This week, Bayern Munich players wore traditional Oktoberfest costumes to take photos ahead of the biggest beer festival of the fall in Wiesn. They have previously lifted the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup after a worthy 2-1 win over Stuttgart.
However, amid the smiles and bustling festive atmosphere in the capital Bavaria, the pressure is still mounting every day. Not only the players but especially coach Vincent Kompany and sporting director Max Eberl.
It is no surprise that Kompany - after being relegated with Burnley in the Premier League - is not the number one choice to succeed Thomas Tuchel 12 months ago. However, the former Belgian centre-back quickly scored points in the eyes of Max Eberl and the board thanks to his football vision, confident, approachable demeanor and especially his ability to speak German fluently.
Last season can be considered a significant success. Bayern regained the Bundesliga silver plate with a gap of 13 points, after losing the title to Leverkusen a year earlier. They have scored 99 goals in the domestic league - the third best achievement in the club's history.
However, the defeat in the DFB-Pokal and the pain of being eliminated by Inter Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League are serious wounds. Despite some bad luck, Kompany is still expected to conquer more titles this season. His great advantage is that he has brought a style of play that matches Bayern's football DNA - something that the Tuchel era could not do.
Kompany's philosophy is based on his ability to control the ball, combined with bold high pressing from the start of the match. Of course, this system is still sometimes flawed - as in the early stages of the season before Bayern met Barcelona in the Champions League or Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
The "Gray Tigers" can get into trouble whenever their defense is broken, causing Manuel Neuer to often show his save. And that was the time when all attention turned to Max Eberl, who was being hotly discussed in Munich.
Becoming Bayern's sporting director means taking on a huge responsibility. He needs to outline a long-term strategy while just a short-term wrong decision can shake the seat.
Eberl also has to work under the "ish" of Tegernsee - that is, under the standing supervision of the honorary chairman Uli Hoeneb, who does not hesitate to give his opinion on almost every issue. Since leaving Leipzig to join Bayern 18 months ago, Eberl have never had absolute peace, and certainly cannot expect that in the near future.
Last winter, he and sporting director Christoph Freund prioritized contract extensions with key players such as Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala. However, the way he handled the case of breaking up with Thomas Muller was judged to be tactless.
This summer, Bayern continued to part ways with two veteran attacking stars. Leroy Sane left as a free agent, while Kingsley Coman joined Al Nassr, bringing home 24 million Euros.
On the other hand, they spent 75 million Euros (with add-ons) to bring Luis Diaz from Liverpool to the Allianz Arena. This is a controversial deal. Although the Colombian striker's talent is undeniable, many fans still believe that this investment is not really convincing.
But like Harry Kane, Bayern's recent signings have not shown a sustainable transfer strategy. They still have many questions in attack, especially in the short term, when Jamal Musiala was absent for most of the first leg.
Who will replace Musiala's creative role? Against Stuttgart, Serge Gnabry carried most of this task, while Michael Olise was only put on the field at a certain time. Many people expect Lennart Karl, the 17-year-old talent, to have more playing opportunities. Although he cannot directly replace Musiala, he is certainly a talent in Bayern's future.
However, Karl was only given a few minutes to play against Stuttgart. That is reminiscent of Kompany's approach to giving young players opportunities.
At a press conference before the match against Stuttgart, the Belgian captain acknowledged the importance of youth training, but also emphasized that both the media and fans need to be more patient.
Of course, any coach must prioritize self-defense with practical results, instead of being too concerned about long-term plans.
Meanwhile, Eberl and Bayern's board are drawn to the option of bringing Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea to replace Musiala. Honorary President Uli Hoeneb supports a loan deal, while Eberl wants to pursue a long-term solution.
