The first half of the Bundesliga season is not yet over, but FC Bayern already know they'll be top at the midway point. Thanks to the 1-0 away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday evening, the Bavarians have claimed the unofficial title of 'winter champions' for the 27th time – and with a match to spare. The Munich men have a four-point lead over nearest challengers Bayer 04 Leverkusen after Matchday 16, meaning Vincent Kompany's men can't be caught on the final matchday of the first half of the campaign.
Good omen for rest of season
Whether the strong first half of the campaign can be judged as a pointer for the rest of the season remains to be seen, but the statistics at least allow Bayern fans to be optimistic. In 23 of the 26 cases when the German record champions have occupied first place after 17 games, they've also been top at the end of the season – that's 88 percent! Since the introduction of the three-point rule, the Reds have won the title in 16 of the 17 seasons that they've been winter champions. Borussia Dortmund overtook FCB in 2012, before that it was Gladbach in 1971 and Werder Bremen in 1993.
Away win in first competitive match of the year! Vincent Kompany celebrated a 12th league win of the season at Borussia Mönchengladbach. | © FC Bayern
Of course, Bayern aren't the only club to have carried the momentum as halfway leaders into the summer. After FCB were top of the table after both the first half and the second half of the season three times in a row between the 2020/21 and 2022/23 seasons, Bayer 04 Leverkusen claimed their first title in the German top flight last season having also led at the midpoint. Now Bayern have their noses back in front. "We've managed to keep Leverkusen at a distance this season," explained board member for sport Max Eberl after the recent friendly at Salzburg. "We are technically hunting Leverkusen, as they're still German champions. We want to keep showing this in the second half of the season."
Bayern also the record winter champions
With 27 winter champion titles to their name, the German record champions are also the runaway leaders in this category. Behind them at Bremen on six and both Gladbach and Dortmund on four each. So, the Munich men have already set the course to hopefully win their 34th championship (or 33rd since the Bundesliga was founded) in May.
The report on the away win in Mönchengladbach:
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