It has been an unusually strong year in Germany, even by Bayern Munich standards.
a 4-0 victory over Heidenheim Sunday’s match means Vincent Kompany’s side end 2025 nine points clear in the Bundesliga, on track to retain the title. got it back Bayer Leverkusen’s one-season reign ended in May. A domestic double for the first time since 2020 is also possible.
“It’s been a great year. Winning the league with this team was really special for me,” Bayern striker Harry Kane said on Sunday. “From that moment on, I felt like we started building a spirit and team energy that was hard to break, even at the Club World Cup (in June).”
Bayern have only lost to German opponents once in 2025, losing 3-2 to modest Bochum in March. After 15 Bundesliga games this season, the team has an incredible goal difference of +44, which is far greater than any team in Europe’s “big five” leagues.
Kane has scored 30 goals in all competitions for Bayern this season and Luis Diaz has shone since then. arrival Renato Karl, 17, was acquired from Liverpool for a reported 75 million euros (approximately $87 million). revelation.
Long-term injuries to Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano have not slowed down Bayern, who started the 2025-26 season with 16 consecutive wins.
So what happens next?
next frontier
Winning the Bundesliga is the minimum requirement for Bayern’s manager. The club has done a solid job of replicating Germany’s consistency in Europe this season, but the real test is yet to come.
a Exited from quarterfinals Losing to Inter Milan in the 2024-25 Champions League was a blow, but losing to Paris Saint-Germain at the same stage of the Club World Cup was even more understandable, especially considering Musiala suffered a serious injury in that game.
Bayern currently sit second in the Champions League and were praised for their grit in beating PSG with 10 men, but their 3-1 loss to Arsenal was a warning that there is still work to be done.
There’s also the German Cup. Bayern have not progressed beyond the quarter-finals since they last won in 2020.
Coach Kompany will have to make a decision when Musiala finally returns from the broken foot that has kept him sidelined since July. Will the winning team be changed to incorporate a player who was important for Bayern last season but has not yet played with Dias?
flawed candidate
Bayern’s stability reflects that of their main German rivals.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund ended the year with some unrest within the squad after defender Nico Schlotterbeck criticized his teammates’ work rate and forward Karim Adeyemi. protested He opposed the decision to substitute him.
Leverkusen started the year in turmoil when coach Erik ten Hag was sacked after three games, but coach Kasper Hjurmand stabilized the team and surprised even Manchester City.
With fewer games in Europe, Leipzig have been able to focus on the Bundesliga, but they are far from their best results in the league, as they lost 6-0 to Bayern in their opening game and lost 3-1 to Leverkusen in their last game before the winter break.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
