Bayern suffer rare shutout with Schalke draw

Bayern Munich suffered their first setback of the new season when they were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Schalke.

Vincent Kompany's side put five past Stuttgart in their league opener last Friday but were unable to break down a stubborn Schalke side.

It is the first time Bayern have failed to score in any competitive game since losing 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup in July 2025, and the first time in the Bundesliga since a goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen more than 18 months ago.

Dropping points, meanwhile, means Bayern's near two-year reign on top of the league table is also over.

Kompany chose to leave Harry Kane and Michael Olise on the bench, while Jamal Musiala was also among the substitutes.

The midfielder had not played since collapsing twice in four days in friendly matches against RB Leipzig and Heidenheim last month as a result of a neurological issue that causes seizures.

Kompany insisted in his pre-match news conference that there would not be concern should Musiala collapse again, and the 23-year-old returned to action in the second half.

Bayern struggled to create clear-cut chances, with left-back Alphonso Davies rolling a cross-shot just wide of the post in the eighth minute.

Former Liverpool keeper Loris Karius was to prove a key figure in the Schalke goal and he produced a smart stop five minutes later to deny Nathaniel Brown after Aleksandar Pavlovic had laid the ball off.

Schalke appealed in vain for a penalty for handball by Dayot Upamecano, while Manuel Neuer was called into action in the 36th minute to punch away a free-kick from Adil Aouchiche at his near post.

Luis Díaz had the best chance of the half four minutes before the break after being played in by Brown but he sent his shot horribly high and wide.

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Kompany turned to Kane for the second half, while Olise and Musiala both entered the fray in the 57th minute.

Olise was immediately into the action with a shot saved by Karius' leg after Díaz had spurned another opportunity, and Konrad Laimer lashed his shot wide as the pressure grew.

But Schalke impressively repelled everything Bayern threw at them and Karius had the final word with a brilliant save to deny Kane in the 87th minute, the German flying through the air to keep out the England captain's goal-bound effort from outside the box.