News Analysis: Have a look: That's how to beat Bayern

The spies of Europe's top clubs will watch the DVD showing Bayern Munich's first game after the winter-break of the German Bundesliga with a great deal of interest.

They won't concentrate on the result of their Champions League rival who lost their first league game of the season against VfL Wolfsburg 4-1. Much more interesting is the answer to the question: How to beat Bayern. Wolfsburg delivered the perfect answer.

Close the game down in central midfield, be aggressive man on man, be as quick as lightning as soon as you get possession and get behind Munich's defense with just three or four passes and convert.

Bayern dominated the game, had around 74% ball possession but lacked penetration in front of Wolfsburg's goal. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Xabi Alonso could not get a hold of the game in midfield as Wolfsburg kept closing them down. The result was: Bayern lost many balls and Wolfsburg started to go forward. In the end, the German national keeper and the World Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014 conceded four goals - as many as he did in the first 17 games before the winter break.

Bayern's tactical system (4-1-4-1) with a defense standing high up the pitch leaves a lot of space between the back line and the keeper Manuel Neuer. That is exactly the space Wolfsburg used to score with scary effectiveness. Bayern tried to get past Wolfsburg defensive line-up (7 to 8 players defending) with long passes which did not work as Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben ("That was a wake-up-call") and Robert Lewandowski couldn't find space.

On top of everything, Frenchman Franck Ribery missed the game due to injury. But over 90 minutes one thing was particularly catastrophic: Bayern was not able to control the game after they lost the ball. Bayern's game had no shape when Wolfsburg poured forward with pace and were quick enough getting back behind the ball. And the Brazilian central defender Dante was out of sorts.

Of course, despite the psychological after effects of such an apocalyptical defeat there is not much reason for teams like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or Chelsea to gloat over Bayern's misfortune. All three so-called big guns of European football had problems themselves in their first games in 2015. Bayern Munich was aware of that but in the end followed suit.

And none of the four teams that are regarded as being in with a shout of winning this season's Champions League have reason to give up hopes. What happens in the next few weeks is up the intensity and be ready for the sharp end of the Champions League. But of course, the DVD of Bayern's game in Wolfsburg will be part of that preparation.

They will keep the DVD for another reason. It delivers a first taste of a team they might have to face next year as Wolfsburg is on track to qualifying for the next Champions League. With the globally operating car maker Volkswagen behind them, Wolfsburg's route to the top echelon of Europe's football community seems to be on the cards. That Wolfsburg is about to sign 2014 World Cup winner Andre Schuerrle (FC Chelsea) is a clear message.

"At the moment we are not through with Chelsea, but we have time until Monday," Wolfsburg Manager Klaus Allofs said.

For Bayern, the defeat at Wolfsburg is no reason to keep their heads down as the German champion is still eight points more than second-placed Wolfsburg. Bayern must take the disastrous defeat as a serious warning as many in the club are wondering how they will manage to keep concentration until the Champions League crunch time.

Last season Bayern lost concentration after they had won the German title in as early as March 2014. It climaxed in the 5-0 defeat (on aggregate) to Real in the Champions League semifinal. Now they know there is still a lot to do to fulfill their dream of reaching the Champions League final in Berlin in May 2015.

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola will have to find answers for games like that when his team is seemingly not able to react to a tricky situation in a game. Bayern tried to turn the game around after half time with a three-man back line to gain more control in midfield - but failed. To be able to change the tactical system is one of the main topics Guardiola has been working on since joining Bayern.

"This is no catastrophe but there are things we have to work on. We now know there's a lot to do," said Manuel Neuer. "We're happy about the fact that we have the next game as early as next Tuesday, meaning we don't have to mull over the result for seven or eight days waiting for a chance to redeem ourselves."

Guardiola said: "We could not manage to keep the control when we lost the ball. That was the main problem." Endi