Bayern are unstoppable, and newly-promoted Greuther Fürth were the Munich side's next league victims - and, fittingly, the all-Bavarian clash was sparked into life by a Bavarian. In the 3-1 away win on Friday evening, Thomas Müller broke the deadlock for the record champions, as he had done against FC Barcelona and Hertha BSC Berlin in previous weeks. It was his 218th goal in Bayern colours. With this goal, the 2014 World Cup winner surpassed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and climbed to third place in the club's all-time goalscoring list.
"He doesn't get tired and has been around for a long time," his captain Manuel Neuer said, full of praise, adding with a grin. "I've accompanied him for long stretches of this time and I'm always happy about every one of Thomas' goals and celebrations, which sometimes look a bit weird with him. I'm especially happy for him personally, because we've been playing together for a long time, but I think he'll have to report to Kalle [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge] today."
Müller: I've cut my strike rate in recent years
The 2014 World Cup winner was already asked about the possibility of catching the then-FC Bayern CEO in April 2020. Müller answered with a twinkle in his eye: "Fortunately, that hasn't been an issue between us yet. It helps Mr Rummenigge that I've reduced my strike rate in recent years."
Thomas Müller broke the deadlock in Fürth in the 10th minute.
Only team-mate Robert Lewandowski (305) and Gerd Müller (566) are now ahead of Müller. In fact, the former missed the chance to share another record in the game against Fürth: in the 15 Bundesliga appearances prior to Matchday 6, Lewandowski had always been on the scoresheet, and was just one goal and a game away from equalling Gerd Müller's historic consecutive goalscoring run in the league, a record set in the 1969/70 season.
Next record in view
Thomas Müller has already notched up 19 this calendar year.
For native Bavarian Müller, his next record could come as early as Sunday week, in Bayern's league game at home to Eintracht Frankfurt (5:30pm KO CEST): if he provides another assist, he'll equal former team-mate Franck Ribéry's record of 20 league assists in a calendar year. The Frenchman managed this feat a decade ago, in 2011.
Reaction from players and coaches of both sides to Friday night's game in Fürth:
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