Bayern Munich kicked off the 2026/27 Bundesliga season with a commanding 5-1 home victory over VfB Stuttgart on Friday night. The match at the Allianz Arena provided the perfect start for the record champions, who took control with four second-half goals after conceding an equalizer.
The game was officiated by referee Storks and reported live by Sportschau. "Bayern open the 2026/27 Bundesliga season in fitting style with a 5-1 home win against VfB Stuttgart!", the Sportschau match report summarized. The opening stages were even, with both sides hitting the woodwork. Tiago Tomás for Stuttgart in the 12th minute and Michael Olise with a free kick for Bayern in the 16th.
How did the match unfold?
Bayern eventually found their rhythm. In the 21st minute, Dayot Upamecano scored the first goal of the season for the champions from a Joshua Kimmich corner. Stuttgart fought back after the break. In the 52nd minute, Josha Vagnoman equalized following a Manuel Neuer save against Jeff Chabot. Munich's response was swift. Just three minutes later, in the 55th, Michael Olise restored the lead, again assisted by Kimmich.
The turning point came soon after. In the 58th minute, Josha Vagnoman unfortunately turned the ball into his own net, paving the way for a clear Bayern victory. Another Olise goal in the 63rd minute was disallowed by VAR for offside. But Munich did not let up. Two further goals in the closing stages sealed the emphatic win.
Who were the key performers?
New signing Ismael Saibari, who came on for Nathaniel Brown in the 61st minute, became the key player late on. In the 82nd minute, he set up Aleksandar Pavlović for the 4-1. In stoppage time, in the 90+1st minute, Saibari then also assisted the fifth goal for Luis Díaz. Díaz had already forced a save from Alexander Bredlow in the 26th minute.
The defense around Manuel Neuer held firm after the equalizer. A yellow card for Min-jae Kim in the 81st minute had no consequence. Coach Vincent Kompany used the comfortable lead to make several substitutions. Alongside Saibari, Josip Stanišić, Tom Bischof, Lennart Karl, and Jonathan Tah saw action. For Stuttgart, Finn Jeltsch, Jeff Chabot, and Grischa Prömel received yellow cards.
| Player | Team | Action | Minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiago Tomás | VfB Stuttgart | Crossbar | 12 |
| Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | Crossbar | 16 |
| Alexander Bredlow | VfB Stuttgart | Save vs. Díaz | 26 |
| Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich | Save vs. Chabot | 52 |
| Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | Goal disallowed (VAR) | 63 |
The table shows some of the key moments before the goals. Stoppage time was one minute in the first and five minutes in the second half.
What does this start mean for the season?
A 5-1 opening win sends a strong signal to the competition. The performance of young players and new signings like Saibari, who provided two assists, is particularly encouraging. The team showed character after conceding and clearly dominated the second half.
The victory provides momentum for the challenges ahead. The upcoming fixtures can be viewed on our fixtures page. The standings also now show Bayern at the top of the table. For coach Kompany, it is a successful first official outing in the Bundesliga. The team must now carry this momentum into the next matches and further solidify the defense after conceding a goal. The full squad overview is available on the squad page.
