Bayern cemented their grip on third spot in the Bundesliga with a fifth win on the bounce, a gritty victory over Schalke earned by clinical finishing and resolute defending.
The 61,673 filling the Veltins Arena to the last seat saw an explosive opening to this most incendiary of fixtures as Luca Toni marked his return from injury with a third-minute opener, only for Jefferson Farfan to level 120 seconds later.
Bayern survived an intense spell of Schalke pressure up to the half-hour, when Ribery finished off a classy counter-attack to restore his side's lead. The home team kept coming at the champions for the remainder of the match, but their frenzied attacks increasingly lacked conviction against Bayern's discipline and organisation.
Two changes for FCB
The Bayern line-up showed two enforced changes from the team which drew 1-1 away to Fiorentina. Bastian Schweinsteiger (shin) and Lukas Podolski (back) missed out with injury, but fit-again Luca Toni returned after a four-game lay-off, with young Toni Kroos coming into midfield.
With Philipp Lahm still sidelined, Ze Roberto continued as a stand-in left-back in support of Ribery, the man of the match when Bayern finally chalked up a first win at the Arena back in March this year.
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