Bayern powered clear at the top despite an injury-hit squad against Heidenheim, while Mainz and St. Pauli failed to ease their relegation worries after a flat draw that summed up their struggles.

Kompany hails Bayern depth after dominant Heidenheim win

Bayern Munich have finished 2025 in control of the Bundesliga title race after a commanding 4-0 away win against Heidenheim, despite missing several key players.

Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic were all absent, but Bayern showed their depth and quality to move nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table heading into the winter break.

Head coach Vincent Kompany said he was especially proud of his squad given the circumstances.

"I am very proud, because it felt like a week during the Corona phase," Kompany said. "We have no Corona cases, but when the doctor comes, you're always afraid because you know you might lose a player."

He added: "In the end, we had twelve experienced players; Alphonso Davies can't really be fully counted yet. We relied on the young players, and the others did their jobs. It's not a given to win 4-0 here under these circumstances."

Bayern took the lead after 15 minutes when Michael Olise's corner was kept alive by Jonathan Tah and turned in from close range by Josip Stanisic. Heidenheim showed some fight, but Luca Kerber failed to convert their best first-half chance.

The visitors doubled their advantage when a defensive mix-up allowed Hiroki Ito to square the ball for Olise, who volleyed home. That goal meant Bayern had scored at least twice in 23 consecutive league matches, extending their own Bundesliga record.

Heidenheim hit the woodwork twice after the break through Stefan Schimmer and Arijon Ibrahimovic, but Bayern remained in control. Luis Diaz headed in a Stanisic cross before Harry Kane added a fourth with a composed finish inside the far post.

The win meant Bayern have made a joint-best-ever 15-match start to a Bundesliga season and set a new league record with 55 goals at this stage.

"We have a good foundation for next year," Kompany said. "The titles will be decided in March, but the foundation is already there. Our squad will be strengthened again in January."

Heidenheim remain in an automatic relegation spot over the winter break, but with only three points separating them from safety, head coach Frank Schmidt will take encouragement from recent performances.

Mainz and St. Pauli draw blanks in relegation six-pointer

FSV Mainz 05 and St. Pauli have remained locked in the Bundesliga relegation battle after a goalless draw at the Mewa Arena.

The result left Mainz with just one league win all season, while St. Pauli stayed in the relegation play-off position, two points from safety, heading into the mini winter break.

Chances were scarce throughout a scrappy contest between two of the league's lowest scorers. Early deliveries from Joel Fujita and Benedict Hollerbach came to nothing, and the first shot on target did not arrive until the 36th minute, when Jackson Irvine tested Mainz goalkeeper Daniel Batz from distance.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Mainz captain Silvan Widmer heading well wide and neither side showing enough quality in the final third.

St. Pauli head coach Alexander Blessin tried to change the game by introducing Ricky-Jade Jones for top scorer Andreas Hountondji, who is still working his way back to full fitness after injury. However, the change failed to produce a breakthrough.

The draw did little for either side. Mainz remain deep in trouble at the bottom of the table, though there is hope that new head coach Urs Fischer will be backed in the January transfer window. St. Pauli, meanwhile, will need more cutting edge in attack if they are to pull clear of danger in the second half of the season.

Orlando Pirates' Sandile Mthethwa delighted with increased playing time