Rampant Reds thrash Bremen

FC Bayern beat Werder Bremen 6-1 on Saturday afternoon. Milot Rashica put Werder ahead midway through the first half, but Bayern bounced back before half-time, Philippe Coutinho and Robert Lewandowski turning the tide. Bayern were dominant throughout, and they gave the scoreline a more realistic look in the second half, Coutinho, Lewandowski and sub Thomas Müller finding the net before hat-trick hero Coutinho scored his third on Saturday.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Jérôme Boateng, David Alaba and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich, Thiago and Leon Goretzka took up station in midfield, with Serge Gnabry and Coutinho out wide and Lewandowski up front.

Late reward

The 75,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena saw Bayern go straight onto the front foot. Coutinho curled an effort over the bar before Gnabry miscued a header. However, Bayern's pressing meant they were vulnerable on the break, and they were lucky when Rashica got hold of the ball in his own half and raced clear but tripped himself in Bayern's box. Bremen netminder Jiri Pavlenka denied Lewandowski twice, and Bayern went one down when Bremen countered through Rashica, who beat Neuer this time.

Bayern went looking for a reply, two crosses only just evading Lewandowski, Rashica blasting over the bar at the other end. Pavlenka denied Lewandowski and Coutinho before Alaba powered a header over the bar, but a goal was coming, and Bayern struck twice to deadly effect shortly before half-time. A Kimmich chip found Gnabry, who invited Coutinho to level the scores before Lewandowski raced clear to collect a Coutinho chip and fire past Pavlenka.

Second-half thrashing

Ivan Perišić replaced Boateng at half-time, Kimmich dropping into right-back and Pavard moving inside. Pavlenka saved from Coutinho before Perišić fired wide, but Coutinho put the game to bed when his chip found the net via the underside of the crossbar. Müller took over from Goretzka, and things became awkward for the visitors when the sub set up Lewandowski with a pinpoint pass, the Poland captain coolly rounding off his brace.

Müller soon added his name to the scoresheet when he converted a Coutinho square against the increasingly reeling visitors. Coutinho completed his hat-trick three minutes later, curling home via the inside of the post. Sarpreet Singh made his pro debut when he came on for Coutinho, who left the pitch to loud applause from the Bayern fans, and match official Robert Schröder soon put Werder out of their misery.

The result means Bayern have 27 points from 15 matches. The Bavarians will be back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to face Freiburg in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen