Bayern Munich crash out of Champions League before home final

Inter Milan defeat Bayern Munich in quarter-final, ending dreams of a home Champions League final.

Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg match at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, on April 16, 2025. Photo by Sven Hoppe/dpa/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

When the Champions League final arrives at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31, Bayern Munich will be absent from the pitch. Once again, the German giants have seen their European ambitions dashed—this time at the hands of Inter Milan. Bayern Munich crash out of the Champions League following a painful 4-3 aggregate defeat, sealing their fourth quarter-final exit in the last five seasons. For a club that shaped its entire strategy around lifting the trophy on home soil, the result is nothing short of a disaster.

A bitter exit from a long-anticipated dream

In Wednesday’s second leg at the San Siro, Bayern played out a 2-2 draw against Inter. Though the result alone might seem respectable, the aggregate tells the real story. Bayern’s elimination at this stage again raises difficult questions about the club’s ability to perform in high-pressure European matches.

The first leg in Munich ended in heartbreak when Thomas Mueller’s late equaliser was quickly undone by Davide Frattesi’s counterattack goal just minutes later. That moment would prove emblematic of Bayern’s campaign—flashes of brilliance undone by poor game management and lack of defensive resilience.

At the San Siro, Harry Kane managed to level the tie, but in a matter of minutes Inter Milan struck twice, punishing Bayern for lapses in concentration and seizing an aggregate lead they never relinquished.

The price of missed chances

Though Bayern’s performance across both legs showed promise, their inability to capitalise on scoring chances was glaring. Despite dominating possession and creating opportunities, they failed to control key moments in either match. Injuries certainly played a role, with key players like Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer, Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies, and Hiroki Ito all sidelined. Even those who played, like Kim Min-jae, did so while battling physical discomfort.

Coach Vincent Kompany didn’t shy away from the brutal truth: “The hard reality is that we are not going to play the Champions League final at home. That’s the hard reality. We cannot change this.”

The Allianz Arena was supposed to be the epicenter of Bayern’s European glory in 2025. Hosting the final was more than symbolic—it was a chance to erase the bitter memory of the 2012 loss to Chelsea in the same stadium. That opportunity is now lost, and with it, years of planning and investment appear to have come up short.

Long-term planning, short-term failure

The build-up to this year’s Champions League final has influenced major decisions at Bayern Munich over the past three years. After the UEFA calendar was reshuffled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the Munich final from 2023 to 2025, Bayern recalibrated their roadmap to make 2025 their year.

In 2023, Julian Nagelsmann was dismissed despite being in a solid domestic position, making way for Thomas Tuchel—brought in for his European pedigree. In the summer of the same year, Bayern broke their own transfer record to sign Harry Kane for €100 million, targeting an immediate impact in Europe.

Even the controversial choice not to renew the contract of Thomas Mueller, a player with two Champions League titles and iconic status at the club, was made with the 2025 final in mind. All these decisions were driven by one dream: to lift the trophy at home.

A club in reflection

At a post-match banquet in Milan, Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen admitted the crushing disappointment: “We’re all sad we won’t be playing in the final at home. We had many goals for the season, but that was the biggest.”

Veteran midfielder Joshua Kimmich, slated to become the next club captain after Neuer, didn’t mince words either. “This dream has been shattered. It’s very bitter. We’ll feel it when the final is played in our stadium and we’re not there.”

For supporters, the emotion is just as raw. Known as the Finale dahoam—Bavarian for “the final at home”—the 2025 final had long symbolized more than just a sporting event. It was meant to be Bayern’s moment of redemption, a celebration a decade in the making.

Instead, the Allianz Arena will host Europe’s best without its most famous local tenants.

What comes next for Bayern?

Bayern remain likely to secure another Bundesliga title, which would mark their 12th in 13 years. But the domestic dominance has increasingly become a consolation prize rather than a crowning achievement. For a club that measures itself against the elite of Europe, crashing out of the Champions League yet again is a bitter pill to swallow.

This defeat leaves Bayern Munich with some serious soul-searching. Four quarter-final exits in five years point to a pattern—not just bad luck. The issue isn’t just tactical or physical. It’s psychological and organizational. Bayern haven’t been able to impose themselves in Europe the way they once could. The aura of invincibility, built over decades and solidified with six Champions League titles, is beginning to fade.

Kimmich echoed this sentiment clearly: “We need to improve significantly in big games, both going forward and defensively.”

A turning point or a warning sign?

The question now is whether this painful elimination will be a turning point or just another warning sign ignored. With a strong squad and financial power, Bayern Munich have all the tools to compete. But the misalignment between their ambition and execution has left them short of glory once again.

The departure of several veterans, managerial instability, and mixed success in the transfer market mean that a summer of restructuring may be on the horizon. Bayern’s decision-makers must decide whether to double down on the current direction or take a different path before next season’s Champions League campaign.

As the Champions League final unfolds at Allianz Arena without them, Bayern Munich crash out of the Champions League and into a period of reflection. For the club, the fans, and the city, it was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it’s a wake-up call.