Bayern Munich in 2020: A defining year

On February 1, on a damp and cold day in Mainz, we really started to see Bayern flex their muscles under Hansi Flick for the first time. A 3-1 win at Mainz is routine business for Bayern, but it was a victory that not only saw them return to the top of the Bundesliga for the first time since Niko Kovac’s stormy reign, but one that delivered a superb goal by Thiago Alcantara.

Bayern showed their extra quality on the extra day of the year. February 29 was the day that Bayern leapt ahead of their title rivals with a 6-0 thrashing of Hoffenheim. But the game is remembered more for the protests of Bayern’s ultras against Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp, which led to the players first leaving the pitch then playing the match out at a walking pace.

Bayern’s last game in front of fans was on March 8, coinciding with Bayern’s 120th anniversary. A massive tifo spanned the Allianz Arena as Bayern marked the occasion with a special kit and, of course, a 2-0 win to extend their Bundesliga lead. Little did anyone know that this would be last time Bayern would play in front of a full house for a very long time.

After an 11-week hiatus, the Bundesliga was the first of Europe’s top leagues to return following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bayern returned with a 2-0 win at Union Berlin before heading to Dortmund a week later on May 26 for a decisive Klassiker. Bayern’s class shone through, with Joshua Kimmich’s majestic chip the only goal of a high quality game and effectively the title decider.

On June 16, Bayern traveled to Werder Bremen with the chance to seal their eighth straight Bundesliga title. Bremen were fighting for Bundesliga survival at the time and made it hard for Bayern, but there was no holding them down. Bayern won 1-0 courtesy of Robert Lewandowski to secure their 30th German title and the first silverware of Hansi Flick’s Bayern reign.

Less than three weeks after winning the Bundesliga, Bayern did the job in the German Cup final too. Attack-minded Bayer Leverkusen headed to Berlin with high hopes, but they couldn’t match Bayern’s scintillating display. David Alaba’s deftly flighted free-kick set the tone for Bayern, with Serge Gnabry and a Robert Lewandowski double securing a 4-2 win and a second title in quick succession.

With a domestic double wrapped up, Bayern shifted their focus to the Champions League. Having dealt with Chelsea, Bayern arrived in Portugal for a one-legged knockout format of the competition. They faced Barcelona in the quarterfinals and blew them away 8-2. It was the first time since 1946 that Barca had conceded eight and a scoreline that would send shockwaves around Europe.

Paris Saint-Germain, the new-money stars of French football, met Bayern Munich, the German aristocrats, in club football’s biggest game on August 23. Many expected a goal feast but instead it was a high quality game of chess settled by a solitary goal. Kingsley Coman, the former PSG player raised in the suburbs of Paris, scored it for Bayern to reclaim their European crown and secure the treble.

A treble wasn’t enough for Bayern though. After a short break following the late completion of the season, they faced Sevilla, winners of the Europa League, in the UEFA Super Cup in Budapest on September 24. Javi Martinez was Bayern's unlikely extra-time hero but thousands of Bayern fans declined to travel, with Budapest grappling with sharply rising COVID cases at the time.

The victory in Budapest was also notable for being Bayern's 23rd straight victory, a new record in European football. They beat the previous record of 22, held by Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid since 2014, but couldn't build on that, succumbing to a surprise 4-1 defeat at Hoffenheim a few days later. However, they amassed a staggering 78 goals during the run, conceding just 16 with 12 clean sheets.

Just in case there was any doubt that Bayern were the best team around, Bayern followed up their UEFA Super Cup win less than a week later with victory in the German equivalent. Dortmund were Bayern’s challengers at the Allianz Arena but the Black and Yellows, despite putting up a good fight, lost 3-2. And it was their familiar foe Joshua Kimmich, who delivered the late winning goal.

It was another vintage year for Robert Lewandowski. Bayern’s number 9 ended the 2019-20 season with 34 goals, more than anyone in any of Europe’s big five leagues. He also scored 15 in the Champions League, five more than anyone else, and started the new Bundesliga season with 10 goals in his first 5 games — also a record. He was named FIFA Best Men's Player, too.

Less than a year into the job, Bayern head coach Hansi Flick could bask in the glory of an unprecedented haul of five trophies. The Bundesliga, the German Cup, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the German Supercup: everything his heart desired. An unparalleled achievement and the best coaching debut season in football history.