FC Bayern’s Bundesliga season has reached a low point for the time being. But how does the record champions’ playing time compare? The pure numbers paint an ambivalent picture.
At a loss in the rain: Joshua Kimmich, Min-Jae Kim, Leon Goretzka and Harry Kane (from left) at 2:3 in Bochum. IMAGO/Mika Volkmann
In Munich, as is well known, only one number counts in the table and it is in front of the club name. For only the second time since the start of the 2012/13 championship series, FC Bayern is only in second place in the table after a 22nd Bundesliga matchday. Previously, this was only the case in 2018/19, when Borussia Dortmund had a three-point lead over Munich. At that time, Bayern had 48 points on their side – two fewer than the 50 they now have in the table.
It’s the fundamental dilemma of this season for Bayern in the Bundesliga: Even after the two defeats in Leverkusen and Bochum, the points total is good overall – but this season it’s just not good enough. Next proof: At the same point in the previous season, FCB were leading the Bundesliga table and even had four points less than they have now; the record champions only broke the 50-point mark at this point in the season in one other of the last five Seasons.
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In the entire history of the Bundesliga, there has only been one runner-up with better points after 22 match days: Borussia Dortmund had one more point in the account in 2015/16 than Bayern do now. Or to put it another way: With a season like Bayern’s so far, you don’t normally end up in second place.
The Munich team topped their 16 wins this season in only nine of their previous seasons in the upper house, and their 61 goals this season in only six of them. And striker Harry Kane’s 25 goals have only been surpassed twice in the history of the league after 22 match days – each time by Robert Lewandowski (2020/21 and 2021/22 26 goals each).
But all of these values pale in 2023/24 behind Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who are currently on course to have a season for the history books. This also results in the eight points deficit that FC Bayern is no longer used to in the league. The last time Munich were so far ahead of the leaders was in the 2010/11 season, when they were 13 points behind leaders Dortmund and were only third. By the way, BVB had 52 points after 22 match days – six less than Leverkusen now.
A title beckons that is worth nothing
But there is one statistic that cannot be glossed over by history: After two defeats with three goals conceded each, FC Bayern have now conceded 25 goals in the current season. Since the start of the championship series, only 2018/19 (26) and 2020/21 (31) have had more at this point in the season.
And of course: FC Bayern in particular doesn’t just have to be measured against the Bundesliga. If the team were to lose against Lazio in the round of 16, two trophies would be a thing of the past – and the third would be difficult to achieve. The title of “The best runner-up in Bundesliga history” would still be within reach – but nowhere would it have such a negative connotation as in Munich.