For the Haters — Catastrophes and Defeats
The greatest footballing embarrassments of FC Bayern: Champions League finals lost, historic thrashings, amateur cup exits and the coaching-search circus.
Bayern International — Champions League Disasters
The mother of all embarrassments, plus a catalogue of European humiliations.
Barcelona 1999 — The Mother of All Defeats
From heaven to hell in 102 seconds — the cruellest defeat in Bayern history.
In front of 90,000 spectators at the football temple of Camp Nou and a global TV audience of billions, FC Bayern believed they had reached the promised land after Mario Basler's free-kick goal in the 6th minute. Those dreams were shattered by Teddy Sheringham (91') and Ole Gunnar Solskjær (93'), both from David Beckham corners.
40,000 fans watching on a big screen at Munich's Olympiastadion met the last-minute elimination with stunned horror. It also scratched their aura of clinical composure and invincibility when leading — and in a truly needless fashion.
This was the cruellest defeat because we were so close, said president Franz Beckenbauer.
A few seconds were enough to bring Manchester back into the game. I have rarely experienced an unluckier defeat than this one. 102 seconds, to be precise.
Lothar Matthäus, who had himself substituted while it was still 1-0 — a decision that earned him fierce internal criticism — said: It's bitter, it's sad.
It's incomprehensible for the players and the fans what happened here. You can't blame the team.
Goalscorer Mario Basler turned almost poetic: Those were three minutes to eternity. An entire world collapses.
Finale Dahoam 2012 — Penalty Failure at Home
Losing the Champions League final on penalties against Chelsea in your own stadium — mega-embarrassing.
On 19 May 2012 only one team played: FC Bayern, who took the lead through Thomas Müller shortly before the end and then gave it away through Didier Drogba's headed goal from a corner.
In extra time they proceeded to practise missing penalties — Arjen Robben squandered the match point and was denied by Petr Čech. Ominous signs. In the shoot-out they had the advantage again, even though takers were in short supply and even Manuel Neuer had to step up (and scored).
Ivica Olić and, last of all, Bastian Schweinsteiger missed, plunging the club into days of deepest gloom.
The fateful Finale dahoam crowned the horror season of 2011/12. In the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, too, they had to settle for second place. It became the catalyst for Bayern's dominance in German football that endures to this day. They never wanted to experience something like that again, and that is why they brought in Matthias Sammer as sporting director.
Bayern vs. Barça — UCL 2015
The original devours the copy: Guardiola's Bayern humiliated 3-0, 3-2 by his former club.
In the Champions League semi-final of 2014/15, Pep Guardiola's new team met his home club. The original showed the copy what class is. The Catalans won the first leg 3-0, and in the second leg too they dominated. Munich's 3-2 win was cosmetic.
Ancelotti Outsmarts Bayern — UCL 2014
Without scoring a single goal, Bayern suffered the heaviest home defeat in European Cup history: 0-4.
The defending champions were eliminated in the semi-final by Real Madrid. Six days after the 0-1 in the Spanish capital, Sergio Ramos with a double header strike (16', 20') and Cristiano Ronaldo (34', 89') destroyed Munich's hopes in front of 68,000 at the sold-out Arena. Bayern took note of the coach who had done this to them: Carlo Ancelotti became Guardiola's successor in 2016.
Formulaic Under LvG — UCL Final 2010
Bayern lost 0-2 to Inter Milan — dominant in possession but schematic, predictable and uninspired.
Diego Milito's goals (35', 70') sealed Bayern's fourth defeat in a European champions' final after 1982, 1987 and 1999. Inter completed the treble. Bayern played typical LvG football.
0-5 Against Gladbach in the DFB-Pokal (October 2021)
The heaviest cup defeat in FC Bayern München's history.
Five goals, Koné already in the 2nd minute, Bensebaini with a brace, Embolo with two more. Sporting director Salihamidžić called it a collective blackout.
Champions League Exit to Villarreal (April 2022)
A club from a town of 50,000 knocked out the six-time CL winners.
After a 0-1 first-leg defeat in Spain, the 1-1 in Munich was not enough. For Nagelsmann, it was the beginning of the end.
Worst Bundesliga Seasons
The most enjoyable seasons from a Bayern-hater perspective.
The Year After Beckenbauer — 1977/78
Seven consecutive defeats — the worst run in club history.
It began with a 0-2 in Mönchengladbach on 22 October, continued through Hertha BSC, a 3-6 mauling at MSV Duisburg, a 1-3 derby loss to the winless Lions, and two 0-4 defeats within three days at Eintracht Frankfurt. Only then did coach Dettmar Cramer lose his job.
Four Defeats in a Row — 1991 and 2015
In October 1991 four consecutive defeats; Pep Guardiola equalled the record in spring 2015.
1991: 1-4 vs Stuttgarter Kickers, 0-3 vs Dortmund, 2-3 at Stuttgart, 2-6 at Brøndby Copenhagen. Guardiola in 2015: out to Dortmund on penalties, 0-2 at Leverkusen, 0-3 at Barcelona, 0-1 vs Augsburg. He was shielded from criticism by the championship already sewn up.
2-6 Against Brøndby Copenhagen (1991)
Bayern's heaviest defeat in European competition — against the world club from Copenhagen.
On 23 October 1991, Bayern lost 6-2 in the 2nd round of the UEFA Cup in Copenhagen (Copenhagen scorers: Manniche (2), Nielsen, Wegner, Kraus, Uldbjerg; Munich: Mazinho, Münch). Just days earlier, Jupp Heynckes had been sacked by manager Uli Hoeneß; after the defeat, doubts grew about coaching novice Sören Lerby.
Six Four-Goal Defeats
Six defeats by four-goal margins — but against opponents of a different calibre.
In 1973 a 0-4 at Ajax Amsterdam in the European Cup, the 1977 UEFA Cup match at Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2009 Champions League trip to FC Barcelona under Jürgen Klinsmann, and the 2014 home semi-final against Real Madrid. More than a whiff of humiliation, though, attached to the 0-4 in the UEFA Cup semi-final at Zenit St Petersburg. Only once did the scoreline read 1-5: in the 1980 UEFA Cup semi-final at bogey team Eintracht Frankfurt, but only in extra time.
The Most Enjoyable Hater Seasons
The worst Bayern seasons by the numbers: 1974/75, 1977/78, 1991/92 and 1976/77.
Worst final league position: in 1977/78, the Reds finished 12th.
Most goals conceded: in 1976/77, Sepp Maier conceded 65 goals.
Worst goal difference: in 1974/75, FCB had a goal difference of -6 (57:63).
Fewest points: in 1977/78 it was 32:36 points (34 matches), in 1991/92 36:40 points (38 matches). These are the only Bundesliga seasons with a negative points balance.
Fewest wins: in 1977/78, Munich managed just eleven victories, all at home.
Fewest away wins: in 1977/78, FC Bayern went winless on the road, managing only seven draws.
Most defeats: in 1991/92, FCB lost 15 of 38 matches; in 1974/75 there were 14 defeats in 34 matches.
Worst home record: in 1991/92, FCB were 14th (of 20 teams) in the home table, managing only 21:17 points.
Worst half-season runs: in 1977/78, FCB stood on 14:20 points and 15th place after the first half of the season. In the second-half table of 1991/92 they sat 13th with a meagre 17:21 points (20 teams).
Comparably bad was the second half of 1976/77 with 15:19 points (18 teams).
One category falls outside these time periods: fewest goals — in 1994/95 and 2006/07, FCB scored just 55 goals each (in 34 matches).
- Worst finish
- 12th (1977/78)
- Most goals conceded
- 65 (1976/77)
- Fewest away wins
- 0 (1977/78)
- Most defeats
- 15 in 38 (1991/92)
- Worst home record
- 14th of 20, 21:17 pts (1991/92)
- Fewest goals
- 55 (1994/95 and 2006/07)
Particularly Embarrassing Moments
Cup exits to amateurs, historic turnarounds, and the coaching-search circus.
The 7-4 Against Kaiserslautern (1973)
The most astonishing turnaround in Bundesliga history — from 4-1 up to 7-4 down in 33 minutes.
On 20 October 1973, 1. FC Kaiserslautern trailed Bayern 1-3 at half-time; in the 57th minute, Munich extended to 4-1. Fait accompli — everyone assumed, and the first spectators headed for the exits. But the match turned once more. 7-4 to the Palatinate side at the final whistle!
Six goals against FC Bayern in 33 minutes — a magnificent performance by the Red Devils.
Because of its spectacular course, this match was voted the best in 50 years of Bundesliga by readers of Sport Bild in 2013 — no doubt with the votes of countless Bayern haters.
1. FC Kaiserslautern — Bayern München 7:4 (1:3), Matchday 12, 20.10.1973, 15:30. Kaiserslautern: Elting, Ackermann, Bitz, E. Diehl, F. Fuchs, Huber, Laumen, Pirrung, Sandberg, Schwager, K.
Toppmöller. Munich: Maier, Beckenbauer, Dürnberger, Gersdorff, Hansen, Hoeneß, Hoffmann, Müller, Roth, Schwarzenbeck, Zobel. Goals: 0:1 Gersdorff (3'), 0:2 Gersdorff (12'), 0:3 Müller (36'), 1:3 Pirrung (43'), 1:4 Müller (57'), 2:4 K.
Toppmöller (58'), 3:4 Pirrung (61'), 4:4 Pirrung (73'), 5:4 E. Diehl (84'), 6:4 Laumen (87'), 7:4 Laumen (89'). Referee: Horst Bonacker (Bergheim), Attendance: 34,000. Yellow: Bitz — Gersdorff.
Red: Gersdorff (76').
0-7 Against Schalke 04 (1976)
Bayern's heaviest competitive defeat ever — Klaus Fischer scored four.
On 9 October 1976, FC Schalke 04 thrashed mighty FC Bayern 7-0 at the Olympiastadion in Munich. Klaus Fischer scored four goals. The 7-0 remains to this day FC Bayern's heaviest competitive defeat and simultaneously the Royal Blues' record victory.
FC Bayern München — FC Schalke 04 0:7 (0:2), Sat 09.10.1976, 15:30, Olympiastadion, Munich, Bundesliga 1976/77, Matchday 9, 50,000 spectators, Referee: Günter Linn (Altendiez).
Goals: 0:1 Klaus Fischer (11'), 0:2 Erwin Kremers (44'), 0:3 Klaus Fischer (46'), 0:4 Manfred Dubski (64'), 0:5 Klaus Fischer (67'), 0:6 Rüdiger Abramczik (74'), 0:7 Klaus Fischer (82').
Almost equally noteworthy: Fortuna Düsseldorf won 7-1 against FCB on 9 December 1978 — the record champions' heaviest away defeat. Bayern have never conceded more than seven goals in a single Bundesliga match.
Always Gladbach
Five Bundesliga championships stolen by Borussia Mönchengladbach — one on the final matchday.
In 1970/71, Bayern were ahead before the last match at MSV Duisburg but lost 0-2. Gladbach won 4-1 in Frankfurt and became the first club to defend the Bundesliga title.
Trap Can't Substitute
Won 5-2 and yet lost — Trapattoni brought on a fourth amateur when only three were allowed.
In 1994/95, Bayern beat Frankfurt 5-2 away, but the result was overturned to 2-0 for Frankfurt at the green table due to Trapattoni's substitution error with Dietmar Hamann.
No Chance Against Kloppo (2012)
Lewandowski's hat-trick in the DFB-Pokal final — Bayern's fifth consecutive defeat against BVB.
The 5-2 DFB-Pokal final crowned BVB's Double and was the most visible expression of their brief dominance. Captain Lahm's post-match claim — We were the better team for 90 minutes — made it worse.
Dead Ends in Breisgau and Magdeburg, Weinheim and Vestenbergsgreuth
Thrashings by SC Freiburg, and three cup exits to amateurs in ten years.
Even against teams like SC Freiburg, Bayern were on the receiving end of proper thrashings in the early 1990s — for example, a 1-5 defeat at SC Freiburg on matchday 2 of the 1994/95 season.
Particularly embarrassing, however, are several Bayern defeats in the cup. Bayern were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal three times within ten years by amateur clubs: by 1. FC Magdeburg, by FV Weinheim 08 and — legendarily — by the Middle Franconians of TSV Vestenbergsgreuth. In Weinheim (1990) and in Nuremberg (1994), where Vestenbergsgreuth relocated for the TV broadcast, it caught them in the very first round.
Both matches ended 1-0.
In November 2000, they at least made it to the 2nd round before the then fourth-tier 1. FC Magdeburg (Oberliga Nordost-Süd) finished them off on penalties (4-3). What a feast for Bayern haters.
Felix Magath — Revenge Is Sweet
Fired by Bayern in 2007, Magath won the championship with Wolfsburg in 2009 and shredded Bayern 5-1.
Magath won two consecutive Doubles for Bayern (2004/05, 2005/06) — unprecedented. After a 0-0 against Bochum he was disposed of and replaced by Hitzfeld. Two years later, his Wolfsburg side — with unknowns like Grafite and Džeko — won the championship and humiliated Bayern 5-1 at home.
The Nagelsmann Sacking (March 2023)
€25 million fee paid, sacked after 20 months — the most expensive coaching disposal in Bundesliga history.
Add severance and Tuchel's salary. Together with Kompany's fee, Bayern have spent ~€60 million on coaches alone since 2021 — more than some Bundesliga clubs spend on their entire squad.
The Trophyless Season 2023/24
For the first time since 2011/12, FC Bayern won not a single trophy.
Bayer Leverkusen became unbeaten champions and ended eleven years of Bayern dominance. The first completely empty trophy cabinet in twelve years.
The Coaching-Search Chaos of Summer 2024
Five public rejections — the record champions became the laughing stock of the industry.
Xabi Alonso, Nagelsmann, Rangnick, De Zerbi, Glasner — all said no. The FC Hollywood comparison was dusted off. In the end came Vincent Kompany from relegated FC Burnley — a name nobody had on their shortlist.