FC Bayern: The Unbeatables - Where things stand after 10 games | OneFootball

The mid-season break finds FC Bayern München in a position few envisioned at the start of the campaign. Missing creative heartbeat Jamal Musiala and explosive full-back Alphonso Davies for long spells, and with pundits repeatedly labelling the squad “too thin,” Bayern looked vulnerable on paper - but the reality is very different.

Bayern reach the break unbeaten in all competitions while having drawn only one game in the Bundesliga, showing structure, resilience, and surprising depth from within.

Unbeaten — and with a point to prove

Bayern’s record doesn’t just say “undefeated.” It says stable. Matches have varied in style - some dominant, some gritty - but their consistency has been unmistakable. Even without Musiala’s ingenuity and Davies’ vertical threat, Bayern have crafted a clear, repeatable method of creating chances and controlling games.

Their attack continues to revolve around Harry Kane, but crucially, Bayern no longer depend on him alone. Movement, combination play, and involvement from wide players and midfielders have spread responsibility across the squad. Michael Olise and especially Serge Gnabry, now playing in a more central role on the pitch, have improved their game even further and new star-signing Luis Díaz has been one of the transfers of the 2025/26 season so far!

But perhaps the biggest surprise lies at the other end of the pitch.

The Upamecano-Tah partnership: From Bayern's biggest question mark to their cornerstone

Few storylines this season have been as significant as the emergence of Dayot Upamecano and new signing Jonathan Tah as Bayern’s defensive anchor. What once was Bayern's biggest question mark has become one of their biggest strengths: central defense.

• Tah has imposed calm, authority, and excellent positional discipline despite only joining Bayern this summer.

• Upamecano, often criticized for inconsistency, looks more mature, composed, and reliable than he has in years. He is now consideres as one of the best three centre-backs in the world!

Together, they’ve formed one of the Bundesliga’s most reliable centre-back duos. Where Bayern used to wobble under pressure, they now look controlled and assertive. Their partnership has been foundational to Bayern’s unbeaten run.

A “thin squad” that triggered a rise in individual form

Ironically, the very thing critics worried about - the lack of depth - has turned into a catalyst for growth in Munich. Because Bayern couldn’t rotate endlessly, players who might have been on the fringes have taken on bigger roles and delivered:

• Konrad Laimer has reinvented himself, shifting from an inconsistent squad player to a defensive force through sheer workload and confidence. Many consider him to be one of the best right-backs in Europe this season.

• Serge Gnabry has rediscovered rhythm, clarity, and efficiency, benefiting from a new position, more stable minutes and less competition for his spot so far.

• Aleksandar Pavlović has continued his rapid rise, showing maturity beyond his age. His fitness improved as well.

• Sacha Boey, when filling in, has shown steady improvement, too.

What the critics called “too thin” became “just enough” - enough to keep players hungry, valued, and deeply involved.

Then there's anothere huge positive: the “thin squad” has put coach Kompany in a position where he felt more comfortable to also rely on the youth: Bayern have given players like Lennart Karl and Wisdom Mike a lot of trust and minutes to fill in when needed.

This decision has transformed Karl especially into one of the biggest talents and also breakout-stars of the season so far! It's now being talked about whether or not to take Karl on board with the senior national team to the World Cup 2026 - a few months ago, something like this was unimaginable at Bayern.

Kompany’s influence: Structure over star reliance

Coach Vincent Kompany obviously deserves substantial credit for Bayern’s transformation. Instead of chasing complexity, he has provided:

• strong defensive spacing,

• controlled buildup,

• simple but effective positional roles,

• and trust in players who previously lacked rhythm.

Bayern look like a team with a plan, not just a collection of large personalities. Even without key stars, they’ve stayed true to their identity - perhaps for the first time since the Flick era.

Optimism, with measured realism

The unbeaten run doesn’t erase all concerns. Bayern will still need:

• Musiala back to diversify their creativity,

• Davies fully fit to restore width,

• and perhaps reinforcements to handle the Champions League’s intensity.

But the fears that Bayern would crumble under pressure or reveal deep structural weakness have proven unfounded. Instead, this Bayern side has seemingly grown tighter, become more versatile and rediscovered internal leadership. They look less fragile than many expected - and more united than they have in years.

A tricky challenge however, could be the soonish comebacks of the likes of Musiala and Davies: ahead of the season, both players were guaranteed startes in Kompany's eleven. Musiala was Bayern's most important player (alongside Harry Kane) and Davies was arguably their best defender, or at least their most in-form defender.

Looking at Kompany's side now, it will be hard to leave out players like Serge Gnabry and Josip Stanisic, who are in great form. But then again, maybe that's where a more frequent rotation can solve all problems.

Final thought

Bayern’s story so far is one of resilience turning into identity. They were expected to struggle. Instead, missing stars and criticized squad depth forced players to step up - and they did.

The Upamecano–Tah partnership has solidified the back line, Laimer and Gnabry have found new life, Karl has emerged as the-next-big-thing and Kompany has built a structure that carries the team even without its brightest talents.

With key players set to return, Bayern appear positioned not just to continue their unbeaten streak - but to grow even stronger. Maybe this season they will be fighting for all trophies again until the very end.