There is still at least one chance remaining. Vincent Kompany and Max Eberl now have clear assignments at FC Bayern

Before anyone could ask, Kimmich made it clear: "Better than the treble-winning season." "We didn't play well for half a year," he noted, referring to the opening months under Niko Kovac. "Then we played very good football in the second half of the year," he added, crediting the title-winning run under Hansi Flick. This term, however, Bayern have impressed with a "consistency and quality" that is "rarely seen."

"Seasons like this don't come along very often," Kimmich remarked. "It would certainly have been possible." Reaching the Champions League final, winning the DFB-Pokal and completing the treble was within reach. The Bavarians are already champions and have reached the cup final. In Europe, they finished second in their group, then eliminated long-time rivals Real Madrid before a dramatic semi-final against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. Yes, it could have happened.

In essence, FC Bayern's downfall was not a lack of goals, but conceding too many—a lack of balance. To his credit, manager Vincent Kompany—much to the neutral fan's enjoyment—stays faithful to his daring high-press, man-marking philosophy, and he should keep doing so. Yet, to secure that ultimate triumph, a few risk-reducing tweaks are inevitable.

Their star-studded attack, spearheaded by Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz, can rack up goals and break records, but a relentless tide of defeats and goals conceded will eventually catch up with them.

In the Bundesliga they shipped three goals each to FSV Mainz 05 and 1. FC Heidenheim; in last season's Champions League they were eliminated in the quarters by Inter Milan after conceding four. This term they somehow survived four against Real Madrid, but six versus PSG was ultimately decisive. By contrast, the other finalist, Arsenal, have shipped only six goals in this season's Champions League campaign so far.

This elimination does not feel like the end; it feels like a pit stop. "Winning the Champions League is also a journey of sorts," sporting director Max Eberl explained. "We learnt something last year; we need to learn from it this year, and then we'll be back on the attack next year." Kimmich added: "I'm sitting in the dressing room and I feel that I can still win the Champions League with this team."

The club currently has no plans to sell any first-team players this summer. Manuel Neuer, outstanding against PSG, is on the verge of extending his contract until 2027, while Konrad Laimer is expected to begin the new campaign with the club, despite stalled talks over a deal that runs until 2027.

For this ambitious project to succeed, Kompany must fine-tune his tactics and find the right equilibrium. Meanwhile, the sporting hierarchy, led by Eberl and sporting director Freund, must deepen the squad. After the injuries to Serge Gnabry, Tom Bischof, Lennart Karl and Raphael Guerreiro, Kompany was left with limited firepower on the bench.

With the promising progress of the club's youth setup and a planned wage reduction, squad expansion feels like a tightrope walk. Outgoing players include Raphael Guerreiro, Leon Goretzka and Nicolas Jackson. The wish list: a winger (think Anthony Gordon), a striker, a midfielder and a full-back.

In the medium term, the focus must also be on quality at the top. Can Jonas Urbig eventually replace first-choice goalkeeper Neuer (40)? How long can playmaker Kimmich (31) and striker Harry Kane (32) sustain their peak form? For now, there is no sign of decline: both players stay fit, rarely get injured, and rely on game intelligence and technical ability more than raw pace.

Before the transfer window opens, FC Bayern can complete a domestic double by lifting the DFB-Pokal. The club's first final since 2020 will see them face VfB Stuttgart in Berlin on 23 May. 

Never before has a Munich side scored so many goals, and rarely have they won over so many hearts, both with their flowing football and their engaging attitude. The 4-5 first-leg loss to PSG will long be remembered as one of the most thrilling games in the club's history. The mastermind behind this resurgence is coach Vincent Kompany, who extended his contract last autumn until 2029 and could yet define a new era of success for Munich.