Bayern Munich finished the Hinrunde with a strong 4-0 win over 17th-placed FC Heidenheim, solidifying their lead atop the table and officially becoming the Herbstmeister
. Bayern faced many personnel issues due to injury and sickness, but still prevailed with a relatively strong squad that put up a performance that got the job done. Here are the final awards to close out a memorable 2025 for the Rekordmeister.Jersey Swap: Niklas Dorsch
Niklas Dorsch was a bright spot amongst a relatively uninspired Heidenheim team. Often being
the centre of their chance creation by constantly fighting to win back the ball and quickly flipping the direction of play with his well-placed line-breaking passes, Dorsch kept Bayern on their toes.
Bayern Munich loanee Arijon Ibrahimović also had a solid performance: his introduction at halftime seemed to revitalise Heidenheim. It is a shame that his highlight of the game was the missed chance that went flying over the crossbar. In fairness, all of Heidenheim’s substitutes combined very well to create chances and maintain the pressure. There is a solid argument for each of them to win this award, but Dorsch’s sustained performance across two halves gives him the edge.
Der Kaiser: Josip Stanišić
Stanišić could have very well won MOTM tonight. His involvement going forward was instrumental to Bayern’s goalscoring tonight, helping conduct the play and getting into all the dangerous positions to score. He opened the scoring after a cheeky header following a corner from Michael Olise (that was kept in by Jonathan Tah, who also deserves a mention for his solid game defensively and distribution-wise).
His assist better encapsulated the nature of his game tonight, as he drove down the right flank to complete a beautiful cross to Luis Diaz, who made it three for the Bavarians. Stanišić was constantly finding space, combining well with Olise and keeping the chances flowing for Bayern, and he gets this award.
Fußballgott: Lennart Karl
Karl played ahead of a Leon Goretzka and Raphaël Guerriero pivot and delivered a fairly strong performance, with memorable moments (the one leading up to the free-kick in the first-half comes to mind) where he showed resilience. He was very involved going forward in the first half, too, and maintained his composure despite being fouled and dispossessed so often by Heidenheim. He had a large role to play in Olise’s goal too, getting the ball into the box. His absence was also very much noticed after he was replaced by Serge Gnabry (who had a game worth forgetting).
Both Guerriero and Goretzka failed to make much of an impact on the game and were largely bypassed as Bayern began their attacks primarily through the right flank. They also failed to deter Heidenheim’s counters and seemed invisible when needed. Hence, this award goes to Karl.
Debutant Santos Daiber also had a great moment, winning back the ball and driving it forward, which resulted in a goal. It was fantastic to see that from him, and surely, fans would love to see more of what he has in the bag.
Der Bomber: Harry Kane
Another stellar performance from the Englishman to close out an unforgettable year. Kane began slowly, starting attacks through the midfield, delivering wonderful balls across the pitch. He got more directly involved in the second half and was unlucky to miss his chances. His goal seemed inevitable (as it often does) and highlighted how clinical he really can be. His movement to get into that position, first touch to escape the defender, and no-nonsense finish — a symphony of moves that bear testament to his unmatched experience at the highest stage. This made him the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions in the Bundesliga, achieving the feat in just 78 games.
Luis Diaz also had a good game, especially in the second half, and has a solid argument to win the award, but the playmaking element to Kane’s game tonight makes him the better choice.
Meister of the Match: Michael Olise
Another statement performance: leading Bayern’s attack, playing with the Heidenheim defenders, and making the most clinical passes in the box. His goal captures his performance well: a volley from right in front of the goal, banging the ball in the back of the net. It is what his every move tonight felt like: strong-intentioned, powerful, and effective. His intelligent decision-making is also what sets him so far apart from his peers, knowing exactly when to pass, dribble, and shoot each time. His corner today also led to the opener, just another one of his many game-defining actions.
Olise continues to make his football seem impossibly effortless while racking up the goals. Fans will never get tired of watching him do what he does best.
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