Bayern looking to maintain impressive Wolfsburg run & lead at the top

FC Bayern ended the year on a high with the 4-0 win at 1. FC Heidenheim just before Christmas, already securing the unofficial title of Hinrundenmeister (champions at the halfway point). Looking at the history books, that should give Vincent Kompany’s side plenty of encouragement for the crunch period in the battle for the Meisterschale. Because in 24 of the 27 cases (89%) when the Munich men have led the table after the first half of the campaign, they’ve gone on to be crowned champions. 

Nobody will let themselves be blinded too much by such statistics, but Manuel Neuer and colleagues have proven with their performances that they’re rightly in pole position in the title race. A look at the facts ahead of Matchday 16 also shows that.

2025: A year of superlatives

Bayern’s New Year’s resolution? Simply to carry on like they did in the previous 12 months! It was a phenomenal 2025 for the German record champions, who collected a whopping 87 points in 34 Bundesliga games and only lost once (3-2 against VfL Bochum in March). No other team in Europe’s top leagues suffered so few defeats last year. Bayern also became the first team in Bundesliga history to be top from 1 January to 31 December. What’s more, Kompany’s men boasted a three-digit goals tally of 107 in 2025, something only Bayern themselves (116 in 2021) and 1. FC Köln (101 in 1977) have previously achieved.

Best-ever record at this stage of the season

In the current season, too, there’s barely anything that can be improved. With 13 wins, two draws and a goal difference of +44, the Reds have the best record after 15 matchdays in the history of the division. Their 55 goals are also a record at this stage of the campaign.

Wolfsburg don’t like travelling to Munich

To date, Bayern have not been very hospitable hosts to upcoming opponents Wolfsburg. The record champions have never lost in 28 Bundesliga home meetings against the Wolves, allowing the Lower Saxony outfit a meagre two points in Munich (W26, D2). No other club have played another side in the German top flight at home so often without ever losing. FCB go into this one on a seven-match winning run against VfL at the Allianz Arena.

And whether it’s home or away, the record is clear-cut. Bayern are unbeaten in their last 20 league encounters with Wolfsburg (W18, D2), with their last defeat coming almost 11 years ago on 31 January 2015, when the Bavarians lost 4-1 on the road.

Will Bayern be strong out of the blocks again?

Bayern have normally come back well from the winter break in recent years, with eight wins from their last 10 opening games of the year – the only exceptions being a 1-1 draw at RB Leipzig in 2023 and a 2-1 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2022. In the last two years they’ve won to nil: 1-0 at Gladbach last year and 3-0 at TSG Hoffenheim the year before.

Half-centuries for Kompany and Olise

The clash with Wolfsburg will be Kompany’s 50th match as a Bundesliga coach. Under the Belgian’s leadership, Bayern have registered an average of 2.5 points per game (W38, D9, L2) in the league, which is equal with Pep Guardiola as the best average of all Bundesliga bosses.

Michael Olise is also set to make his 50th Bundesliga appearance on Sunday, meaning he hasn’t missed a single league game since his move to FCB. Like last season (15 assists), the France international is currently the top provider in the top flight with eight assists. Overall, the winger has recorded an impressive 42 goal involvements (19 goals, 23 assists) in his 49 Bundesliga appearances and has been directly involved in a goal every 84 minutes.

Free-scoring Bayern

Churning out goals! Bayern have scored at least twice in each of their last 23 Bundesliga games, a current record in the competition. In their last 23 matches at the Allianz Arena, too, there have always been at least two goals for the home side, equalling Werder Bremen’s record from 1984 to 1985. Harry Kane and Co will therefore be hoping to set a new best on Sunday.