Back on top of the Bundesliga with a small but welcome four-point cushion on defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich are in a much better place at the end of 2024 than when it started. bundesliga.com reviews a roller-coaster 12 months at the Allianz Arena...

Bayern`s hopes of defending the Bundesliga title for a record-extending 12th successive season were alive and well following a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim on 17 January 2024. Although in the unfamiliar position of doing the hunting, the gap to Leverkusen at the time was a surmoutable four points - but the molehill swiftly morphed into a mountain. Three defeats in their next six - including a demonstrative changing-of-the-guard reverse to Xabi Alonso`s champions-elect - left Thomas Tuchel`s charges in need of a miracle.

Yet there was to be no divine intervention. Leverkusen were confirmed as champions with five rounds of fixtures still to play, while Bayern stumbled over the finish line in third, a point behind surprise runners-up VfB Stuttgart. Having also gone out of the DFB Cup to third-tier Saarbrücken in the second round and suffered UEFA Champions League semi-final heartache at the hands of Real Madrid, the 31-time Bundesliga champions were left nursing the wounds of a first trophy-less campaign in 13 years.

Bayern were powerless to stop Bayer Leverkusen from going unbeaten on their way to winning the Bundesliga and DFB Cup in 2023/24. - Simon Hofmann/Bundesliga

Cue the system reboot. The wheels had already been set in motion as far back as 21 February with the mutual parting of ways between club and coach at the end of the season. The search for Tuchel`s successor concluded on 29 May when a compensation package was agreed with Burnley to bring Vincent Kompany to the Allianz Arena. The retired Belgian defender had not long overseen the Clarets' relegation to the English Championship, but it was he who'd taken them back into the big time in the first place - and he arrived in the Bavarian captial with former mentor Pep Guardiola`s backing.

"I'm happy with the link between Bayern and Vinnie," Manchester City's head coach - who enjoyed an acclaimed stint in charge of Bayern between 2013 and 2016 - told media prior to Kompany's appointment. "I have a huge opinion of Vinnie, doesn't matter if he got relegated with Burnley. I have the highest opinion about his work, his personality, knowledge of the game, the way he handles the media. I would love Bayern to take the best decision - they deserve it. I love that club. I'm in love with Bayern Munich for many, many reasons - especially the people there."