Due to the deserved defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, FC Bayern Munich had to give up the lead in the table to Borussia Dortmund. In general, the record champions in the league are weaker than they have been for a long time. The statistics also prove this.
There is a red alert on the Isar. “We missed everything and let a team that was still playing on Thursday overwhelm us,” said sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic after the 2-1 draw against the Werkself.
“Today we were kind of sluggish overall,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann – but he didn’t know why either.
Whatever the reasons, FC Bayern is playing its worst league season in many years. SPOX takes a look at the stats. Also included: broken series, weak jokers, extendable penalties – and a clear break in the half-time break…
FC Bayern Munich: As weak as it has been for years
FC Bayern took 53 points from the first 25 games this Bundesliga season. This is the lowest value for FCB since the 2011/12 season, when there were 51 points at the time of comparison and Bayern Munich were not German champions for the last time.
Bayern Munich: Several series torn against Leverkusen
For the first time since February 2, 2019, FC Bayern has lost a game after being in the lead at half-time – even then against Bayer Leverkusen (1: 3 after 1: 0). It was the first bankruptcy after half-time lead in 86 games!
In the 2022/23 season there were 19 wins and four draws with 19 half-time leads.
There had not been a defeat after a 1-0 lead for 26 games: On February 12, 2022, VfL Bochum had still won 4-2 against Bayern despite an early 0-1 draw.
Bayern Munich: World Cup curse in the second half?
FC Bayern scored 16 points (5W 1D 2L) in the first eight matchdays of the second half of the Bundesliga season. There were fewer at the time of comparison in the upper house in 2011/12 (14).
FC Bayern Munich: So far a power on Sunday
Bayern had previously won all five Sunday games this season – with a goal record of 21:2!
Across the seasons, Bayern had only dropped one point in the last ten games on a Sunday (2-2 against VfB Stuttgart in May 2022).
FC Bayern Munich: Strong in the first half, weak in the second half
In the first half of this Bundesliga season, FC Bayern is the absolute top: FCB scored 48 goals in the first 45 minutes plus stoppage time – that’s 19 more than BVB, which occupies second place in these statistics. Bayern only achieved more in two full seasons – namely 2021/22 (52) and 2020/21 (48).
After the change of sides, however, the tide turned properly: Bayern managed just 24 goals here and only half as many. Bayer Leverkusen (28), RB Leipzig (27) and BVB (26) are better off here, other teams like Freiburg and Frankfurt are also not far away.
Is that just because Bayern are mostly in the lead and are therefore shifting down a gear? Possibly – but with only 15 wins in 25 games, there were enough reasons to score significantly more goals in the second half.
FC Bayern Munich: Strong in the first half, weak in the second II
Bayern not only reduce the goals scored in the second half. In terms of goals conceded, the record does not look good either: a narrow ten goals conceded in the first half – but already 18 and almost twice as many goals conceded in the second 45 minutes.
Means: If Bayern switch back offensively in the second half, that at least doesn’t mean that the defense is more secure…
FC Bayern Munich: The jokers have room for improvement
On most matchdays, Nagelsmann has veritable world class on the bench when it comes to offense. This is then normally used and should be eager to be recommended for starting eleven appearances, whether the situation means catching up or counterattack chances when in the lead.
So far Bayern have only scored six wildcard goals this season. In a league-wide comparison, this puts you in shared seventh place. BVB is already ahead with ten goals – and wins the comparison if you add up the scorer points of the jokers (16:12).
FC Bayern Munich: Weak penalty record
FC Bayern is – still – the best defense in the league. The FCB defense does not always cover itself with glory when it comes to penalties, regardless of the game against Leverkusen. Six penalties have already been awarded against FCB: Only two teams are worse off here (Bochum – 12 penalties; Leipzig – 7 penalties). And: All six penalties against Bayern were in there, no matter who was in goal.
Bayern could learn a lesson from Borussia Dortmund: not a single penalty was awarded against BVB in 2022/23.
What about penalties received? FC Bayern has received four so far, so there are ten teams more. And two of the four penalties were missed…
FC Bayern Munich: How is it in the index of sinners?
In the fairness table, Bayern are far behind in last place when it comes to yellow cards (34). The penultimate 1. FC Köln has already collected 40 yellow cards. So are Bayern too good?
Difficult to say, after all, Bayern have already collected three sending-offs (2x yellow-red, 1x red). The last time there were more red cards in a season was 2004/05 – and there are still nine games to go.
Bayern shouldn’t allow themselves any more red cards: out of the three games that ended with ten men, there was only one win (4-2 against Wolfsburg).
FC Bayern Munich: How much is Robert Lewandowski missing?
72 goals after 25 matchdays are impressive. The fact that no single goal scorer is responsible for the lion’s share of these goals doesn’t have to be a disadvantage either. Rather, this makes FC Bayern not so easy to calculate.
The problem: Nagelsmann also has to solve this calculation first. With Jamal Musiala (11 goals), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (10), Serge Gnabry (9) and Leroy Sané (7) he has a few goalscorers in the squad, but the list could be made with Sadio Mané (6) and Co. too continue at will.
At the same time, Nagelsmann has to decide from game day to game day who is good for goals this time. Sané and Gnabry have had a week-long low, and Thomas Müller’s statistics (4 goals, 7 assists) are also significantly worse without Lewy in the center than in recent years. After a long injury, Mané is not yet his old self…
FC Bayern Munich: what’s next?
Positive for Nagelsmann: Choupo-Moting should now be able to play again against BVB and provide the urgently needed center forward – it was only when he was brought in that the Bayern engine really got going in the first half of the season.
In general, the personnel situation is much more relaxed than at BVB, apart from the long-term injured Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernández.
At home, Bayern are still a force (eight wins and four draws in twelve games) – BVB have always felt that in recent years.
FC Bayern vs. BVB: The rest of the program in the Bundesliga
