FC Bayern only drew at Hamburger SV on matchday 20. FCBinside provides three insights into the game
Bayern had to settle for a 2-2 draw at newly promoted Hamburger SV and the game provided the following insights
1. Bayern have their first period of weakness
After losing 2-1 at home to FC Augsburg and thus suffering their first defeat of the current Bundesliga season, Bayern were unable to get beyond a draw at HSV, meaning they have dropped five points in the race for the championship in their last two games
FC Bayern are thus in the first real weak phase of the season. After the short winter break, coach Vincent Kompany’s team has lost the dominance of last year. Unlike before, the record champions fell behind several times in the still young 2026 season or quickly surrendered leads
These match sequences took their toll, as did the packed fixture list. „It was a very complicated January with seven games in 20 days,“ said sporting director Max Eberl after the game in Hamburg
Bayern have picked up just four points from the first three games of the second half of the season, a record last seen in the 2014/15 season
However, FCB have put themselves in a very good starting position in the Champions League by finishing second in the league phase. Bayern are also still in the DFB Cup, where they will face RB Leipzig at home in February. In general, the workload will be much lighter in the new month: the cup quarter-final will be the only game during the week, while the Champions League will not be contested again until March
Despite the first phase of weakness, Bayern still have a comfortable lead in the Bundesliga – also depending on how Borussia Dortmund play against Heidenheim on Sunday afternoon. So there is no reason to panic. But the team should also get their act together in the league in February
2. Kompany now faces a new test
Kompany showed a completely new face in Hamburg. The coach was more emotional than ever on the touchline. This was perhaps due to his return to his former club HSV. After the game, Kompany verbally attacked the refereeing team led by Harm Osmers, something that is not usually seen from the Belgian. Kompany also admitted himself: „Since I’ve been here, I’ve never spoken out about referees,“ he said: „But when you get so much injury time, you realise that it wasn’t just the 22 players who influenced the game, but that other people also played a role,“ said Kompany, referring to the referees
Kompany is now facing a new test at Bayern: for the first time this season, the coach has practically the entire squad at his disposal, previously the team formed itself in many positions. Now only Konrad Laimer and Raphael Guerreiro are missing. If the Austrian returns soon, Kompany will have to decide between him and Josip Stanisic in the right-back position. On the left flank, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito are fit again
In attack, Kompany is now also spoilt for choice: Jamal Musiala is quickly returning to form after his serious injury in the summer. One star will have to make way for Bayern’s number 10 in the long term. In Hamburg, Kompany substituted Musiala for Gnabry – and the latter did not seem at all happy about his substitution. It’s been a long time since Bayern have seen a reaction like that
Managing the numerous interests in the team will become more difficult for Kompany in the coming weeks – assuming there are no new absentees. But that is part of the coaching job at a top club like FC Bayern. Kompany has been spared this in the season so far due to the fundamentally thin squad and injuries. Now the coach must show how he deals with these new challenges
3. It can’t always be upwards for Karl
One of Bayern’s attacking players did not have a good evening in Hamburg: Lennart Karl missed a good chance to score and otherwise remained relatively invisible and was substituted at half-time. In the end, the 17-year-old received an FCBinside grade of 4
Karl had already received the same rating in the two Bundesliga games before that against Augsburg and in Leipzig. After his meteoric rise at Bayern, Karl now also has games in which things don’t go well for the German U21 international
At this stage, however, it is important that the newcomer continues to receive Kompany’s trust, and that is currently the case. Karl has been given regular playing time and has not been punished even after a few lulls
And that’s right, because things can’t always go upwards for Karl. It’s easy to forget that the youngster has only played 18 Bundesliga games. Bayern must continue to carefully develop their super talent, even after pale performances like the one in Hamburg.