FC Bayern started the new season with high hopes. After a convincing 7-0 win over Union Berlin before the international break, Vincent Kompany’s team seemed to be in top form. But within just a few weeks, the mood has shifted. A 2–2 draw against FC Augsburg was followed by a 3–3 tie in the Champions League against Viking Stavanger. These results raise a question: Is this just a brief dip in form—or is there more to it?
A pattern has emerged in the record champions’ recent performances: The Munich team often gets off to a slow start and finds itself playing catch-up early on. In both Augsburg and Stavanger, FCB conceded a goal in the opening minutes.
Kompany had strong words to describe this. “We just weren’t smart. Not in Augsburg, when we conceded a goal after 8 seconds, and not today, when we also conceded a goal after a minute and a half,” the Belgian criticized, referring to both matches.
Above all, the lack of concentration and unnecessary mistakes are causing the coach concern. In Stavanger, the defense made several sloppy mistakes: The early 1-0 goal came off a corner kick that only resulted because Kim failed to clear the ball. On the 2-0 goal, the Munich players, who had pushed far up the field, were caught out by a simple counterattack.
There’s no question that Bayern is fundamentally capable of dominating games. Against Stavanger, the Munich team turned a 0–2 deficit into a 3–2 lead within 17 minutes. In the end, however, it still wasn’t enough for a win.
After Michael Olise was sent off, Bayern conceded a late goal that tied the game at 3–3. This was preceded by Kimmich losing possession after he remained on the ground. Konrad Laimer was also slow to react. As a result, Tripic was able to deliver an uncontested cross, and Herman Haugen headed it in at the far post.
It is precisely these fluctuations that make the current situation so problematic: Strong stretches are repeatedly followed by moments when the team loses control.
The team’s struggles on the road are becoming a problem
Their record on the road is particularly striking. In addition to the draw in Augsburg and the loss of a point in Stavanger, Bayern also struggled in the 0-0 draw at Schalke. Even in the narrow 2-1 victory over promoted side SV Elversberg, not everything was convincing. In the DFB Cup match against VfL Osnabrück, the record champions also fell behind early before ultimately prevailing 4–1.
This shows that it’s not just a matter of a lack of luck. Sporting Director Max Eberl also believes the team bears responsibility. Mistakes are bound to happen, but “when it happens this often, at some point it’s not just bad luck, but also a lack of concentration.”
The recent results do not indicate a fundamental crisis. The offense continues to possess tremendous quality and can turn games around in the blink of an eye. The problem lies rather in sustaining that level of performance throughout the entire match. Added to this are individual mistakes, poor decision-making in crucial situations, and a lack of consistency when defending.
PSG as a role model?
The heavy workload following the World Cup could also be a factor. Many Bayern players had little time to recover over the summer, while the schedule was already packed again early on. This explains possible fluctuations, but it must not serve as the sole excuse.
Despite the recent setbacks, the season is still long. After the draw in Stavanger, Joshua Kimmich pointed to Paris Saint-Germain: “We’re still at the beginning of the season. Paris has shown us how it’s done twice. They didn’t exactly shine in the group stage either, and they went on to win the title both times. That’s why this doesn’t mean all that much.”
It will be crucial for Bayern to quickly resolve these recurring issues. The team is currently struggling, especially on the road and in the early stages of games. If Kompany manages to improve his team’s concentration and stability over 90 minutes, the current slump could prove to be just a temporary blip. If, on the other hand, the mistakes persist, there’s a risk of further unnecessary losses of points.