Champions! On-fire Reds down Augsburg

FC Bayern are the 2017/18 champions! The nation's most successful club sealed their sixth German championship title on the bounce, beating Augsburg 4-1. Niklas Süle put through his own goal after 15 minutes, but Corentin Tolisso and James turned the tide before half-time. Arjen Robben twisted the knife after the hour mark, Sandro Wagner adding gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages.

The champions started with Sven Ulreich between the sticks and Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Jérôme Boateng and Rafinha in a back four. Sebastian Rudy anchored a midfield featuring Robben, Tolisso, James and Juan Bernat, with Wagner as lone striker.

Jupp Heynckes comprehensively shuffled his deck, making seven changes to the XI that saw off Sevilla on Tuesday, Ulreich, Kimmich, Boateng and Bernat being the only survivors. Martínez took over from James after the hour mark, Thomas Müller and birthday boy Franck Ribéry replacing Robben and Bernat with ten minutes to go.

Süle unlucky but Bayern fight back

The 30,660 full house at the WWK Arena saw a dour midfield struggle in the first quarter-hour, Bayern struggling against the home side's early pressing. The first warning came after 15 minutes, when Augsburg's Philipp Max hit the post from a tight angle, but the linesman's flag was raised for offside in any case. Augsburg scored the opener when Sergio Cordova nicked the ball off Boateng's toe, Ulreich making a strong save, but the ball crashed off Süle's face and into the net.

Joanthan Schmid curled a free-kick over the bar, but Bayern got a grip on the contest now, beginning to show their true colours after the half-hour. Heynckes' men levelled the scores when a perceptive Kimmich cross found the unmarked Tolisso, who headed past netminder Marwin Hitz. Kimmich tested Hitz before Bayern's right-back shone when he charged past the rearguard from the right, Bernat brilliantly flicking the ball to James, who crashed home from six yards. Wagner miscued a header before Tolisso forced a fine save from Hitz, and match official Markus Schmidt blew for half-time.

Arjen and Sandro seal it

Bayern went straight back onto the front foot. The charging Robben was ruled offside but found the net when the visitors combined in and around Augsburg's box, the Dutchman slotting home from 15 yards. Michael Gregoritsch connected with a Schmid cross but fired wide before Hitz made a good save to deny Robben's fine free-kick.

The final flourish came when Wagner rose high to connect with a Rudy corner, his fine header sailing past Hitz and into the back of the net before Schmidt blew for full-time.

The result takes Bayern onto 72 points from 29 matches, and they can no longer be toppled from their perch. However, the Reds have no time to celebrate as they are back in action in just four days, when they entertain Sevilla in the do-or-die CL quarter-final return leg.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen