FC Bayern can look back at a very eventful year in 2021. The Reds began with an unusually early start in January. In February, winning the Club World Cup in Doha completed a historic six pack and three months later came the ninth league title in succession. In addition, Robert Lewandowski broke a long standing record set by Bayern legend Gerd Müller. In the first part of the annual review, fcbayern.com takes a close look at the second half of the 2020/21 season.
Early start to the year
FC Bayern started the New Year much earlier than normal. The interruption to the 2019/20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic led to an exceptional circumstance: Four matchdays in the first half of the 2020/21 season were played in the New Year. That meant FCB started on 3 January. In the home game against FSV Mainz 05, FCB came back from a 2-0 deficit at half-time to win 5-2 and thereby strengthen the position at the top of the table.
Disappointing Cup exit
Bayern suffered a setback on 13 January. The Reds were 2-1 up for a long time in the DFB Cup second round tie at Holstein Kiel. However, the second division side equalised in added time. The game ended with a penalty shootout. FCB lost 6-5 and were knocked out.
5 wins on the bounce and 7-point lead
FC Bayern went on in an impressive run of five Bundesliga wins in succession after the DFB Cup exit. The record champions extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points. After a hard-fought 1-0 win in heavy snow away to Hertha Berlin on 5 February, it was off to Doha for the Club World Cup for FCB.
Six pack. Historic triumph at Club World Cup
Winning the Bundesliga, the DFB Cup, the triumph in the Champions League as well as victories in the DFL and UEFA Supercups was followed in February 2021 by the historic sixth title within a year for FC Bayern. At the Club World Cup in Doha, the Reds beat Al Ahly from Egypt (2-0) in the semi-finals and went on to secure a 1-0 win in the final against Tigres UANL from Mexico. Only Barcelona (2009) had previously won six titles any year.
Setback in the league
Spurred on by the defeat in Frankfurt, FC Bayern produced impressive displays from the end of February. In the Champions League Round of 16, FCB made no mistake against Lazio (4-1 away, 2-1 at home). And it all went like clockwork in the league too: That included victory in the big game against Borussia Dortmund with a 4-2 home win after being two goals down early on. The clash with the nearest challengers RB Leipzig ended in a 1-0 win that gave the defending champions a seven-point advantage over second place at the beginning of April.
Narrow defeat in the Champions League
Robert Lewandowski picked up an injury playing for Poland at the end of March. That meant FC Bayern had to go into the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain without their top goalscorer. In a rerun of the previous season's final, FCB lost 3-2 at home despite having many more chances. The 1-0 win in the return match in Paris was not enough given the away goals rule and the defending champions were knocked out.
Important win at Wolfsburg, Flick announces departure
Four days after going out of the Champions League, Bayern secured an enormously important 3-2 win at VfL Wolfsburg to take a big step forward towards retaining the title. After the match, coach Hansi Flick announced he would be leaving the club in the summer. FC Bayern went on to secure the services of Julian Nagelsmann as the new coach from the 2021/22 season.
Title winners and brilliant display
After RB Leipzig lost 3-2 in the Bundesliga away to Borussia Dortmund on 8 May, FC Bayern were confirmed as champions of Germany ahead of kick-off in the night match against Borussia Mönchengladbach – the ninth title in succession. The Reds produced a brilliant display to beat the Foals 6-0.
Lewandowski breaks long-standing Müller record
Robert Lewandowski did it on 15 May. In the 2-2 draw at Freiburg, he scored his 40th goal of the season in the Bundesliga with a penalty on 26 minutes and thereby equalled the long-standing record set by Bayern legend Gerd Müller. Showing great recognition and admiration for ‘Der Bomber’, Lewandowski celebrated with a shirt bearing the face of Müller and the words '4 EVER GERD' – a real case of goose bumps.
Farewells and Lewy record to end the season
The last match of the season against FC Augsburg was marked by the farewells to long-standing key players David Alaba, Jérôme Boateng and Javi Martínez plus coach Hansi Flick.
Lewy makes it 41
And finally, Lewandowski crowned a unique season. In added time against Augsburg, the FIFA World Player of the Year scored his 41st goal of the season to break the historic record set by Gerd Müller.
Here are 21 facts on the year 2021:
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