Champions! Blistering Reds down sorry Gladbach

FC Bayern are 2020/21 champions! RB Leipzig's defeat to Dortmund meant Bayern could no longer be knocked off their perch before a ball was kicked at the Allianz Arena, but the Bavarians marked the occasion in style, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-0 on Saturday. Robert Lewandowski put Bayern ahead in the second minute, Thomas Müller, again Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman handing them a comfortable four-goal lead at half-time. Lewandowski rounded off his hat-trick from the penalty spot midway through the second half, and although the German record champions went a man down when sub Tanguy Nianzou earned his marching orders for a challenge, Leroy Sané made it a half-dozen.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Jérôme Boateng, Lucas Hernández and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba anchored a midfield featuring Coman, Müller and Jamal Musiala, with hitman Lewandowski up front. Leon Goretzka, Sané and Gnabry took over from Alaba, Coman and Musiala on the hour. Goretzka sustained a knock and had to be replaced, Nianzou coming on for him before Boateng gave way to Javi Martínez.

Four up at half-time

From the very beginning the Bavarians left no doubt as to who would leave the pitch as winners, and 114 seconds had been played when Lewandowski opened the scoring, an Alaba cross finding the unmarked striker, who made no mistake from 15 yards. Musiala saw an effort blocked, Lewandowski miscuing a header and Coman hitting the post. Marcus Thuram tested Neuer at the other end before Lewandowski headed wide and saw another shot deflected behind, but Müller doubled the lead with the help of a deflection.

Gladbach's Ramy Bensebaini headed over the bar but a Müller cross soon found Lewandowski, who shone with a sumptuous sideways scissor-kick to make it three. Bayern had more salt to rub into Gladbach's wounds, Davies winning the ball at the edge of Bayern's box and charging down the left, Lewandowski setting up Coman, who fired inside the far post.

Hat-trick for Lewy

The newly crowned champions shifted down a gear after the restart but still had their chances. Müller saw an effort saved by keeper Yann Sommer, Lewandowski heading over, but the Rhineland outfit had not gone absent without leave, Alassane Pléa firing wide before Pavard made a crucial tackle against Denis Zakaria. Bayern were soon awarded a penalty for handball, Lewandowski dispatching expertly to round off his hat-trick.

A setback came with a quarter-hour to go, when sub Nianzou saw a red card for a challenge on Breel Embolo. Zakaria fired wide before Pavard blocked an Oscar Wendt effort, but Bayern soon added a sixth goal despite being a man down, Gnabry teeing up Sané, who slotted past Sommer, and match official Tobias Stieler blew for full-time.

The result means Bayern have 74 points from 32 matches, ten clear of Leipzig, who can no longer topple the German record champions from their perch. The Bavarians will be back in action next Saturday, when they travel to face SC Freiburg.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen