Bayern led the table from matchday five of the 1988/89 season, interrupted only once by VfB Stuttgart on matchday 10. The only serious competition came from 1. FC Koeln, who under coach Christoph Daum were enjoying their best season since the 1977/78 championship and by matchday 29 had closed to within a single point of Bayern.
The duel between FC Bayern and 1. FC Koeln was defined by the verbal sparring between coaches Christoph Daum and Jupp Heynckes. The media highlight was the legendary encounter on the Aktuelles Sportstudio TV show shortly before the clubs' meeting in Cologne on 25 May. In the TV studio there was no winner; on the pitch, Bayern triumphed.
Until the 80th minute it was 1-1. Then Daum got nervous and gambled badly.
He took off defender Juergen Kohler, whose direct opponent Roland Wohlfarth scored two more goals to secure Bayern a 3-1 victory that effectively decided the championship. In 1990, Heynckes' charges defended the title, this time without any drama. Koeln finished second again, but now six points adrift, and the league mocked the Vice-Daum, who was sacked after the season.