Bayern opened the new millennium in spectacular fashion, claiming the Champions League, the domestic championship, the World Club Cup and the German Cup in quick succession.
Bayern ended the old millennium on a low note with the devastating defeat to Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final, but the team built around Oliver Kahn, Stefan Effenberg and Giovane Elber swiftly set about making amends in the new century.
Long-standing rivals Real Madrid felt the effects of Bayern's determination early in the year 2000 as the Reds put no less than eight goals past the Spanish giants in the space of eight days, winning 4-2 at the Bernabeu and 4-1 at home. The sides met again in the semi-finals, but this time Real took revenge, winning the tie with a 2-0 success at home and a crucial away goal in Munich's 2-1 win at the Olympic Stadium.
Ottmar Hitzfeld's men still collected silverware that season, entering the last week of the Bundesliga campaign neck-and-neck with Bayer Leverkusen. The Rhineland outfit fell to a shock defeat against relegated Unterhaching, allowing Bayern to pip them to the title. A week later, the Reds took revenge for the previous year's German Cup final defeat to Werder Bremen with a 3-0 win against the same opponents in the Berlin showpiece, sealing the third league and cup double in the club's history. Oliver Kahn was named German Player of the Year 1999-2000.
There was even better to come in 2000-2001. The omens were not good after an early German Cup exit to unfancied Magdeburg, but after 34 Bundesliga matches, Bayern again finished top of the standings. And again the glory was earned in dramatic fashion as Patrik Andersson blasted a stoppage-time equaliser in Hamburg with almost the last kick of the last match, snatching the title from rivals Schalke 04, whose game had already finished. The Schalke fans had celebrated - for just four minutes.
Brimming with confidence after the knife-edge finale, the Reds travelled to Milan on 23 May 2001 for the Champions League final against Valencia. Bayern had been on a European revenge mission all season, knocking out Manchester United in the quarter-finals and then seeing off Madrid with a 1-0 away win and a 2-1 success at home. Olli Kahn was the hero of that unforgettable night in Milan, saving three penalties in the shoot-out after the match had finished 1-1 after extra time to seal Munich's fourth European Champions Cup title, a quarter of a century after a the previous success.
2001-2 was always likely to be a let-down, although Bayern still ended the campaign with a trophy. Dortmund and Leverkusen finished above the Reds in the league and Schalke registered a 2-0 success over Munich in the German Cup semi-final, but a Sammy Kuffour goal sealed a 1-0 victory against Boca Juniors in November 2001 and the Reds brought home the World Club Cup for the second time in their history. The Champions League campaign ran until the quarter-finals, where Real put an end to Bavarian hopes.
Germany's most successful club bounced back in the Bundesliga the following year, winning the 2002-3 title with a massive 16 point advantage over surprise runners-up Stuttgart after totally dominating the domestic season. The Reds kept their focus for the German Cup final and cruised to a 3-1 victory over Kaiserslautern including a Michael Ballack brace. The playmaker successfully stepped into Stefan Effenberg's shoes and claimed the Player of the Year accolade as Bayern sealed their fourth double.
The one cloud was a first round Champions League exit, although even that had a silver lining. A certain Roy Makaay of Deportivo La Coruna single-handedly knocked out the Reds with a stunning display in front of goal - but this same Makaay set off in pursuit of glory for Bayern the following year.
