Munich, May 16, 2026, 15:03 CEST
- Six changes for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga finale against 1. FC Köln.
- The Meisterschale goes to the champions following the match at Allianz Arena.
- Vincent Kompany isn’t looking past next week’s German Cup final with VfB Stuttgart.
Vincent Kompany rang the changes for Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga closer against 1. FC Köln on Saturday, swapping out six from his previous lineup. Manuel Neuer, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Konrad Laimer, Luis Díaz and youngster Lennart Karl all returned to the XI ahead of the club’s title festivities.
Bayern have the league title wrapped up, but there’s still juggling to do—injuries, rhythm, and the mood ahead of the German Cup final with VfB Stuttgart on May 23. After the Köln game, the club collects the Meisterschale, with Munich set for a public party on Sunday.
Bayern showed up for the last day of the season sitting atop the Bundesliga table with 86 points—16 more than Borussia Dortmund, 21 clear of RB Leipzig—and with a staggering 117 goals from 33 matches. Köln, on the other hand, came in 14th, tied on 32 points with Werder Bremen, just outside the relegation playoff zone.
Kompany went with Neuer in net, Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, and Tom Bischof making up the back line. Kimmich and Goretzka anchored midfield; ahead of them, Karl, Musiala, and Díaz supported Harry Kane at the top. On the Köln side, Marvin Schwäbe started in goal, backed by a defensive trio of Julian Schmied, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, and Cenk Özkacar. Marius Bülter was named as the lone forward.
According to Sport Bild, Min-jae Kim sat out due to some minor knee trouble. Karl got his first start since April 4—the day Bayern edged Freiburg 3-2—marking his return following a torn muscle fibre.
Goretzka got the nod, with Kompany making clear Friday that the midfielder’s place was “not a favour”—he’d earned it through years at the club. Neuer, meanwhile, started in goal, leaving Jonas Urbig out against his old side this time. Bulinews
For Kompany, this match isn’t just about collecting silverware. “The bar has been raised,” he told reporters on Friday, suggesting Bayern won’t deliver their final verdict on the season until after the Cup final. Sporting director Max Eberl echoed that sentiment, insisting the club is “still not done” since the domestic double is up for grabs. Reuters
Bayern’s stats leave them plenty of flexibility for squad changes. Just one league loss so far, with a potential to close out at 89 points—good enough for the club’s third-best Bundesliga tally ever. The 117 goals? That already smashes the old league record of 101, set back in 1971-72.
For champions, the same trap always lurks on presentation day: the game can lose intensity before the trophy’s in hand. Kompany, speaking in Bayern’s pre-match notes, called out Köln’s ability to sit deep and break fast, saying they’re “strong on the counterattack” and warning that any match at the Allianz Arena feels “like a cup final” to the visitors. FC Bayern
Bayern had their chance, with Köln struggling—they’d picked up just one win in their last 13 Bundesliga outings and hadn’t managed an away victory since October 2025. Bayern, meanwhile, hadn’t dropped a game against Köln in 22 meetings, stretching back to a 3-2 loss in February 2011.
A subtle hint from the betting markets cropped up around the match. On its German site, Goal reported that bet-at-home rolled out a fresh deal for new customers in Germany, bumping Bayern’s odds for a home win up to 9.60 from just 1.20—a sharp contrast that highlighted the champions’ overwhelming favorite status. The catch: it was only open to new sign-ups with a German address.
Bayern’s job is straightforward: wrap up the league, avoid mishaps, lift the shield, and keep the group’s focus fixed on Berlin. As for Köln, staying up is the main storyline, though grabbing even a point in Munich could shift the mood in what’s been a thin and tense season.
