Bayern Munich’s hopes of contesting the 2025 Champions League final on home soil have ended in heartbreak, with the German giants set to watch the showpiece at the Allianz Arena as spectators rather than participants.
Their European journey came to a halt on Wednesday evening as Inter Milan edged them out 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, following a pulsating 2-2 draw at the San Siro. Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Bayern fell victim to lapses in concentration and poor game management across both legs.
The defeat is particularly bitter given Bayern’s long-held ambition to lift the Champions League trophy at home. The May 31 final, known locally as the Finale dahoam, had been earmarked for years as a defining moment in the club’s recent history. Yet, after a fourth quarter-final exit in five seasons, questions are once again being asked about Bayern’s failure to deliver on Europe’s biggest stage.
The German champions were undone by critical lapses. In the first leg in Munich, Thomas Müller’s late equaliser sparked celebrations that were swiftly cut short when Davide Frattesi snatched a winner on the break just minutes later. In the return leg, Harry Kane levelled the aggregate score, only for Bayern to concede twice in quick succession, handing Inter a lead they would not relinquish.
While manager Vincent Kompany pointed to Bayern’s lengthy injury list—featuring absentees such as Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer, Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito—the defeat remains a bitter pill to swallow. Kompany, reflecting on the result, said: “The hard reality is that we are not going to play the Champions League final at home. That’s it. We cannot change that.”
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen echoed that disappointment during the club’s traditional post-match banquet in Milan. “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,” he said.
For Joshua Kimmich, who is expected to succeed Neuer as club captain, the defeat marks a painful missed opportunity. “The final at home would have meant a lot. It’s very bitter. This dream has been shattered. We’ll feel it when the final is played in our stadium and we’re not there,” said the 30-year-old.
The Allianz Arena had originally been selected to host the 2023 final, but UEFA rescheduled it for 2025 due to the pandemic. Bayern saw it as a golden opportunity to erase memories of their agonising 2012 final loss to Chelsea at the same venue.
Key strategic decisions had been made with 2025 in mind. The sacking of Julian Nagelsmann in favour of Thomas Tuchel in 2023 was framed around European success, while the record €100 million signing of Harry Kane later that year underscored Bayern’s determination to lift the trophy at home.
Even the controversial decision not to extend the contract of veteran forward Thomas Müller was influenced by a desire to give the club legend a perfect send-off on their biggest stage.
Now, the dream has crumbled. And while Bayern are on course to secure their 12th Bundesliga title in 13 years, the focus has already shifted to how they will respond on the European front.
Kimmich summed up the mood within the camp: “We need to improve significantly in big games, both going forward and defensively.”
