The pressure was mounting on the German champions and new coach Niko Kovač during a four-match winless run to the extent that senior club figures including Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß launched a stunning attack on the media.
But Saturday’s 3-1 win over Wolfsburg, in which Robert Lewandowski scored twice to end a five-game goal drought, is being hailed as a potential turning point for Bayern’s season.
“That felt like a liberation,” said centre-back Mats Hummels, while sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić was equally relieved, saying: “We have shown character in a difficult phase.”
The tension had been ratcheted up on Friday when Rummenigge, Hoeneß, and Salihamidžić slammed the press for its reporting of Bayern’s poor performances in recent weeks, singling out German journalists to scold.
Saturday’s three points provided some calm at the Allianz Arena, but the pressure is still on Kovac heading to Athens, after a 1-1 home draw with Ajax last time out in Europe left Bayern’s Group E hopes in the balance.
Kovač was cautious about thoughts that Bayern will now rediscover the form which saw them romp to six straight German titles, describing the win at Wolfsburg as “just a small and first step in the right direction”.
But James Rodríguez, who scored a spectacular goal at the weekend, was more bullish, saying that Bayern are back in business.
“In a long season, these things always happen,” said James, referring to the recent shock defeats by Hertha Berlin and Borussia Mönchengladbach that has left them fourth in the Bundesliga table.
“There are bad games, there are good games. This bad phase has already gone. Now comes something good.”
Left-back David Alaba was Bayern’s only injury concern from Wolfsburg after the Austrian was taken off at halftime as a precautionary measure with a thigh strain.
The AEK match marks the start of a busy few weeks for Bayern who face midweek games from now up until the November international break – culminating with a crunch clash at Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund on November 10.
“We will be playing every three days, but the rhythm is good and I hope we’ll go from win to win,” said Lewandowski.
After crashing to a 3-0 defeat at Ajax, then losing 3-2 at home to Benfica, AEK are chasing their first points in the group against Bayern, who have never lost a Champions League game in Greece with three wins and a draw.