Bayern Munich begin their DFB Cup defence with a historic record. The record champions face second-division side VfL Osnabrück in the first round on Wednesday at 20:45 CEST and can extend their run of 30 consecutive wins in this stage of the competition. This information was originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
How dominant is Bayern in the cup first round?
Munich's streak in the first DFB Cup round is remarkably long. Their last defeat at this early stage dates back to 1994, when TSV Vestenbergsgreuth won 1-0. Since then, Bayern have won every one of their 30 first-round matches. This dominance is also reflected in their record against second-division teams. In their last 16 DFB Cup ties against Bundesliga 2 clubs, Bayern scored at least two goals each time. The last time they failed to do so was a 1-0 extra-time win against 1860 Munich in the 2007/08 quarter-final.
The only exception in their last 20 cup games against second-tier sides was the elimination by Holstein Kiel in the second round of the 2020/21 season. Manager Vincent Kompany will be keen to ensure his team maintains focus. The current away form supports Bayern. The club is unbeaten in 32 away games in domestic competition (Bundesliga, DFB Cup, Supercup), with 26 wins and six draws. Their last away defeat in a domestic match was a 2-1 league loss at Mainz in December 2024.
What is Bayern's history with Osnabrück?
The head-to-head cup record against VfL Osnabrück is mixed. The teams have met three times previously in the DFB Cup. Bayern won the two more recent encounters. In the 2001/02 second round, Bayern won 2-0 at the Bremer Brücke. Three years later, in 2004/05, a last-minute winner from Roy Makaay secured a narrow 3-2 victory, also in Osnabrück.
The surprising defeat happened in the 1978/79 season. Back then, Bayern were knocked out in the round of 16, losing 4-5 to the then-second-division side at their own stadium. For Osnabrück, the task is daunting. The club has lost its last five DFB Cup matches against Bundesliga opponents, although they forced extra time in two of those, against Freiburg in 2021/22 and Köln in 2023/24. An overview of all upcoming fixtures is available on our fixtures page.
What does last season's cup run mean for the attack?
The triumph in the last cup campaign was powered by an exceptional individual performance. Striker Harry Kane scored ten goals throughout the 2023/24 season. He was the first player since Dieter Müller (14 goals in 1976/77) and Gerd Müller (11 goals in 1976/77) to reach the ten-goal mark in a single DFB Cup campaign. Kane has also scored in each of his last six cup appearances. Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang managed a longer scoring streak, with seven consecutive games for Dortmund from 2014 to 2016.
Interestingly, the cup win in 2023/24 was achieved with just three different goalscorers: Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz. Bayern have only won the cup with so few scorers once since the Bundesliga was formed. In the 1968/69 season, only Gerd Müller (7 goals) and Rainer Ohlhauser (1 goal) contributed to the victory. The current attacking options can be viewed in our squad overview.
How is the defensive record in the cup?
While the attack was focused on Kane, the defence kept clean sheets in the decisive matches. Bayern ended the last cup season with three consecutive games without conceding. Overall, the team is on a run of 304 minutes without a goal against them in this competition. The 3-0 win in the final against VfB Stuttgart at Berlin's Olympiastadion in May ended a six-year trophy drought for Bayern in this competition.
It is the fifth DFB Cup win in the club's history after successes in 1966/67, 2005/06, 2013/14, 2019/20 and most recently 2023/24. The task for Kompany and his team is clear: the streak must continue. The next step is clearing the first hurdle against Osnabrück to get the title defence underway. Progress in the Bundesliga can be tracked in parallel on our standings page.
