35th title wrapped up - Bayern Munich secure Bundesliga title with four games to go

With expert opinion 

Bayern Munich have won their 35th German championship, the 34th in the Bundesliga era, thanks to a 4-2 win over VfB Stuttgart. Although Christian Führich gave Stuttgart the lead (21'), Bayern stormed back with Raphaël Guerreiro (31'), Nicolas Jackson (33'), Alphonso Davies (52'), and Harry Kane (52'), making it 4-1 before Stuttgart's Chema scored late (88') to make it 4-2. With Dortmund failing to beat Hoffenheim (2-1) on Saturday, the path was clear for Bayern Munich to wrap up the title with four Bundesliga matchdays to go. Overall, it is the second title in a row after Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern’s streak of 11 titles in 2024. Ahead of the Rekordmeister securing their latest Bundesliga title, Transfermarkt caught up with World Cup winner and Bayern legend Philipp Lahm to get his assessment on what has been a tremendous season for the club thus far.

"They just keep going," Lahm said. It is certainly the most dominant title victory in recent years. In their second season under Vincent Kompany, Bayern have been a goalscoring machine. "Even when they are 3-0 up, they play until the very end. The Bundesliga is the highest-scoring top league in the world, averaging more than 3 goals per game. So it is also a feature of the league that many goals are being scored. But still, they have played a special season." The Rekordmeister have already secured the record for the most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season when Leon Goretzka made it 2-0 against St. Pauli on matchday 29. They added three more goals on that matchday and after scoring four goals against Stuttgart this weekend, are now at an unbelievable 109 goals this season already.

Bayern’s attacking football has also been on full display in other competitions. Bayern have scored 38 goals in 12 Champions League games, 12 in four DFB Pokal matches, and another two in the Franz-Beckenbauer Supercup. That means overall they have now scored an unbelievable 161 goals this season, the most in club history, breaking a record set during the 2019/20 season. Perhaps nothing better encapsulated Bayern’s football this season than the two legs against Real Madrid, where they saw off the Spanish giants 6-4 on aggregate.

Bayern Munich: Who were the heroes of their title-winning campaign?

Without a doubt, the two games against Real Madrid are the hallmark of this still ongoing season. They very much encapsulate what Bayern’s football has been all about. Kompany has his team play a high-press style of football, combining aggressive possession with old-school man-marking elements. While they dominate traditional statistics for top sides in the Bundesliga like possession, where they are first with 62%, and successful passes from open play, where they are also first with 90.4%, Bayern only rank behind Hoffenheim with 3690 kilometers covered this season. It is a mental statistic for a top side and explains how Bayern have been dominating teams both at home and abroad. "He has also brought a calmness to the club," Lahm said. "He is a great representative and has the style of communication that you want to see from a coach at a top club. He has established a clear hierarchy, which provides security for the players."

Kompany’s tactics aside, Bayern have also benefited from incredible individual performances. England captain Harry Kane has now scored more than 50 goals across all competitions. In the Bundesliga, he stands at 32 goals after 27 games. It might be a stretch for him to catch Robert Lewandowski’s single-season goalscoring record of 41 goals. Still, Kane has been crucial for Bayern Munich. Not only has he scored goals at an incredible pace, but also fully bought into Kompany’s hard-working man-marking system. He might be the most complete striker in the world. Elsewhere, Michael Olise is another name to mention. The French winger has managed 18 goals and 29 assists across all competitions. Olise is on track to record the most assists in a single season. Although playing on the wing, Olise is more of a playmaker than anything else, and at times has been one of Bayern’s most influential players. "He has the quality," Lahm said. "He can finish, dribble, and knows when to play easy football, bringing calmness to the game. He also knows when to change the game. That's what makes him great."

The same can be said about Luis Díaz. His addition has impacted two clubs. While Bayern have soared, his former club Liverpool have massively dropped off. "He is such a hard worker," Lahm said. "He works for the team on both sides of the pitch. Very aggressive, which is his most important trait." Without the Colombian, Bayern would struggle to play Kompany’s high-pressure football. Finally, there is Aleksandar Pavlović. The 21-year-old has become one of Europe’s most complete midfielders. Indeed, Pavlović’s development has been incredible and a testament to Kompany’s development to get the best out of players.

Bundesliga just first step - Bayern want to complete treble

Overall, Bayern are a deserved champion. But for them, this is just a first step; the treble is the goal, and to achieve it, they will have to beat Leverkusen in the Pokal and advance past PSG in the Champions League. Therefore, while winning the Bundesliga is certainly considered a significant success, especially in such a dominant fashion, the season is far from over. Indeed, the goal is to win the first treble since the club have secured all three major trophies back in the 2020 season. So, for now, the party will be on hold. "The most important period of the season is now coming up," Lahm said. "So we will have to see whether this is a successful season. Sure, they have secured a bunch of records, but at the end, it is only about silverware."