New Record
With a stunning victory last Saturday, Bayern Munich achieved their fourteenth consecutive win across all competitions by defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 at Borussia-Park. This win allowed Bayern to match a long-standing record held by AC Milan, who began their 1992/93 season with 13 wins across all competitions. Bayern kicked off this season with victories in the Franz-Beckenbauer-Supercup against Stuttgart (2-1), the first round of the DFB-Pokal against Wehen Wiesbaden (3-2), their first three Champions League matches, and all eight Bundesliga matches (overview). On Wednesday, they further solidified their achievement by defeating 1. FC Köln 4-1 in the DFB-Pokal, setting a new record.
When comparing the two records, AC Milan kicked off the 1992/93 season with a Super Coppa Italia win against Parma (2-1), followed by seven Serie A victories, three Coppa Italia wins, and three wins in the UEFA Champions League. The latter victories included two wins over NK Olimpija and one against Slovan Bratislava in the qualifications. Remarkably, Bayern’s current goal differential of 47-9 already surpasses Milan’s 1992/93 goal difference of 45-13. With their latest win over Köln, Bayern’s goal differential now stands at 51-10 after 14 matches.
“This record is the result of our hard work,” Bayern midfielder Kimmich remarked after the win against Gladbach. Following the DFB-Pokal victory against Köln, Bayern could set an even newer record. “We cannot afford to be complacent; we have to keep pushing,” said Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany regarding the record. “The cup match on Wednesday will present a different challenge,” he added, emphasizing the need for continued focus despite the impressive start to the season. The players heeded his advice and secured the win against Köln, thereby setting a new record.
A New Record? Bayern Munich’s Place in History
Having discussed Bayern surpassing AC Milan’s record, we’ve also analyzed historical comparisons using the Transfermarkt database. Bayern Munich has accomplished this feat five times, notably in the seasons of 2020/21, 2015/16, 2012/13, 1984/85, and 1980/81. The club notably went on to win the treble in both 2021 and 2013, although neither of those seasons began with a long streak of consecutive victories. As illustrated in the graphic below (where goal differential serves as the tie-breaker), this season’s Bayern team and the 1992/93 AC Milan squad stand out prominently among their peers. Since the inception of the European Cup in 1955, clubs from the top five leagues have started their seasons with 12 wins in their first 13 games on 18 occasions.
So, how do the 13 consecutive wins by Bayern and Milan compare with other impressive starts among Europe’s top clubs in the five major leagues? Our research revealed that the second-longest winning streak to initiate a season among these teams was 11 wins, achieved by Borussia Dortmund in 2015/16, and by Real Madrid in both 1968/69 and 1961/62. Additionally, four teams commenced their seasons with 10 wins across all competitions: Juventus in 2018/19, Manchester City in 2016/17, AS Roma in 2013/14, and Hamburger SV in 2005/06.
