farewell to two impressive series
Up until Saturday evening, Vincent Kompany’s side had been unbeaten in 27 Bundesliga games and had scored at least two goals in every single one of them. Both streaks came to an abrupt end against Augsburg – in front of a home crowd and at a time when many things had pointed to a continuation of Bayern’s run
An evening in which many things did not fit together
FC Bayern struggled right from the start. Although the Munich side controlled the ball and space for long stretches, the attack only developed real penetration in phases. Augsburg, on the other hand, presented themselves as they so often do against the record champions: compact, passionate and maximally efficient. Every ball won was celebrated, every duel accepted – and every Bayern mistake punished mercilessly
The fact that the Fuggerstädter are more than just an uncomfortable opponent in Munich was demonstrated once again. After going behind at the latest, FCB appeared unusually nervous and their otherwise dominant play faltered. Despite their best efforts, Bayern were no longer able to steer the game in their usual direction
Augsburg – Bayern’s serial killers with tradition
The defeat brought back memories of an almost historic trauma. FC Augsburg had already ended a legendary Bayern streak back in May 2015, when the Munich side had gone 53 Bundesliga games unbeaten in a row before a certain Raúl Bobadilla scored a pecking goal to secure a 1-0 away win. It also hit FC Bayern unexpectedly back then – and also in their own stadium
Nine years later, history is repeating itself, with Augsburg once again confirming its reputation as a serial killer that poses a threat to Bayern when hardly anyone expects it. For Munich, the 2-1 defeat is not only a statistical caesura, but also a sporting setback after weeks of almost perfect results
No reason to panic – but a warning signal
As bitter as this defeat is, it does not change the fundamental strength of Kompany’s team. FC Bayern remain top of the table, still have by far the best attack in the league and have impressively shown what they are capable of in recent weeks. Nevertheless, the setback comes at the right time
The defeat against Augsburg shows that Bayern are also vulnerable – especially when they lack intensity, precision and consistency. For Vincent Kompany and his team, the 2-1 defeat is a clear reminder that series do not win games. Perhaps this reminder is the greatest value of this evening
Because one thing is also certain: FC Bayern will react, and history shows that defeats against Augsburg in Munich are rarely without consequences.