Bayern end roller-coaster 2024 on a high

Bayern's hopes of defending the Bundesliga title for a record-extending 12th successive season were alive and well following a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim on 17 January 2024. Although in the unfamiliar position of doing the hunting, the gap to Leverkusen at the time was a surmoutable four points - but the molehill swiftly morphed into a mountain. Three defeats in their next six - including a demonstrative changing-of-the-guard reverse to Xabi Alonso's champions-elect - left Thomas Tuchel's charges in need of a miracle. 

Yet there was to be no divine intervention. Leverkusen were confirmed as champions with five rounds of fixtures still to play, while Bayern stumbled over the finish line in third, a point behind surprise runners-up VfB Stuttgart. Having also gone out of the DFB Cup to third-tier Saarbrücken in the second round and suffered UEFA Champions League semi-final heartache at the hands of Real Madrid, the 31-time Bundesliga champions were left nursing the wounds of a first trophy-less campaign in 13 years.

Cue the system reboot. The wheels had already been set in motion as far back as 21 February with the mutual parting of ways between club and coach at the end of the season. The search for Tuchel's successor concluded on 29 May when a compensation package was agreed with Burnley to bring Vincent Kompany to the Allianz Arena. The retired Belgian defender had not long overseen the Clarets' relegation to the English Championship, but it was he who'd taken them back into the big time in the first place - and he arrived in the Bavarian captial with former mentor Pep Guardiola's backing.

"I'm happy with the link between Bayern and Vinnie," Manchester City's head coach - who enjoyed an acclaimed stint in charge of Bayern between 2013 and 2016 - told media prior to Kompany's appointment. "I have a huge opinion of Vinnie, doesn't matter if he got relegated with Burnley. I have the highest opinion about his work, his personality, knowledge of the game, the way he handles the media. I would love Bayern to take the best decision - they deserve it. I love that club. I'm in love with Bayern Munich for many, many reasons - especially the people there."

The love and respect between Bayern and Guardiola is no secret - and now extends to Kompany. Bolstered by summer signings such as João Palhinha and Michael Olise, the 38-year-old had injected some of the Bayern of old into the class of 2024/25. They're scoring for fun, thanks in no small part to the goals of Harry Kane, who - with 20 in as many competitive games - is already on course to better record-breaking debut season numbers totalling 44 strikes, including 36 in the Bundesliga. Germany's Jamal Musiala is taking and making chances with razor-sharp regularity, while established names like Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies have rediscovered their best form.

Kompany's charges have also married an insatiable nose for goal with a stingy defensive streak, namely a league-low 13 goals conceded after 15 Bundesliga matches, as well as a seven-game run of clean sheets between 27 October and 30 November. Bayern have only lost once in the league - a 2-1 defeat at bogey team Mainz on Matchday 14 - and have taken a point off Leverkusen, who lead the clutch of sides doing the chasing with nearly half the season gone. They're also firmly on course to reach the Champions League knockout stages, with two league-phase fixtures remaining.

Watch: Bayern cemented top spot with a crushing win over Leipzig on Matchday 15

That's not to say Kompany's Bayern have been note-perfect. In addition to the Mainz hiccup, there have been Champions League losses on the road at Aston Villa and Barcelona, as well as a DFB Cup last-16 exit to Leverkusen, but the overriding feeling in the camp is one of normal service resumed. If the first half of 2024 was, by the current Bundesliga pacesetters' golden standards, one to forget, the second provides the ideal platform for a title-winning year ahead.

"We know what we're capable of," affirmed Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund after five different goalscorers did the damage in a year-ending 5-1 rout of title rivals RB Leipzig. "When we implement our game over 90 minutes, we know what's possible. We showed that on the pitch today. That was a real statement because we deserved to win by such a margin. It was a very nice finish, with a great reaction from the team [after the Mainz loss], but we were also convinced we're capable of performing like that because we've done it many times already this season and are on a very good path."

Chris Mayer-Lodge