Defending champion Bayern Munich sent a strong message to the competition on Friday at the start of the Bundesliga. Vincent Kompany's team swept RB Leipzig aside at the Allianz Arena, handing them their heaviest defeat in the Bundesliga.
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Defending champion Bayern Munich sent a resounding message to the rest of the Bundesliga on Friday night, making it abundantly clear that they intend to dominate the new season just as ruthlessly as they have in the past. In their very first league outing under new head coach Vincent Kompany, Bayern demolished RB Leipzig 6-0 at the Allianz Arena, handing their supposed rivals their heaviest defeat in Bundesliga history.
For Bayern, this was not just a win it was a statement. The club entered the new campaign under a cloud of uncertainty, as star midfielder Jamal Musiala is sidelined for the opening months due to a serious injury sustained during the Club World Cup. Many feared his absence would slow Bayern down, especially in the creative department. Yet Michael Olise, brought in during the summer and tasked with filling Musiala’s shoes, put on a sparkling display that immediately won over the Allianz Arena faithful. His pace, dribbling, and composure in front of goal showed that Bayern may already have found the perfect short-term solution, if not a long-term star in the making.
Leipzig, on the other hand, looked nothing like the team that once positioned itself as Bayern’s biggest challenger. Just a few seasons ago, the Saxony club appeared poised to permanently insert themselves into Germany’s footballing elite, threatening Bayern’s dominance with a combination of youthful energy, modern tactics, and a clear footballing identity. But last season’s disappointing seventh-place finish hinted at deeper cracks, and Friday’s humbling defeat confirmed that the gap between Leipzig and Bayern has widened again.
The visitors actually fielded an ambitious starting eleven, with Chelsea target Xavi Simons pulling the strings in midfield and new signing Johan Bakayoko, fresh from PSV, making his Bundesliga debut. On paper, there was enough talent to test Bayern. On the pitch, however, Leipzig were overwhelmed from the very first whistle. Bayern pressed with intensity, attacked with precision, and imposed themselves in every duel.
Goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi was one of the few Leipzig players to emerge with any credit. The veteran shot-stopper kept his side in the game early on, making key saves from Konrad Laimer and Olise. But the resistance didn’t last long. In the 27th minute, the breakthrough came: the ball fell to Olise inside the area, and the Frenchman wasted no time in smashing it past Gulácsi to make it 1-0. The Allianz erupted, and Bayern smelled blood.
From then on, the champions played with freedom and flair. Luis Díaz, who had already announced himself to Bayern fans with a strike in the German Super Cup just a week earlier, added his name to the scoresheet once again. After a flowing team move through the middle, the Colombian winger fired a thunderous shot into the net to double the lead. Leipzig’s defense, already stretched and panicked, simply couldn’t cope with Bayern’s relentless tempo. Moments later, Olise struck again, this time after a neat exchange with Serge Gnabry, making it 3-0 just before the break.
The second half brought no relief for Leipzig. Castello Lukeba prevented Olise from completing his hat-trick with a last-ditch block following a Harry Kane cross, but that intervention only delayed the inevitable. Kane, quiet by his own high standards in the first half, suddenly came alive. In the space of just 14 minutes, the Englishman scored three times, completing a ruthless hat-trick that underlined his role as the focal point of Bayern’s attack. Each goal was a masterclass in finishing: a poacher’s strike, a clinical one-on-one, and a thunderous effort to cap it off. By the time the scoreboard read 6-0, Leipzig’s players looked shell-shocked.
To make matters worse for the visitors, they thought they had found a lifeline when substitute Ezechiel Banzuzi the Dutch summer signing helped set up what looked like a consolation goal. Ridle Baku bundled the ball into the net, and for a brief moment Leipzig believed they had finally something to cheer about. But VAR intervened, and the goal was ruled out. The decision summed up their evening: every flicker of hope was extinguished, every chance erased.
In truth, the final whistle came as a mercy for Leipzig. They left the Allianz Arena humiliated, with Lutsharel Geertruida, another high-profile summer signing, left unused on the bench. For head coach Marco Rose, this was a nightmare start to the campaign and raised serious questions about whether his side has the mentality or quality to compete with Germany’s elite this season.
For Bayern, though, the mood could not be more different. A dominant performance, six goals, a clean sheet, and new signings making an instant impact all in the first matchday of the Bundesliga. Kompany’s reign could hardly have begun in more emphatic fashion. The Belgian coach not only secured the three points but also sent a chilling reminder to every other club in Germany: Bayern remain the team to beat.
The Allianz Arena crowd reveled in every moment, sensing that this could be the beginning of another era of dominance. Without Musiala, Bayern found new heroes. With Kane, Olise, and Díaz combining so effortlessly, the attack looks more dangerous than ever. And with a defense that barely allowed Leipzig a sniff, the balance of the team seemed perfect.
For Leipzig, however, the task is now damage control. From being once seen as Bayern’s natural rivals, they now appear to have slipped down the pecking order. Unless they find answers quickly, this season could turn into another struggle for consistency.
As for Bayern, they did more than just win. They laid down a marker. On the very first day of the Bundesliga season, they reminded everyone of their supremacy, dismantling a direct rival and setting the tone for what could be another campaign of relentless dominance in German football.
Updated: 12:22, 23 Aug 2025
