DFB Cup holders Bayern Munich hit Magdeburg for six to reach last 16

Bayern Munich’s 6-1 win over Magdeburg put the holders into the DFB Cup’s last 16, but the bigger story was Michael Olise’s influence. He scored twice, assisted Ismael Saibari’s goal and reached 12 goals in all competitions for Bayern in 2026/27. That’s a striking return, though one cup tie can’t tell us how long this form will last. It does show how much Bayern can gain when Olise is involved in the finishing and the buildup: his contribution shaped the match at both ends of the attacking move.

Michael Olise now has 12 goals across all competitions for Bayern Munich in 2026/27. — © IMAGO/DiZ-PiX

Bayern Munich 6-1 Magdeburg
Goals: Olise 10’ (Saibari); Żukowski 15’ (Chávez); Saibari 21’ (Olise); Olise 51’ pen.; Davies 70’ (Karl); Brown 73’ (Davies); Santos Daiber 90’+3 (Stanišić).

Two changes, a different attacking picture

Bayern made two changes from their previous match: Ismael Saibari and Hiroki Ito came in for newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane and Dayot Upamecano. Magdeburg, a Bundesliga 2 side, kept the lineup that had beaten Karlsruhe 6-1. Bayern loanee Felipe Chávez started in midfield for the visitors.

With Kane and Luis Díaz absent, the match offered a look at how Bayern’s attack could function without two familiar names. Saibari and Olise supplied the decisive early combination, while Karl helped create chances before later assisting Davies. One match can’t establish a reliable alternative for the season, but Bayern’s goals came from several different players and types of move.

Without Harry Kane and Luis Díaz, Ismael Saibari and Michael Olise led Bayern’s attack. — Alexander Hassenstein

Magdeburg answered quickly, but Bayern took control

The opening goal came after 10 minutes. Lennart Karl played Saibari through, and Saibari squared for Olise to finish into an unguarded net. The move was direct and well timed, with Karl finding the forward pass and Saibari making the extra pass that left Olise with a simple finish.

Magdeburg had an answer five minutes later. Chávez launched a counter and found Mateusz Żukowski, who cut in from the left and beat Jonas Urbig with a shot from distance. The equalizer made this more than a routine procession—briefly. For the visitors, it was evidence that Bayern’s control wasn’t complete: a quick transition gave them space to attack before the home side could reset.

At 21 minutes, Olise turned provider. He released Saibari, whose excellent first touch set up a lifted finish over advancing goalkeeper Dominik Reimann. Bayern went into half-time 2-1 ahead. The goal restored the lead, but the narrow margin left Magdeburg with a reason to keep pressing after the break.

Aaron Danks’ substitutes helped Bayern extend the lead. — IMAGO/DeFodi.de

Davies turns Bayern’s lead into a rout

Alphonso Davies came off the bench at half-time and quickly changed the game. Pierre Nadjombe brought him down in the penalty area, and Michael Olise chipped the spot kick beyond diving goalkeeper Reimann in the 50th minute to put Bayern 3-1 ahead. That’s a composed finish in a moment that could have settled the tie; the extra goal also forced Magdeburg to take greater risks if they wanted back into it.

Magdeburg still threatened. Reimann kept out efforts from Tom Bischof and Karl, but Bayern’s advantage soon grew: Davies finished Karl’s cross in the 70th minute, then set up Nathaniel Brown three minutes later, bringing down another Karl pass for Brown to score from close range and make it 5-1. Bayern’s substitutions and attacking depth mattered here, though the goals also depended on precise work from Karl and Brown.

Substitute David Santos Daiber added a sixth deep into stoppage time, with Josip Stanišić providing the assist. The win sent DFB Cup holders Bayern Munich through to the last 16. Davies’ impact after the break was the clearest takeaway: Magdeburg had chances, but Bayern’s bench helped turn a competitive match into a rout. And yet the scoreline shouldn’t erase the visitors’ response after falling behind or the saves that kept them in the contest for a spell.

What the result says about Bayern’s depth

This is more significant than it looks. Cup ties can expose how a side copes when regular starters are absent, and Bayern got goals from Olise, Saibari, Davies, Brown and Santos Daiber. That spread is encouraging, although a single match offers limited evidence about how dependable those options will be across different opponents and conditions.

If you’re working in this space, the useful detail is how the lead expanded: Bayern had to re-establish control after Żukowski’s equalizer, then a half-time change helped turn a one-goal advantage into a comfortable margin. (And this is the part most people overlook.) The bench made an impact, but the match still included Magdeburg chances and saves from Reimann. One cup night can show what a squad can do; it can’t settle what that squad will do next.

There’s the test to come. Bayern advance, and Olise’s form gives them a clear attacking talking point, but the performance’s broader value will depend on whether those contributions recur when the competition tightens.

Bayern Munich play at the Allianz Arena; Magdeburg play at Avnet Arena.