Bayern Munich extended the unbeaten Bundesliga start and stayed 11 points clear after a 3-1 comeback win against Koln at RheinEnergieSTADION. Linton Maina’s driving solo strike put Koln ahead, yet Vincent Kompany’s team replied through Serge Gnabry, Min-Jae Kim and substitute Lennart Karl to stretch a dominant recent record against Koln.
The Bundesliga leaders had to absorb pressure and disruption during a stop-start first half. Said El Mala tested Manuel Neuer early with a low effort at the near post, before smoke from flares in the stands forced the referee to halt play, briefly interrupting Bayern Munich’s rhythm against an aggressive Koln side.
Despite falling behind, Bayern Munich controlled key metrics during the Bundesliga meeting with
Koln. Bayern produced 19 attempts and an expected goals figure of 1.31. Koln managed eight shots with 0.72 xG, forcing Neuer into three saves. The visitors’ superiority told late, maintaining an unbeaten sequence of 22 competitive matches against Koln, with 20 wins and two draws.
The numbers underlined Luis Diaz’s influence, even without a goal. Diaz delivered another Bundesliga assist in the 2025-26 season, moving to 18 goal involvements, with nine goals and nine assists. That matches Diaz’s best league return, achieved with Liverpool in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, highlighting consistent creative impact in two different top divisions.
Diaz also led several attacking categories for Bayern Munich against Koln. The Colombian recorded 13 touches in the Koln penalty area, created three chances and completed five dribbles. Only Michael Olise played more passes into the final third, with 35 compared to Diaz’s 28, as Bayern applied sustained pressure after recovering from Maina’s opener.
Koln struck first shortly before half-time, punishing Bayern Munich’s loose play. Maina robbed Serge Gnabry near Bayern’s box, then surged from deep into space. Maina advanced unchallenged and lashed a rising shot into the roof of Neuer’s net, rewarding Koln’s bright pressing and energising RheinEnergieSTADION after several earlier Bayern threats.
Bayern replied quickly, levelling during first-half stoppage time through Gnabry. A precise first touch allowed Gnabry to control under pressure, before a bouncing shot beat Marvin Schwabe. Earlier, Schwabe denied Hiroki Ito on 20 minutes and pushed away a low strike from Olise, keeping Koln level until Maina’s spectacular individual goal changed the tone.
After the interval, Jakub Kaminski forced Neuer into a firm save near the hour, yet Bayern Munich grew stronger. The visitors moved ahead when Min-Jae Kim rose to head in, after Ito stretched to keep the ball alive near the goal-line. The result was settled on 84 minutes, when Luis Diaz squared for Lennart Karl, who guided a composed finish into the bottom-left corner.
𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗞𝗟𝗡 on the road. We still remain 𝗨𝗡𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗡 in the Bundesliga!! pic.twitter.com/64gDQ8OIYQFC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) January 14, 2026
Bayern Munich’s response in Koln protected an 11-point Bundesliga lead, the unbeaten league record this season and a long positive run in this fixture. Koln’s intensity and Maina’s strike created a brief scare, yet Bayern’s control of territory, chances and individual quality from Diaz, Gnabry and Kim ensured another measured victory.
