The mood surrounding Bayern Munich heading into September was not one of great optimism. Vincent Kompany missed out on his two main transfer targets, Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade, and his side were given a huge scare by third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, with an injury-time winner from Harry Kane ultimately sparing Bayern's blushes.
Wirtz was seen as the ideal short-term replacement and long-term partner for Jamal Musiala, who was sidelined until at least the end of the year after breaking his leg at the Club World Cup. However, the Bayer Leverkusen hero opted to join Premier League champions Liverpool, which was seen as evidence of Bayern's diminished status as one of Europe's elite sides.
More weight was added to that theory when Bayern almost blew a three-goal lead when limping to an unconvincing 3-2 win at Augsburg on August 30. The consensus was that Kompany had enough quality at his disposal to defend the Bundesliga title, but not to oversee a proper assault on the Champions League.
Fast-forward just 65 days, though, and Bayern have defied expectations. They have a perfect record through their first 15 matches of the 2025-26 campaign – an unprecedented run that has never been matched in the history of Europe's top-five leagues. Bayern sit five points clear at the Bundesliga summit already with 33 goals scored and just four conceded, and they're second in the Champions League table, having beaten Chelsea 3-1 on matchday one before routing Pafos 5-1 and Club Brugge 4-0.
Reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain are top, courtesy of narrowly outscoring the German giants by 13 to 12 in their first three games, but Bayern have the chance to make a huge statement of intent when they travel to Parc des Princes to face Luis Enrique's side on Tuesday.
A 16th consecutive victory would see Die Roten installed as the new outright favourites for the trophy and complete a remarkable turnaround. Kompany has seemingly transformed Bayern overnight, and if they accomplish their latest goal, there may be no stopping the new Allianz Arena juggernaut in any competition…
(C)Getty Images'Best team in Europe'
On Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen became Bayern's latest victims in a 3-0 defeat that saw Kasper Hjulmand's team completely outclassed in every department. Serge Gnabry raced clear to open the scoring in the 25th minute and Nicolas Jackson doubled the hosts' account with a fine header moments later, claiming his first Bundesliga goal since joining the club on loan from Chelsea.
A Loic Bade own-goal gave Bayern a three-goal advantage at the interval, as Kompany's decision to rest key trio Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise for the first half paid off handsomely. They all came on early in the second and helped Bayern cruise to victory against a Leverkusen side that hadn't lost a league game since August 23.
The final result also ended Leverkusen's two-season unbeaten run away from home, leaving Aleix Garcia certain of one thing. "Bayern are currently the best team in Europe," the Leverkusen midfielder told .
Hjulmand was similarly effusive in his praise: "We have to recognise that Bayern are an absolutely top team. They punished our mistakes immediately. We’re not satisfied with our performance, we have a lot to work on, but overall Bayern were just too good. We have to acknowledge that."
It feels like Bayern are too good for right now, and thanks to Kompany's bold selection calls, the Bundesliga leaders are poised to claim their biggest scalp yet.
"From this moment on I am more confident of what the team can do. Obviously we are better when Harry plays but we will have a top-fit Harry against Paris," the Belgian coach said in his post-match press conference. "Today it felt like the moment for the other lads. Now we can go into that game without any fitness concerns. Tuesday will be the highest intensity you can have, the highest in Europe, I think."
AdvertisementGettyKing Kane
PSG have every reason to fear Kane. The former Tottenham striker is in the form of his life, with 22 goals to his name from 15 appearances across all competitions so far this season, and he's emerged as the early front-runner for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Kane's latest stellar display came in the second round of the DFB-Pokal last Wednesday as Bayern eased to a 4-1 win over Koln. He produced a sublime turn and finish to make it 2-1 on the night and added his second when nodding in a Joshua Kimmich corner just past the hour mark. One of the main reasons Bayern have been so effective in recent weeks is Kane's ruthlessness from half-chances, both on the ground and in the air, and PSG will have to keep him quiet to have any hope of halting their momentum.
Under Kompany's guidance, Kane has become arguably the most lethal centre-forward in world football, but his playmaking skills have also been crucial for Bayern to make up for the absence of Musiala. The 32-year-old, who is ageing like a fine wine, doesn't just come alive in the box; he's always involved in the build-up and sets the tone with his technical brilliance.
Thanks to the presence of Jackson, Bayern also now have the option to use Kane as No.10, which worked perfectly during their Klassiker win over Dortmund last month. Kane has given Kompany "full credit" for his surge, saying: "I think he has unlocked a different level in me. He is a fantastic coach, not just tactically but also as a person."
Bayern are perfectly set up to play to Kane's strengths and Kompany knows exactly how to keep his motivation levels high. And, unlike last season, Kane is now delivering as part of a fully-functioning unit instead of shouldering nearly all the responsibility for their success.
"He's felt what his role in our team can be, also among his team-mates. He then also shows his quality, not just with goals but also how he gets others involved," Kompany said before the Dortmund game. "We hope he can keep that up, but there's no extra pressure on him if he happens to perform less once in a while. The others will compensate there. We've got great trust in our squad."
Getty ImagesDeadly Diaz
There is, however, one player who stands out for pushing Kane hardest for the title of Bayern's main man this term. Diaz became Bayern's third-most expensive player ever, after Kane and Lucas Hernandez, when he signed from Liverpool for €75 million (£66m/$87m) in the summer transfer window, but the deal didn't generate that much excitement in Munich.
Diaz had been deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, and it was widely reported that Athletic Club's Nico Williams was Bayern's first-choice target. Dietmar Hamman even went so far as to claim Liverpool were "laughing" after banking such a huge fee for the Colombian, but Bayern fans have had way more to smile about than the Reds' faithful since his switch.
There was perhaps no Liverpool player more under-appreciated than Diaz during their run to the 2024-25 Premier League title. He racked up 18 goal contributions overall, second only to Mohamed Salah, and his ability to shift effortlessly between the left flank and central striker roles became of great importance down the finishing stretch.
Diaz has seamlessly transferred that form to Bayern, scoring eight goals in his first 15 appearances while setting up another five. Kompany has given Diaz and Olise licence to take games by the scruff of the neck, with the former leading the Bundesliga for shots attempted with 34 and the latter sitting second on 29.
Bayern often struggled for fluency last season, but Diaz has completed their attack by injecting a significant dose of intensity and quality. He is a master of creating chaos on the transition and leads their press, with a large chunk of the team's opportunities generated after he has battled to win the ball back high up the pitch.
Kane has said he felt an "instant connection" with Diaz, and you can see that bond in their link-up play, which no team in Europe has found an answer to yet. That €75m price tag suddenly looks like a bargain, and Diaz is finally getting the credit he deserves.
Getty ImagesEmergence of 'fantastic' Karl
Kompany has also been rewarded for taking a risk on Bayern academy jewel Lennart Karl. The 17-year-old was still playing for the Under-19s in February, but Kompany has since fast-tracked his development, first by including him in Bayern's Club World Cup squad, then by giving him a regular place in the senior side this season.
Karl now has 13 first-team appearances under his belt, including four starts, and has been a revelation. Capable of playing as a right winger or a No.10, the German wonderkid plays with a level of maturity and confidence that belies his years. He's a quick, agile forward who dribbles with a low centre of gravity and excels at taking the ball on the half-turn.
Comparisons with Arjen Robben have also been drawn because Karl has a wand for a left foot. There were certainly shades of the Bayern icon in Karl's first goal for the club, which saw him ghost past three Club Brugge defenders before unleashing an unstoppable shot straight into the top corner.
That stunning effort made Karl the youngest player to ever score for Bayern in the Champions League, and three days later, he opened his account in the Bundesliga against Borussia Monchengladbach with another remarkable strike after cutting in from the left.
"He's a fantastic player. He's not afraid to dribble," Kane has said of his supremely talented new team-mate. "He just has to keep working hard, and he'll have a great future ahead of him."
Kompany is carefully managing Karl's minutes, but he's now a proper wildcard option for Bayern. At the very least, the teenager's versatility could prove useful to cover any injuries and suspensions, and at best, he has the potential to be a decisive impact player as the season progresses.