On-song Reds see off Wolves

FC Bayern beat VfL Wolfsburg 4-0 on Friday evening, ending 2021 on a high. Thomas Müller opened the scoring early in the first half, Dayot Upamecano and Leroy Sané closing out the match before the hour mark. Robert Lewandowski added gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Upamecano, Lucas Hernández and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Marc Roca and Jamal Musiala anchored a midfield featuring Serge Gnabry, Müller and Sané, with Lewandowski up front. Malik Tillman, Tanguy Nianzou, Omar Richards, Marcel Sabitzer and Bouna Sarr took over from Pavard, Hernández, Davies, Roca and Gnabry in the second half.

Müller crowns milestone match

Bayern went straight onto the front foot and drew first blood when keeper Casteels parried a Gnabry free-kick, with Müller quickest to react and tapping in to mark his 400th Bundesliga appearance in style. Neuer made a fine save against Weghorst but the hosts were dominant, with the Wolves increasingly parking the bus. A second almost came when Weghorst parried a Sané drive, but Lewandowski fired over.

Musiala dragged an effort wide before Lewandowski saw a header saved, Weghorst miscuing at the other end. Davies and Upamecano blasted over the bar, and the sides turned round with Munich a goal to the good.

Maiden goal and historic record

Proceedings were similar after the restart. Casteels denied Musiala, with Sané putting the rebound over, but Bayern soon doubled the advantage, Müller inviting Upamecano to head home from close range and score his maiden goal in Bayern colours. Minutes later Sané banished any last lingering doubts, bending the ball into the far corner of the net from 18 yards.

Lewandowski fired over and saw another effort saved. A Musiala shot was blocked and another went wide, but Lewandowski rounded off the final scoreline with a sumptuous sideways scissor-kick, scoring his 43rd goal in 2021 and breaking Gerd Müller's historic record for the most in a calendar year.

The result means FCB top the table on 43 points during the winter break. Bayern will be back in action on 7 January, when they entertain Gladbach in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen