Neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona: the only Spanish team with a positive record against Bayern Munich

A few weeks ago, Real Madrid were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals. The 4–3 defeat in Germany brought the historical head-to-head between the two sides level. Across 30 official meetings, each has 13 wins, with four draws. That result left Deportivo de La Coruña as the only Spanish club to maintain a positive record against the German giant.

Makaay and Depor destroy Bayern

The group stage draw for the 2002–03 Champions League placed the Riazor side alongside Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and Lens. Matchday one delivered a game for the ages. Deportivo traveled to Munich’s old Olympic Stadium, where Roy Makaay struck twice in the first half to put Javier Irureta’s team ahead. After the break, Hasan Salihamidžić and Giovane Élber brought Bayern level. But with 13 minutes remaining, Makaay struck again to seal a famous win on German soil. The Dutch striker would go on to win the European Golden Shoe that season with 29 goals.

A month and a half later, Riazor braced for Bayern’s visit on matchday five. Wounded pride fueled the visitors, who arrived intent on making a statement. Instead, the outcome mirrored the first encounter. With the game seemingly drifting toward a draw after goals from Víctor Sánchez and Roque Santa Cruz, Makaay emerged once more to ignite the stands. Deportivo claimed another victory, securing second place in Group G, while Bayern dropped to last and were eliminated.

Those two clashes remain the only meetings between Deportivo and Bayern Munich to this day.

Getafe also avoided a negative record. The Madrid side faced Bayern in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup quarterfinals. A 1–1 draw in Germany left everything open for the return leg. Bayern advanced after a dramatic 3–3 draw, progressing on away goals. Despite the elimination, Getafe held Bayern to an even record, matching Real Madrid’s overall balance.

Barcelona, by contrast, have endured one of the toughest records against the Bavarian side, with three wins, two draws, and 11 losses. Atlético Madrid also hold a negative record, with two wins, two draws, and four defeats. The same trend follows for Valencia, Villarreal, and Sevilla, who collectively have just two wins against seven losses. The numbers underline just how difficult it is to overcome a six-time European champion – a feat Deportivo achieved twice, led by one of the finest teams in Spanish football history: Irureta’s ‘EuroDépor’.

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