Friday, the day after tomorrow, will mark exactly four weeks since Bayern Munich last won a match. Only the extended international break has kept that winless spell from becoming a crisis of historic proportions: Bayern have played just two competitive matches in that time, a 2-2 draw at FC Augsburg, followed by a 3-3 draw at Viking Stavanger.
The gulf in quality on paper makes both slip-ups worrying. So does the familiar pattern of each match.
For Bayern Munich, the problem is Bayern Munich, or more precisely, their own stupidity and shortcomings. "I'm standing here again, just as I was after the Augsburg game, and essentially we've done the same thing again," sporting director Max Eberl said, resigned, in Stavanger. "Almost an identical pattern of play." And there was more: "We made even more mistakes today than against Augsburg."
Bayern Munich: Early goals conceded and costly losses of possession
Bayern conceded very early in both matches. Against Augsburg, it was the fastest goal in Bundesliga history, after eight seconds. Against Stavanger, it took 72 seconds. Individual errors paved the way for both. In Augsburg, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer lost possession with fatal consequences. In Stavanger, Min-Jae Kim unnecessarily conceded the corner that led to the goal. Coach Vincent Kompany lamented his team's "overconfidence" in always wanting to find a way out through passing.
Against both Augsburg and Stavanger, Bayern conceded a second goal from an opposition through ball across a poorly coordinated Munich defence. Viking captain Zlatko Tripic had all but predicted it at the pre-match press conference: "If they send a lot of players forward, space opens up." In Stavanger, though, Bayern's mistakes went beyond footballing errors.
A brace from Harry Kane and Luis Diaz's goal to make it 3-2 had brought Bayern Munich back, before Michael Olise lost his head. First came a yellow card for a tactical foul. Then another for throwing the ball into an opponent's face, and he was off. "Incredibly stupid," was Kompany's verdict. Down to ten men, Bayern conceded a late equaliser for 3-3 after Joshua Kimmich needlessly lost possession.
IMAGOBayern Munich: A faltering core and referees in the spotlight
Several key players are going through difficult periods of their own. After his mistake against Augsburg, captain Manuel Neuer has had to put up with debate about a possible early change of guard in the Munich goal, and he's again dealing with health problems. Vice-captain Kimmich has faced questions since an international break with the Germany team that went so badly for him. His fellow central midfielder, Aleksandar Pavlovic, considers the debate "unnecessary", but it hasn't gone away.
At half-time in Stavanger, Bayern took off Jonathan Tah after a very poor first half. Luis Diaz still looks tense after his special leave. Little of his once-so-positive energy is currently on show, and the three goals disallowed for offside did not help. 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 senseless act of his professional career so far. He will definitely miss next week's big match against last year's finalists Arsenal through suspension.
Nobody at Bayern Munich disputed Olise's entirely justified sending-off in Norway. But as in Augsburg, the Munich side also took issue with the referee in Stavanger. They did so during the match, as Kompany admitted: "Perhaps we were preoccupied with things that don't help us in this situation, such as the referee." Afterwards, the referee drew the bulk of their criticism.
In Augsburg, Bayern took issue with Diaz's first goal, which probably should not have been disallowed. In Stavanger, the concern was the general attitude of Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov, who was already viewed critically because of his previous suspension. Both complaints had substance. But after slip-ups against teams of Augsburg's or Stavanger's calibre, Bayern Munich should focus on their own shortcomings rather than the referee's performance.
What next for Bayern Munich?
Kompany has seen Bayern Munich go at least two competitive matches in a row without a win on four occasions since he took charge in summer 2024. Three of those runs came in his debut season, with the fourth following this spring, when Bayern drew with 1. FC Heidenheim in the already-decided Bundesliga between the two Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain (4-5 and 1-1).
By contrast, Bayern Munich had been flawless in the early stages of the previous season. They have now had three slip-ups after nine matches, but back then they made the best start to a season by any club from Europe's top five leagues in history: 16 consecutive wins in all competitions. They beat Club World Cup winners FC Chelsea and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain along the way. Only in mid-November did they drop their first points, drawing against Union Berlin.
Bayern Munich now face three difficult assignments in a row after two matches without a win. First comes a Bundesliga meeting with apparently resurgent RB Leipzig, then a Champions League clash with Arsenal and another Bundesliga fixture against league leaders SC Freiburg. A dip could yet become a genuine crisis.
Despite finishing that has been patchy at times, Bayern Munich are still scoring goals. Harry Kane has been central to that, having been involved in all five goals against Augsburg and Stavanger.