Bayern Munich are Bundesliga champions for an 11th straight year, being crowned the best team in Germany for a 33rd time thanks to a thrilling finale as FCB won 2-1 away at Köln and Borussia Dortmund only managed a 2-2 draw with Mainz. The Reds have had to overcome a number of hurdles on their way to the title. fcbayern.com looks back at six key moments from 2022/23.
1. Perfect start in Frankfurt
Joshua Kimmich kicked off the new season with a brilliant free-kick away at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bayern kicked off the new season in style with a 6-1 win away at UEFA Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt, signalling their title intent way back on 5 August. FCB were focused from the start and put five past goalkeeper Kevin Trapp in the first half alone. Joshua Kimmich got thing going with a free-kick before new signing Sadio Mane, Benjamin Pavard, Serge Gnabry and a brace from Jamal Musiala added to the score and laid the foundations for the title defence.
2. Thrashing good friends
Matthijs de Ligt scored his first Bayern goal away at Bochum.
Although Bayern and Bochum have had a close fan friendship for 50 years now, there was little of that seen on the pitch on Matchday 3. It was already the next statement result from the champions with a 7-0 thrashing at the Ruhrstadion that recorded the best start ever by a team after three games in the Bundesliga, with nine points, 15 goals scored and only one conceded. As for Bochum, it was their heaviest Bundesliga defeat ever at home.
3. Relentless against Freiburg
Serge Gnabry and Bayern gave Freiburg no chance in a 5-0 win.
Freiburg had made an excellent start to the season, coming to the Allianz Arena on Matchday 10 in second place with 18 points from nine games. Bayern were a spot behind with 16 points but proved with a 5-0 win on 16 October why they are the benchmark in the Bundesliga. That victory kickstarted an impressive run of six straight wins up to the winter break, as Bayern went into 2023 top of the table.
4. Clinical against Union
Bayern with Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies showed Union Berlin who‘s boss in the Bundesliga.
As well as regular rivals Dortmund and RB Leipzig, Union Berlin also emerged as serious challengers to Bayern’s throne. After a mixed start to the second half of the campaign for FCB with only nine points from six games since the winter break, Union were level with Bayern and BVB on 46 points going into Matchday 22. It meant the Allianz Arena was treated to a genuine top-of-the-table clash on 26 February, with Bayern putting on another first-half showing. Goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Musiala and Kingsley Coman meant things were wrapped up before half-time as FCB marched on.
Neben den As well as regular rivals Dortmund and RB Leipzig, Union Berlin also emerged as serious challengers to Bayern’s throne. After a mixed start to the second half of the campaign for FCB with only nine points from six games since the winter break, Union were level with Bayern and BVB on 46 points going into Matchday 22. It meant the Allianz Arena was treated to a genuine top-of-the-table clash on 26 February, with Bayern putting on another first-half showing. Goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Musiala and Kingsley Coman meant things were wrapped up before half-time as FCB marched on.ärgsten Verfolgern der vergangenen Jahre aus Dortmund und Leipzig entpuppte sich in dieser Saison auch Union Berlin als ernstzunehmender Konkurrent für die Münchner. Nachdem die Bayern wechselhaft in die zweite Saisonhälfte gestartet waren (neun Punkte aus sechs Spielen nach der Winterpause), lagen die Köpenicker an Spieltag 22 (26.02.2023) mit den Bayern und dem BVB gleichauf (46 Punkte). In der Münchner Allianz Arena kam es somit zu einem wahren Topspiel, das die Bayern jedoch bereits in Hälfte eins in eine Demonstration der eigenen Stärke verwandelten. Dank der Tore von Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Jamal Musiala und Kingsley Coman entschied der deutsche Rekordmeister die Partie bereits in Durchgang eins für sich und untermauerte somit einmal mehr seine Heimstärke.
5. Klassiker victory
Thomas Müller bagged a brace in a commanding home win over Dortmund.
Bayern went into their home Klassiker against Dortmund on Matchday 26 knowing they had to win in their first game under Thomas Tuchel to retake top spot after giving it up the previous matchday with defeat in Leverkusen. And that’s just what the Reds did, racing into a three-goal lead inside 23 minutes thanks to an own goal from Gregor Kobel and two Thomas Müller strikes. Coman increased the advantage to 4-0 in the second half before Emre Can and Donyell Malen netted consolations for the visitors, but failing to prevent a thoroughly deserved victory for Bayern that sent them back to the summit again.
6. Thrilling finale leads to title in Cologne
Serge Gnabry scored the crucial opening goal against Hertha Berlin.
In an incredibly exciting end to the season, the lead changed hands several times. Dortmund first went ahead on Matchday 29 after Bayern’s 3-1 defeat in Mainz. FCB then took advantage of BVB’s 1-1 draw in Bochum to reclaim top spot. The Reds were subsequently beaten at home by Leipzig on the penultimate matchday to allow Borussia to move ahead once more. But the leaders were only able to muster a 2-2 draw at home to Mainz on the final day, allowing Bayern to clinch the title in dramatic fashion with a late 2-1 win away at Köln.
Thomas Müller extended his record for Bundesliga titles to 12:
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