FC Bayern's brief 15-minute rest period in Wolfsburg won't be a concern.
To commence their campaign for regaining the elusive title, Bayern Munich embarked on a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga's inaugural game of the season. Despite being briefly trailing, they emerged triumphant, much to the delight of the 30,000 fans present in the sell-out Volkswagen Arena.
Jamal Musiala initiated the scoring spree with an exquisite move on the right flank. However, Wolfsburg responded with two powerhouse strikes from Lovro Majer, one from the spot (47.) and another following an error by Min-Jae Kim (55.).
Yet, resilience prevailed, and Jakub Kaminski's own goal (65.) and a clinical strike from Serge Gnabry (82.) saw Munich swing the game in their favor.
While fans and officials alike had imposed high expectations upon the debuting coach, Vincent Kompany, the conditions were favorable. "Bringing the trophy back to Munich" was the unanimous directive, emphasized by Max Eberl, the sports director, during his DAZN interview.
Admittedly, the start was a tad unsteady, with Wolfsburg demonstrating tenacious defense. It took eight minutes for Serge Gnabry to almost break the deadlock, only to miss from a sharp angle. Harry Kane (11.) and Joshua Kimmich (13.) followed suit, with spectacular saves from Kamil Grabara, the formidable Wolfsburg goalkeeper, denying them an opportunity to score.
Munich, however, managed to break the shackles when energetic right-back Sacha Boey powered through on the wing, setting up Musiala to capitalize on the chance. Gnabry missed another opportunity just before halftime, harboring a slight disadvantage in a tight contest.
Kompany's tactical approach, characterized by man-marking, paid dividends in the first half. Nonetheless, the second half witnessed a major shift in fortunes. After Tiago Tomas was fouled by Boey in the box, Majer unleashed a powerful shot, only to see it hit the left post, narrowly missing conversion. Nonetheless, Majer's subsequent penalty was unstoppable, equalizing for Wolfsburg.
The momentum shifted dramatically, with Majer demonstrating exceptional skill, ultimately finding the back of the net, propelling Wolfsburg into the lead. Musiala's shot on the right wing almost found its mark (57.), just falling short of extending the lead.
In response to an unexpected turn of events, Thomas Müller was introduced in the 65th minute, achieving an extraordinary milestone as he took up the coveted position of Munich's record champion player, with 709 appearances. Almost instantly, a Kane header forced Kaminski into an unfortunate own goal and settled the scoreline on the right wing, with Gnabry securing a victorious finish.
Despite their best efforts, VfL Wolfsburg couldn't hold onto their lead, as Bayern Munich eventually emerged victorious in the match. In the second half, VfL Wolfsburg's Lovro Majer was instrumental in their attempts to maintain their advantage, scoring a penalty and demonstrating exceptional skill to put them in the lead.
