Tensions are rising at Säbener Straße.
Following a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan — and a 1-2 loss in the first leg — Bayern Munich has now been eliminated from both major cup competitions this season.
The dream of a “Finale dahoam” on May 31 in Munich and a home celebration with the Champions League trophy has officially been shattered. Even earlier in the season, the team’s hopes of winning the domestic double were dashed after a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal Round of 16.
Now, the pressure on head coach Vincent Kompany is reaching critical levels.
Typically, when Bayern suffers defeats of this magnitude, the head coach’s position is called into question — or, in some cases, dismissed for even fewer losses, as seen with Julian Nagelsmann, who was let go despite a stronger record and is now Germany’s national coach. Kompany, however, still enjoys some support from the club’s leadership.
Instead of delivering a fiery speech after the match, Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen addressed the team at the Meliá Milano hotel with words of encouragement late Wednesday evening. “This is a tough day for us. We all dreamed of the final at home — it was our ultimate goal. That dream is over. But we were a team today. We fought, we battled, and it was great to see. We did many things well. Let’s focus on what’s ahead,” Dreesen said.
In his first season at the helm, Kompany — who joined from Burnley for a €10 million fee — still has a chance to win the Bundesliga title. In fact, he must. One thing is clear: winning the league is non-negotiable. After a titleless season under Thomas Tuchel, now the coach of England’s national team, Bayern’s management has made it known from the start that the league trophy must return to Munich.
If Bayern secures the title, club executives would likely present the season as a success — at least publicly — especially if they see progress and development in the squad.
National team captain Joshua Kimmich, now 30, offered a balanced perspective: “Considering where we started, I do believe we’re on the right path. But we still have a lot to work on and improve. The current trend isn’t great.”
And he’s not wrong. Bayern has only managed three wins from their last eight competitive matches, along with three draws and two losses — one to Inter and another to Bochum (2-3). It’s a worrying pattern, even if the team’s dominance and style of play are often praised in public.
