Bayern Munich on the brink of historic 'double treble'

Even by Bayern Munich's standards, wrapping up men's and women's Bundesliga titles with a week remaining in April is impressive.

The women's football team sealed their fifth title in the last six seasons with a 3-2 win at Union Berlin on Wednesday, having won 21 and drawn one of their 22 league games so far. Later that evening, the men reached the German Cup final with a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen having made it 12 out of 13 Bundesliga titles a few days before that.

"It was a really great evening that leaves us wanting more," said women's captain Giulia Gwinn after scoring the goal that sealed the title. "I think we've seen throughout the season that we've really left our mark on every game in a dominant way. That speaks volumes about our team and the hard work we've put in this year."

With both sides in the final of the German Cup and semifinals of the Champions League, the prospect of an unprecedented 'double treble' is alive. The club's sporting director Max Eberl described this as "extraordinary," adding that such success is driven by a togetherness at the club.

Pulling in the same direction

"I'm in constant contact with Bianca Rech [director of the women's side], which is just great and shows how strong FC Bayern is. ... The fact that the treble is possible for both of us is fun and exciting."

Bayern men's coach Vincent Kompany has also been vocal in his support for the women's team, just as he was in welcoming the appointment of Marie-Louise Eta as the first woman to coach in the Bundesliga earlier this month.

"My family has been watching women's football for a long time; we always watched the women's games when we were in Manchester too," when he played for Manchester City. "We've also been to Bayern women's matches three or four times here. It's fun to watch," he said.

While the German Cup is not a given, especially considering Bayern's women won it for only the second time last season and the men have lifted it just twice in the last decade, it is the Champions League that could elevate this season to unprecedented heights. Though Chelsea's men and women reached both finals in 2020-21 season, no side has ever won Europe's most prestigious prize in both categories the same season.

Catching up to do in Europe

Despite Bayern's impressive campaigns so far, European success remains an uphill battle, particularly for the women. Jose Barcala's team face Barcelona at the Allianz Arena on April 25 and in Spain on May 3. Though they lost to Arsenal in the final last season, Barca have won three of the last five titles and beat Bayern 7-1 in the league stage of this year's competition.

"Barcelona were always a step ahead of us in certain areas back then, especially in terms of mental toughness and speed of execution," forward Klara Bühl told Mediengruppe Bayern. "The important thing is that we learned from it and now know what to expect. That's why it will be easier for us in the next two games."

That the match is at the Allianz Arena is significant. The women's Bundesliga has fallen off the pace over the last decade, with attendances in Germany lagging behind Spain and England, where teams more regularly play at the larger stadiums traditionally occupied by the men. Bayern announced on Monday that 20,000 tickets had been sold for the first leg on Saturday and Bayern's veteran Swedish defender Magdalena Eriksson said that could be key.

"Champions League nights at the Allianz Arena always have a very special atmosphere — and for many days now, the anticipation has been huge for everyone," said Eriksson, who played for Chelsea in the 2021 final. "We face a huge challenge against Barcelona, but we also know the energy that comes from the stands and how important that support will be."

Bayern leaving domestic rivals behind

Bayern's women have never won the Champions League, with the club having historically underinvested in its women's team. Though there is still a way to go, that is starting to change, with ominous impacts for the rest of Germany's women's clubs. Wolfsburg, the league's traditional force, have declined of late, while relegation fears for the men's side potentially mean further budget cuts for the women, too.

Alexandra Popp, Germany's most recognizable female footballer of recent times, has called on men's sides to do more. "We have a few clubs in the second division, in the first division. You get the feeling from them that, yeah, they have founded a women's department. They do a little bit but they could do much more, and they should have professionalized it faster," she said recently.

Popp will move from Wolfsburg to Borussia Dortmund, whose recently-established women's team are moving up the divisions, after the cup final against Bayern on May 14.

While they are on a different plane to the rest of the men's Bundesliga, Bayern Munich have had to think a little smarter to compete on the European stage of late. They last won the competition in the COVID-affected 2019-20 campaign with no fans in attendance.

But Kompany's impact, and the attacking talents of Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Luiz Diaz and Jamal Musiala make them a real threat this time around.

Their semifinal is against Paris Saint-Germain, the holders, and the winner is likely to go in to the final in Budapest against Arsenal or Atletico Madrid on May 30 as favorites. By the time that game takes place, they will know whether they can make football history or simply pick up another trophy.

Edited by: Jonathan Crane