History repeats itself as Bayern Munich's 27-game unbeaten run ended by Augsburg
Augsburg defied all expectations to inflict a first Bundesliga defeat of the season on Bayern Munich, producing a shock victory to end the Bavarians' 27-match unbeaten run in spectacular fashion.
You have to go as far back as March 2025 for the last time Bayern tasted defeat in Germany’s top flight. It was Bochum who triumphed at the Allianz Arena 10 months ago, recovering from two goals down to pull off a stunning 3-2 victory.
For both teams, there was a sense of déjà vu on Saturday afternoon. In 2014, Bayern's record 53-game unbeaten Bundesliga run was brought to an end by none other than Augsburg, who secured a memorable 1-0 win.
Union Berlin and Mainz have both come close to defeating Bayern this season, but Augsburg are the only side to emerge with all three points against the record Bundesliga champions.
Watch: Augsburg come from behind to beat Bayern
Goals from debutant Arthur Chaves, who only joined Augsburg on Thursday, and Han-Noah Massengo cancelled out Hiroki Ito’s header to complete a stunning second-half recovery by Manuel Baum’s side.
Unsurprisingly, after watching his side lose their first domestic game of 2025/26, Vincent Kompany will expect a response from his players – particularly after Borussia Dortmund, Bayern’s closest challengers, closed the gap at the top to eight points with victory at Union Berlin.
“We let a good starting position slip away and couldn’t muster enough energy towards the end,” said the Belgian. “Augsburg did an outstanding job, especially in the second half. Nevertheless, we fought until the end. That’s part of football; now it’s about showing the right reaction.”
Bayern dominated the opening exchanges, but Augsburg remained defensively resilient with Cédric Zesiger, Keven Schlotterbeck and Chaves forming a defensive wall, preventing Bayern from troubling goalkeeper Finn Dahmen.
“We defended very well today,” said Baum. “It was also important for us not just to sit deep, but to be proactive.”
And proactive they were. With the odds stacked against them, Augsburg came out with all guns blazing after the break. Dimitrios Giannoulis dominated the left-flank, while Alexis Claude-Maurice was a constant thorn in Bayern’s side.
Eventually, Augsburg were rewarded for their endeavors into Bayern’s defensive third when Mert Kömür delivered a corner towards the far post, which evaded Jonas Urbig and was met by the head of Chaves.
“I’m overjoyed and can hardly find the words to express my feelings,” he said. “I’ve only been here in Augsburg for just under two days – and we’ve already won in Munich! It feels like a fairytale.”
Not willing to settle for a point, Augsburg pushed for a second goal and got their noses in front when Frenchman Massengo – who was named Man of the Match for his tireless display – capped off a superb attacking move to net his second Bundesliga goal of the campaign.
“Scoring a goal also feels good, but first and foremost it was a real team effort,” said the Frenchman. “We wanted to stay compact and, as soon as a chance arose, play bravely forward – and that’s exactly what worked today.”
Since Baum’s appointment, Augsburg have lost just two of their seven games. Saturday’s thrilling come-from-behind victory – which moves them four points clear of the promotion/relegation play-off place – is the first time they have won from a losing position this term.
While Bayern’s remarkable domestic run has come to an abrupt end, their attention now turns towards their UEFA Champions League clash against PSV before facing Hamburg and Hoffenheim in the top flight. Games continue to come thick and fast for Germany’s record champions, who have ample opportunity to make amends in the coming weeks.
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