FC Bayern Munich entered the international break at the summit of the Bundesliga table following a hard-fought 2:1 victory over 1.
FSV Mainz 05 on November 7, 2026. BR24Sport reported that the reigning German record champions remained the only unbeaten team across all competitions in Europe's top five leagues, despite managing a severe personnel shortage that left manager Aaron Danks with just six outfield players on the bench.
The fact that the record titleholders remain undefeated in all competitions unlike their rivals Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid or Arsenal renders this run astonishing from a purely sporting perspective as well.
Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring with a distance shot before halftime, marking his first goal of the campaign, according to SPOX.com.
Mainz responded with sustained physical play, though Aleksandar Pavlovic acknowledged to ARD that the squad managed to grind out a difficult result in a stadium where they had dropped four of their previous six Bundesliga away matches. The table is still led by FC Bayern ahead of point-equal Borussia Dortmund thanks to superior goal difference.
Mainz Proves a Difficult Test
The fixture at MEWA Arena lived up to its reputation as a tough away day for the Munich side.
SPOX.com noted that Harry Kane assisted both of Bayern’s goals—setting up Kimmich’s opener and a later strike—though the English forward extended his scoring drought to four consecutive matches, which had seen recent debates over his supposedly all-encompassing style of play and resulting lack of scoring threat, though statistics do not support this thesis.
3⃣ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐧 werden nachgespielt! 🟥 90'+1 | #M05FCB | 0-2 ⬜
Mainz put up a determined fight despite sitting in a rough patch of form and having failed to convince in recent matches themselves amid negative headlines.
SWR Sport reported that Mainz player Paul Nebel emphasized the team showed a completely different face compared to previous outings, working hard until the final whistle and offering their supporters a visible reaction on the pitch, noting that with the ball perhaps the final decisiveness or the last pass was missing to create a few more scoring chances and be even more dangerous, while fans wondered how the team would react after poor games and defeats.
Manuel Neuer Sets Record Before Leaving Match with Foot Pain
The victory was overshadowed by fresh fitness concerns for captain Manuel Neuer. SPOX.com reported that Neuer made his 550th Bundesliga appearance, becoming the oldest player to ever feature for Bayern in the German top flight at 40 years and 225 days old. However, the veteran goalkeeper was forced off in the 45th minute due to recurring pain in his right foot.
Tietzers Tor aus #M05FCB in den Sparkassen-Highlights, präsentiert von der Rheinhessen Sparkasse. 🤝#Mainz05 pic.twitter.com/zhQTFKp7bw
Sportvorstand Max Eberl told reporters after the final whistle that the tendon irritation which had already sidelined the World Cup winner for three matches had flared up again. Jonas Urbig replaced Neuer before halftime and performed reliably, though he was powerless to stop a late goal from Mainz.
Stretched Squad Looks to the Break
Bayern’s attacking options were heavily depleted heading into the fixture due to injuries sidelining Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz, Ismael Saibari, and Serge Gnabry. The article mentions a player named Nathaniel Brown earning a start on the left flank, while 19-year-old Tim Binder served as one of the few available offensive alternatives on the bench.
The two-week international break arrives at an opportune time for the coaching staff at Säbener Straße.
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Match fixtures, results and live tickers, top scorer lists, running and duel statistics, and table leadership versus relegation battle are continuously tracked in the BR24Sport results center.
Der Anschlusstreffer kommt zu spät. Schluss in der MEWA ARENA. 🫤#Mainz05 pic.twitter.com/Waldu12tYL
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