Why Bayern can use defeat against Augsburg as trigger for strong response

As the final whistle sounded in the freezing Allianz Arena early on Saturday evening, it left some people wondering how this happened – and when, indeed, this did last happen. Parting ways at 2-1 (1-0) against FC Augsburg, Saturday’s match marked FC Bayern's first Bundesliga defeat of the season on matchday 19. Their last defeat at home had been on 8^thMarch 2025.

And just like back then against VfL Bochum (3-2), the match started as usual for the league leaders: FC Bayern circulated the ball, searching for that one decisive gap in the visitors’ stacked defence in freezing temperatures in front of 75,000 spectators.

No team has scored more goals from corners

In the 23^rd minute, Hiroki Ito headed Olise's corner – already the Frenchman's 14th assist of the season – into the Augsburg goal at the back post. It was the hosts’ first shot on goal up to that point, who struggled to capitalise on their overwhelming possession through goal-scoring opportunities. Nevertheless, it was their ninth goal from a corner – no other Bundesliga team has scored more goals in this manner.

As expected, Augsburg focused primarily on aggressive defending. The visitors did this with self-sacrificing running, very disciplined defensive tactics and collective resistance. There was about as little space as there is on the packed Marienplatz on a glorious sunny summer's day. The visitors managed to rob the duo of Luis Díaz and Michael Olise of much of their magic, especially on the Munich wings

After Bayern took the lead, Augsburg seemed vulnerable for a brief moment, with the hosts’ most dangerous opportunity being a low shot from Díaz which went through Finn Dahmen's legs, the visitors’ goalkeeper getting lucky with the ball having been deflected behind his back and rolling past the post and out of play (27').

The visitors had not made any notable offensive appearances up to that point. On the one hand, this was because Bayern's injury-plagued defensive line was wide awake – Alphonso Davies celebrated his first start as a right-back after more than nine months out with a cruciate ligament injury. Hiroki Ito joined him on the left-hand side.

Woodwork rattling as a warning sign

On the other hand, Augsburg mainly limited themselves to defending the space in front of their own goal. One of the few counterattacks by the visitors came just before the half-time whistle, with Robin Fellhauer rattling the woodwork. Jonas Urbig, in goal for FC Bayern, made his fourth league appearance of the season. However, Augsburg took nothing more than courage into the dressing room with them: 444:149 passes were impressive testimony to the hosts' overwhelming superiority.

However, Augsburg managed to avoid tired legs and minds after the restart. Instead, the visitors gained confidence in attack given the hosts’ narrow lead. This surprised Bayern, who, after an initial period of pressure, increasingly struggled with their opponents' resilience. “There are games where the opposition plays well, and we’re currently also in a very busy period of the season with five games in 13 days. I know from experience, that anything can happen in such periods,” said Vincent Kompany.

Jamal Musiala’s home-comeback with new shirt number

The FC Bayern head coach responded with several substitutions, including the home-comeback of Jamal Musiala with the number ‘10’ on his shirt – the last time the Munich prodigy had been seen at the Allianz Arena was on 29th March 2025. But even Musiala couldn't bring control back to the game – now Urbig had to prove what he was made of several times. This was also the case with a dangerous free kick from the eye-catching Alexis Claude-Maurice, which the Bayern keeper just managed to keep out, steering the shot around the post with his fingertips.

But the inevitable happened: Augsburg punished FC Bayern for their lack of dominance, energy and goal-threat in the second half and managed to equalise with a header from a corner (Chaves, 75'). To make matters worse, just six minutes later, Han-Noah Massengo scored to put the visitors ahead (81'). “I think we didn't bring the energy onto the pitch in the second half,” said Kompany. “In the second half, we didn't manage to match the energy level that the opponents brought to the pitch,” summed up Jonathan Tah. The 2-1 result was the outcome of 6-1 shots on goal in the second half.

Only for the second time ever did Bayern concede 16 shots on goal

In total, FC Bayern conceded 16 attempts on goal across the full 90 minutes – only once before had they conceded so many in a competitive home game under Vincent Kompany: in mid-May 2025 against Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-0). “We didn't have chance after chance, we just didn't reach our top level,” said a frustrated Joshua Kimmich. Max Eberl, board member for sport, added: “We have to push ourselves to the limit in every game, and we didn't do that today.”

In the closing stages, FC Bayern pressed once again on the Augsburg goal, Kompany broke up the back four, brought on Africa Cup of Nations winner Nicolas Jackson and even sent keeper Urbig forward for a corner in the dying moments – but FC Bayern could not manage more than a spectacular curling shot from Michael Olise that hit the crossbar in the last play of the game.

“Shouldn’t question everything”

“We shouldn’t question everything now, but we need to accept that today was not our day,” Vincent Kompany stated. Not only Max Eberl, but also Joshua Kimmich called for the right response in next Wednesday's Champions League away game at PSV Eindhoven: “It's perhaps interesting for us in that sense, because it weighs a little heavier on your mind when you lose. That's why I'm looking forward to showing a reaction.” Defender Jonathan Tah even spoke of anger: “We want to bring the anger we feel now onto the pitch in the next game and show our quality and energy again.”

This was only the fourth time this millennium that FC Bayern had lost a Bundesliga home game after leading at half-time. The last time was against Bochum on 8th March last year. “Today's game,” Kimmich concluded, “is not going to plunge us into crisis.” Harry Kane also promised: “The most important thing we can do is come back – with a reaction on the pitch. We're not going to panic now.”

The reaction to the match against Augsburg