Bayern Munich 8-0 Schalke 04
And that’s why they’re Bundesliga champions!
Less than a month after clinching the treble, here were the best team in Germany, in Europe and in the world flexing their muscles once more in their opening match of the 2020/21 campaign.
On the day they said goodbye to Spanish midfielder Thiago, here was a reminder why they have such a strong nucleus.
In fact, their squad is arguably even stronger than last season with the arrival of Leroy Sane from Manchester City – yet another outlet in their attacking arsenal spearheaded by a player who would surely be crowned world player of the year in 2020 if there was such an award.
As the first to face the Bundesliga kings, Schalke were simply the unfortunate ones.
Highlights of the game
Four minutes was all it took for the hosts to break the deadlock as Serge Gnabry – one of the stars of last term – clinically dispatched the ball beyond Ralf Fahrmann.
This came just minutes after Goncalo Paciencia had stung the hands of Manuel Neuer in a bright start for the visitors. It turned out to be their only effort on target in the match.
Perhaps threatening first was akin to being cheeky on the hallowed turf of the champions as they immediately turned the screw.
Robert Lewandowski almost added a second before Leon Goretzka did just that 19 minutes in.
It was almost too simple as Lewandowski laid the ball off to Goretzka and he coolly slotted the ball into the left bottom corner.
When Lewandowski was brought down inside the box just before the half-hour mark, Bayern’s first half of Bundesliga highlights was complete as the Pole picked himself up and sent Fahrmann the wrong way from the spot.
How many records can this great forward break!
If Bayern caught Schalke cold early on in the first half, they were even quicker in the second period as Gnabry grabbed his second within two minutes of the restart.
A long ball was knocked down by Lewandowski to Thomas Muller and he set Sane on his way, with the former Schalke man pushing the ball past Fahrmann for Gnabry to run onto and slot home.
Dare I go on because you know what’s coming!
Yes, a hat-trick for Gnabry just on the hour and another well-worked team move.
Sane was sent clear and he controlled the ball with his chest before touching it to Gnabry who finished with aplomb for his first Bundesliga hat-trick for the club.
Poor Schalke.
Since arriving at the club last year, head coach David Wagner actually started well but then saw his team struggle in the second half of the season. They were disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, eventually finishing in 12th place.
They didn’t do much wrong here in truth, other than be steamrollered by the most clinical team in football.
One of the most underrated players in the game in Muller added a sixth as he slotted home following a superb cross from Lewandowski. Then just two minutes later, it became even crueller as Sane marked his debut with a goal.
Latching onto Joshua Kimmich’s fine through ball from inside his own half, the German raced away and made it seven.
There was still time for substitute Jamal Musiala, a half-German, half-English midfielder to score his first goal, skipping inside and slotting the ball home.
A magical moment for the 17-year-old on a magical night for Bayern as he became the league’s youngest-ever scorer.
It was simply gr-eight for Bayern and a nightmare start for Schalke.
The Bavarians are aiming for a ninth successive Bundesliga title after storming to the title last term.
Now you see why the SBOTOP Bundesliga betting odds are all for Bayern!
Key statistics
For the first time in Bundesliga history, a team has scored more than seven goals in the opening game of a season.
Bayern have also extended their unbeaten run to 31 games in all competitions, winning 22 matches in a row during that time.
Gnabry’s opener was the quickest in a season-opening fixture since Bart Goor’s first-minute strike for Hertha Berlin against Borussia Dortmund in 2002.
Lewandowski has opened his account on the first day of seven of his 11 Bundesliga seasons, matching the record of Klaus Fischer.
The Pole now has 163 Bundesliga goals, one more than Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
This was Muller’s 200th competitive goal for Bayern – only three players have more for the club since 1965.
What’s next?
Bayern go in search of more silverware next Thursday on September 24 as they meet Europa League winners Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.
Schalke must lick their wounds before hosting Werder Bremen next weekend.
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