Bayern Munich could be Champions League frontrunners this season

Even by Bayern Munich’s usual standards, their start to the 2025/26 season has been dominated. The Bavarians aren’t just unbeaten in the 11 games they have played in all competitions, they have yet to drop a single point. In the Bundesliga and the Champions League, Vincent Kompany’s side have won every match they’ve played.

Bayern will be favourites to make it 12 wins out of 12 when they host Club Brugge on Wednesday. The Belgians have quality of their own, as highlighted in the 4-1 win over Monaco only last month, but Harry Kane and co. will surely prove that they are on a different level. 

The way Bayern Munich are playing, they must be considered among the frontrunners in this season’s Champions League. The German champions put down a marker with their 3-1 win over Chelsea in their last outing in the competition and appear to have everything required to become European kings.

Kane is currently in the form of his life. Not only has the Englishman registered 17 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich so far this season, he is growing into a slightly different role as their creator-in-chief. This was apparent in the way Kane conducted Bayern’s attacking play in the win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Deployed as something of a number 10 behind Nicolas Jackson as the central striker, Kane was everywhere in Der Klassiker. He opened the scoring with his head from a corner kick and created the opening that led to the second Bayern goal with an incredible 40-yard cross-field pass into space for Luis Diaz. He was outstanding.

Diaz himself has been eye-catching too. The Colombian has hit the ground running following his summer move to the Allianz Arena from Liverpool, giving Bayern Munich another dimension on the left side of the pitch. His intensity and pressing ability has also made the Bavarians more difficult to play through.

Michael Olise has picked up where he left off last season with Jamal Musiala still to return from injury. In their current form, Bayern Munich boast the most fearsome frontline in Europe, but their progress this season is about more than just their output in the final third of the pitch.

In midfield, Bayern haven’t been so open, as the summer addition of Jonathan Tah strengthened the Bavarians at the back. Last season, Kompany’s team struggled against opponents with quality in transition. So far this term, though, Bayern Munich have had good balance in all areas.

Manuel Neuer is still operating at the highest level while Joshua Kimmich has the ability to control a game through possession. Konrad Laimer continues to be a reliable performer, at least until Alphonso Davies is fit again. The Canadian will give Bayern yet another attacking option.

This week saw Kompany sign a new contract to stay at Bayern Munich until 2029. This is a reward for a strong start under the Belgian who has transitioned the Bavarians into a more possession-heavy approach. Kompany has put in place the foundations for Bayern to become European champions for the seventh time in their history.

Of course, there will be other contenders. Arsenal look strong, particularly after their dismantling of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. Barcelona, like Bayern, have the attacking talent to blow away any opponent on their day. Manchester City and Real Madrid also have elite-level difference-makers.

At this moment in time, though, Bayern Munich might be the most complete team in the Champions League field. As a collective unit, they are up there with the very best, most coherent sides. Individually, they also boast some of the best players in the world. This could be their season.