Leverkusen ends Bayern Munich’s perfect start to the 2024/25 season

Vincent Kompany’s men were held to a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening when they hosted defending Bundesliga Champions – Bayern Leverkusen. The Bavarians have won every game this season before facing Xabi Alonso’s side for matchday 5 in the Bundesliga.

The well-contested match saw Xavi Alonso’s side go a goal up after the hour mark, thanks to Robert Andrich’s low effort from the edge of the box. The Balverians responded eight minutes later with Aleksandar Pavlovic who hit a rocket from more than 30 yards out to claim Bayern’s equalizer before the break.

Bayern dominated the second half and made several failed chances to put the team ahead of their most recent Nemesis. English striker Harry Kane didn’t have the best display in the match and may be dealing with a fitness issue after hopping out of the game in the final ten minutes. Serge Gnabry hit the post and crossbar in consecutive attempts before Micheal Olise and Joshua Kimmich’s efforts evaded the back of the net to keep both sides all square after 90 minutes plus added time.

Bayern Munich was by far the better side in the fixture against Bayer Leverkusen, despite the game producing a similar result to the one at the Allianz Arena in the previous season. In the post-match interview, head coach and former Belgium International – Vincent Kompany noted that it was a shame that his side didn’t win the encounter against the defending champions. 

“As Bayern coach, you always want to win at home. The way the game went was what we wanted. The important thing is that we keep going and trust that we can win so many games. You don’t normally get that many chances in a game like this. We had them, so it’s a shame we didn’t win. It was a top match, and it looked like a top match.”

The Bavarians will seek to maintain their unbeaten run into the season in their upcoming games where they will face Aston Villa (A), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), VfB Stuttgart (H), Barcelona (A), VfL Bochum (A), and Mainz (A) in October 2024.

WHY THERE ARE FIVE STARS ON THE BAYERN MUNICH JERSEY

It’s no news that Bayern Munich is the only club in Europe and beyond that has five stars above the club’s historic logo. The reason is that these five stars on their jersey symbolize the club’s dominance in the German Bundesliga. 

Each star represents a milestone of championship victories won at the German League, strictly regulated by Paragraph 28 of the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) Guideline for Matchware and Equipment. The DFL rule was introduced in 2004 allowing Germany’s most successful clubs to have a symbol of honor above their crest. According to the DFL regulations, the standard size of the stars must be between 20 and 22 millimeters in height and width.

According to the Guideline structure; Winning three Champions earns a club a star, five champions equals two stars, ten championships award three stars, twenty championships to four stars and thirty championships earn a club five stars. 

Bayern Munich is the most successful club in German League history and earned the fifth star ahead of the 2021/2022 season, commemorating the club’s 30th Bundesliga title, a record unmatched by any other team in Germany. This excludes their triumphs dated as far back as 1932 when they became German champions for the first time. Only championships from the Bundesliga’s inauguration in 1963 are taken into account.

Bayern’s journey to five stars began when the club secured its first Bundesliga title in 1969. Over the following decades, the Club’s dominance grew, and they reached 30 titles after winning the league in the 2020/2021 season. As a result, they became the first club eligible to display the fifth star, cementing their long-lasting legacy in German football.

No German Club comes close to Bayern’s success in the Bundesliga with only Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach having two stars in their jerseys as five-time champions of the Bundesliga. Werder Bremen has four Bundesliga titles and is entitled to only one star above their crest. Similar to Hamburg and VFB Stuttgart who have won the German League thrice in their history. Other notable Bundesliga winners like two-time champions Cologne and Kaiserslautern, and one-time winners – 1860 Munich, VfL Wolfsburg, Eintracht Braunschweig, Nuremberg, and Bayern Leverkusen lack a star above their crest. 

The Bavarians have failed to win the German League four times in the 21st century. They finished as runners-up in 2003/04, 2008/09, 2011/12 and last season (2023/24). The 2012/13 campaign run till 2023/24 was the longest holding run within the century. They currently have 32 domestic championships which still fall short of the 50-plus championships held by Rangers (Scotland), Celtic (Scotland), and Linfield (Northern Ireland) in their respective Leagues. Olympiacos has 47 Greek League titles and Portuguese Benfica boasts 38 titles.

Juventus (Italy) and Real Madrid (Spain) hold the record for the most domestic championships in Europe’s top-five Leagues (Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, Premier League and Serie A). Both teams hold a record 36 League titles and the Italian club has three stars above their crest, while Los Blancos and most Spanish clubs don’t feature celebratory stars in their jerseys. 

Clubs competing in DFB-run leagues, such as the 3. Liga and lower divisions are allowed to display a single star with a number in the center, showing their championship successes. BFC Dynamo has won the GDR title 10 times and would be eligible for three stars if the DFL system extended to these leagues. However, they only display one star since they play in the lower divisions. Similarly, Dynamo Dresden has eight East German championships but wears a star during their 3. Liga campaigns but must remove it when competing in Bundesliga 2.

BAYERN SET TO APPOINT NILS SCHMADTKE AS NEW CHIEF SCOUT

Following recent reports that Bayern Munich is parting ways with chief scout Markus Pilawa, the club is reportedly offering the job to Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Nils Schmadtke. The German will take over the crucial role at the Munich club if a two-year contract agreement is reached soon. 

Schmadtke is no stranger to the job. He is the son of Jörg Schmadtke, a veteran sporting executive with over 20 years of experience in German football. Jörg had a brief stint as a sporting director at Liverpool FC earlier this year, and his son has followed in his footsteps to create a name for himself during his time in Borussia Mönchengladbach. 

Schmadtke was head of the scouting department at Wolfsburg from October 2020 to the summer of 2023, the same time the club brought in Micky van de Ven and Felix Nmecha. He and Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl have known each other from their time together in the club, and both are set to work together again at Bayern Munich. 

André Hechelmann, who held the sporting director role at Schalke 04 between 2021 and 2024 is also on Bayern’s watchlist. Hechelmann’s tenure at Schalke was challenged by the team’s struggles at the time, but he was vital in helping the team through the rough patch. He could bring fresh perspectives to Bayern’s scouting department alongside Schmadtke, as the club looks to strengthen its scouting performances for future seasons.

BAYERN MUNICH TICKETS IS UP FOR GRABS

The Balverians navigated strategic moves in the 2024 summer transfer window, leaving the fans reassured about their choice of recruiting new head coach Vincent Kompany, whose first few months with the club have seen consistency in winning crucial games by margins, a rare sight with Thomas Tuchel in charge last season. Now, with five Bundesliga games out of the way, opponents face the challenge of deciphering and adjusting to Kompany’s team’s dynamic tactics.

The Balverian’s pursuit of success in the domestic and European competitions this season is inspiring. They sit at the top of the UEFA Champions League table, and Bundesliga table and are strong enough to go all the way in both competitions. With Vincent Kompany’s impressive performances, Bayern’s ticket demand has surged in the past month. Securing fast-selling Bayern Munich tickets has become a hot topic. Official sites may lack available tickets, but trusted reseller platforms are your go-to solution for swift access to these coveted Bayern Munich tickets.