Welcome to the FC Bayern Campus Round Up of the U-17’s season, where this time not the weekend results but the entire campaign of the Bavarian’s U-17 team has been recapped for your reading pleasure.
Information on the U-17 team’s season is provided by the official FC Bayern website here. If you wish to learn more about the format of the U-17 (and U-19)’s youth leagues and what is at stake, you can find more info here. Just keep in mind, the season is divided into three phases. The top 2 teams of the 12
games first phase qualify for the next phase, then the top 4 teams of the 10 game second phase qualify for the third phase, which becomes a knockout style tournament. Without further ado, here is the round up:
First phase: Extreme ups and downs
Final position: Made it to third phase of league stage, eliminated in Round of 16.
Bayern’s U-17s enjoyed a strong first phase of the season, marred by some bizarre losses. They won all of the first 8 games of the season, scoring three or more goals in every single one of those games. 5 of them were won by 3 goals or more as the Bavarians flexed their muscles. The run culminated in a brilliant 7-0 victory over rivals SpVgg Unterhaching. Then came the first loss, getting pasted 1:5 by Sandhausen at home. Two games later, they were crushed 6:2 away by VFB Stuttgart. Bayern managed to brush those defeats aside and still finish top of the table.
Still, the Bavarians were in rare goal scoring form throughout the first phase of the season, scoring 51 goals in 14 games while also conceding 22. Three Bayern players stood out in particular, as Bayern’s website captured:
With Philipp von Taube (13 goals) and Bastian Assomo (8 goals), Bayern Munich boasted the group’s two top scorers. Together with Aviel Hentcho Nseke, they formed the group’s top trio, scoring a total of 27 goals and providing six assists. With 51 goals, Bayern also had the best attack in the group.Sebastian Haas said that, despite the workload, “it was always evident how eager, open, and joyful the boys were,” something that was reflected both in the results and in the team’s development.
Second phase: Struggles ensue
The second phase of the season was a whole lot more difficult. They failed to win any of their first 4 matches and came out as victors in just 1 of the first 7 games. Remember, this is a 10 game phase. This pushed Bayern all the way down to the bottom of the table, with elimination staring the team in the face. When Bayern threw away a two goal lead against fellow bottom dwellers TSG Hoffenheim late in the game to throw more points away on the 7th matchday, chances of progressing seemed to be gone. Then came an epic turnaround, as Bayern would win the next three matches by a staggering 19-2 on aggregate. These big victories catapulted Bayern into the 3rd position, qualifying them for the third round of the league phase and the Round of 16 of the U-17 Bundesliga.
Third phase: Sudden end
Unfortunately, that is where the U-17’s journey ended. An even duel with a strong Schalke 04 team was decided by an unfortunate goalkeeper error, as the Bavarians fell 1-0. Ironically enough, the competition was won by the U-17 VFB Stuttgart side Bayern had finished ahead of in the first phase of league play. Football, eh?
Verdict on the season
It was disappointing that Bayern did not challenge more for the title. Still, the team did deliver some exceptional performances during the season and occasionally really delivered on its’ promise.
Winning the tournament is never the point for these youth teams, though. Ultimately, the development of young players is the most important thing and Bayern’s website captures how much multiple players progressed:
The numerous training sessions with the first team under Vincent Kompany will remain unforgettable for the players. On March 18, 2026, Filip Pavić became the first U17 player to make his international debut, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute of the Champions League match against Atalanta Bergamo. He thus became the second-youngest player to debut in a competitive match for FC Bayern. Alongside Pavić, Erblin Osmani also celebrated his first appearance on the big stage: the midfielder came on as a substitute in the final stages of the Bundesliga match against Union Berlin, becoming the third-youngest player for FC Bayern at 16 years, 10 months, and 2 days old. Furthermore, Assomo was in the first-team squad for the Bundesliga match against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Matchday 31.
Bayern fans should not be surprised if they hear these names more in the future. Finally, the coach has a final verdict on the season.
U17 head coach Leonhard Haas: “The team and every single player have shown very positive development throughout the season, both on and off the pitch. Our proactive, courageous style of football was inspiring, allowing us to score many goals and consistently deliver attractive matches. However, there were also periods in the main round where the results weren’t there. At this level, small details often make the difference – individual errors were consistently punished and proved decisive. The elimination in the round of 16 against Schalke was particularly bitter because we didn’t bring our full potential to the pitch. At the same time, this presents a great opportunity: such experiences are invaluable for development. The players can learn from them, draw the right conclusions, and continue to grow.”
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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