Bayern Munich battled back to claim a 3-3 draw against Arminia Bielefeld in a storm-laden Bundesliga thriller. 

Greeted by heavy snow on their return from Club World Cup glory, Bayern were caught cold by their relegation-threatened opponents as debutant Michel Vlap and Amos Pieper stunningly gave Arminia a 2-0 half-time lead. 

Robert Lewandowski scored his 25th Bundesliga goal of the season in sumptuous fashion three minutes into the second period, although substitute Christian Gebauer swiftly replied for Uwe Neuhaus' men. 

Corentin Tolisso and Alphonso Davies continued the flow of easy-on-the-eye goals, but Bayern could not find a winner. 

Manuel Prietl reacted quickest when Cedric Brunner's ninth-minute long throw was partially cleared and Vlap - a loan signing from Anderlecht - controlled his drilled pass superbly before emphatically smashing beyond Manuel Neuer. 

Bayern had the chance to regroup shortly afterwards as snow was swept off the pitch lines and the officials reverted to orange match balls. 

Tolisso almost capitalised when Leroy Sane swung a cross through the blizzard to cause confusion in the Arminia box. 

But Bayern were left with a snow-covered mountain to climb when Pieper was left unchallenged to head home Vlap's left-wing corner for his first ever Bundesliga goal. 

The groundstaff hurried along a half-time thaw, allowing Bayern to make their class tell early in the second half. 

Stefan Ortega Moreno got down sharply to thwart Sane before Lewandowski's exquisite chest control and volleyed finish from David Alaba's chip left the goalkeeper with no chance. 

Remarkably, Arminia restored their two-goal advantage within a minute - Andreas Voglsammer tearing past Bouna Sarr to deliver a pinpoint low cross that gave Gebauer - another man opening his account for the club - a simple finish. 

Sane and Tolisso combined again for the latter to head home before the hour, while Kingsley Coman was providing a similar threat from the other wing as he had a venomous drive tipped over. 

In the 70th minute Sane got to the byline and his right-footed cross was cleared only as far as Davies, who fizzed a magnificent half-volley into the bottom left corner.

Back came Bielefeld and a marginal offside against Fabian Klos denied Sergio Cordova a fourth, before they held out for the point their endeavours deserved.

Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane says he has been unfairly put in the "bling-bling drawer" and will take criticism as an incentive to realise his potential.

Sane was unable to hit the ground running at Bayern after joining the European champions on a five-year deal from Manchester City in July for a fee of €49million, which could rise to €60m.

The winger missed almost the entire 2019-20 season with City due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament before returning to his homeland.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge last month warned Sane must show more desire and says Bayern will be prepared to "kick his butt" if needed to get the best out of their big-money signing.

Sane has since taken his goal tally to seven for the season, while also providing five assists in 21 games, and Rummenigge this week rubbished suggestions the Bundesliga leaders could sell the 25-year-old this year.

Bayern and Germany great Lothar Matthaus stated the Bavarian giants should have signed Timo Werner rather than Sane before the Germany forward moved to Chelsea.

Sane insists people have got the wrong impression of him. 

"You are welcome to come to my house and see if there are really diamonds, gold chains and stuff like that lying around. I don't own any of these. Still, people put me in this bling-bling drawer." he said in an interview with Der Spiegel.

He added: "I have the feeling that people look at me differently than others. Apparently I provide people with material like this, even though I don't want to. So of course I have to question myself."

Sane took note of Rummenigge's criticism and has vowed to repay the faith Bayern have shown in him.

"I'm working very hard to get there [back to his best]." the former Schalke man said. "I just have to really prove myself at Bayern. 

"I know that the club is behind me, otherwise they wouldn't have taken me. I also take this criticism as an incentive."

Sane also said he has no problem with Germany coach Joachim Low after he was overlooked for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, although he described the snub as a "hard blow" to take.

"The national coach had his reasons and I always had a good relationship with him. After the World Cup he came to me and said that I should continue like this. That he believes in me. That was the end of the topic for me." Sane added.

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says the club are keeping an eye on Dayot Upamecano, even if it is too early to expect the RB Leipzig defender to join them.

Upamecano, 22, has developed into one of the most highly prized centre-backs in Europe in recent seasons and has been tipped for a major move at the end of the season.

Bayern have been heavily linked with the France international, particularly with David Alaba expected to leave on a free transfer, most likely to Real Madrid.

Rummenigge confirmed transfer plans are being drawn up but was not prepared to state that any agreement had already been reached.

He told Bild that Upamecano was "at least at Leipzig until the end of the season", adding it was "a bit too early" to assume he would join the champions.

"We'll deal with this, of course, not only with him specifically but crucially which positions we want and where we have to do something," he said.

Bayern could also lose Jerome Boateng after this season, with the 32-year-old's contract expiring in June.

However, Rummenigge suggested he could extend his deal at the Allianz Arena after re-establishing his place in Hansi Flick's plans.

"Jerome is playing a good role again. The coach is satisfied with him," said Rummenigge.

Rummenigge also rubbished suggestions Bayern could look to sell Leroy Sane this year.

The former Manchester City winger has only started seven times in the Bundesliga in 2020-21, although he has scored four goals and provided five assists in those appearances.

"He has a five-year contract. It would be nonsensical [to sell]. We need this kind of player," Rummenigge added.

"Of course he will stay here at Bayern. And I'm convinced he'll find his way here."

Serge Gnabry did not suffer a serious injury during Bayern Munich's 2-1 victory over Freiburg, Hansi Flick has confirmed.

Germany international Gnabry sat out last weekend's loss to Borussia Monchengladbach with a shin problem but played 90 minutes in the shock penalty shoot-out loss to Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

He had to be replaced after 28 minutes at the Allianz Arena on Sunday but Flick is not expecting to be without the winger for a prolonged period.

"The injury is not serious, I have heard from the doctors. The muscle in his back cramped up," said the Bayern boss.

Bayern were leading when Gnabry departed thanks to Robert Lewandowski's 21st goal of the season, a record for the first half of a Bundesliga season, surpassing Gerd Muller's 20 in 1968-69.

Nils Petersen equalised for Freiburg in the 62nd minute, scoring just 28 seconds after coming on as a substitute. His Bundesliga record for goals after being subbed on now stands at 28.

But Leroy Sane, who replaced Gnabry in the first half, set up Thomas Muller - who registered his 125th top-flight assist on Lewandowski's opener - for the winner.

Sane was also on target against Kiel and Flick has been pleased to see him improving after a tough start to life with Bayern following his move from Manchester City.

"I don't like singling out individual players but he did very well and did things the team would like to see from him," said Flick.

"We saw good development. He proved today that he is always good for an assist or a goal."

With RB Leipzig having been held to a 2-2 draw by Wolfsburg on Saturday, reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern opened up a four-point lead at the summit.

Flick said: "I'm not interested in the table at the moment. We have to look at ourselves and be focused on Augsburg and Schalke as we are today.

"It's good to have achieved a four-point lead, that is extremely important. For us, only our results count."

Bayern Munich have been knocked out of the DFB-Pokal on penalties by second-tier side Holstein Kiel following a 2-2 draw after extra time.

The Bavarian giants had reached the last 16 stage in each of the previous 19 seasons and had lifted the cup in the last two of those, but they were stunned by Kiel in Wednesday's clash at Holstein-Stadion.

Leroy Sane had Bayern on the brink of a place in the next round with his sublime free-kick early in the second half after Fin Bartels had earlier cancelled out Serge Gnabry's close-range opener.

But Kiel skipper Hauke Wahl scored in the 95th minute to force extra time and Bayern, who brought on star striker Robert Lewandowski with 74 minutes played, could not find a third goal as the tie went the distance.

The first 10 penalties were successfully put away but substitute Marc Roca was denied by Ioannis Gelios, setting up Bartels to convert and send the home side through 6-5 on spot-kicks, with Darmstadt to come in the last 16.