Irresistible Bayern ease past Bremen

FC Bayern beat Werder Bremen 6-1 on Tuesday, consolidating their lead in the Bundesliga table. Jamal Musiala and Anthony Jung traded goals early in a wonderfully entertaining first half, and two-goal Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka scored three for Bayern within six minutes. Gnabry rounded off his hat-trick and Mathys Tel added gloss to an already impressive scoreline in the closing stages.

The German record champions lined up with Manuel Neuer in goal and Noussair Mazraoui, Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Hernández in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Gnabry, Musiala and Sadio Mané, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up front. Mané had to be subbed off with a knock in the first half, Leroy Sané taking over. Marcel Sabitzer, Kingsley Coman, Ryan Gravenberch and Tel came on for Hernández, Choupo-Moting, Goretzka and Musiala in the second half.

Blistering first half

Bayern were dominant from the off as Mané saw a shot blocked, but the ball fell to Musiala, who found the far corner of the net. Mané hit the side-netting but Mitchell Weiser soon teed up Jung, who fired past Neuer. Amos Pieper upended Gnabry in the box and referee Robert Hartmann pointed to the spot after VAR intervention, but goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka saved from Choupo-Moting.

Bayern restored their lead when a Kimmich shot was blocked, with Gnabry getting hold of the ball and unleashing a fine curler into the far corner of the net. Bremen were reeling now, and Goretzka ran onto a Kimmich through ball and fired home before Choupo-Moting teed up the galloping Sané, whose square invited Gnabry to tap in. Gnabry blasted over before Marvin Ducksch turned an intercepted Upamecano pass in the Bayern box just wide. Goretzka saw an effort saved, and the sides turned round with the score 4-1.

Dominant display

Proceedings were similar after the restart, Mazraoui firing wide and Goretzka heading over. Choupo-Moting soon won the ball and teed up Sané with a pinpoint through ball but the Germany international hit the post. Pavlenka proved equal to a Gnabry chip and denied Coman, with Kimmich seeing a shot blocked.

Gnabry crowned his impressive display when he sidestepped a number of defenders before nutmegging Pavlenka to make it five. Tel soon rounded off the half-dozen, charging forward and beating Pavlenka with a belter from 25 yards.

The result takes Bayern onto 31 points from 14 matches, four clear of Freiburg, who take on RB Leipzig on Wednesday. The Bavarians will be back in action for the final time in 2022 on Saturday when they travel to face Schalke in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen