Fabulous Franck Ribery inspired Bayern to easily their best performance since Christmas in a fully merited victory over fourth-placed Schalke on Sunday. The men in red played the Royal Blues off the park at times in an action-packed clash, and could easily have won by more in a welcome return to the awesome football of earlier this term.
The 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw Jupp Heynckes’ men make much the brighter start to a brisk-paced encounter and take a deserved 36th-minute lead from a typical piece of Ribery brilliance. The home side were well worth their lead at the break, with only Schalke keeper Timo Hildebrand standing between FCB and a two or three-goal advantage.
Bayern maintained the onslaught after the restart and Ribery added a second before the hour was up, after which the home side dominated as they pleased and cruised to their 15th league victory of the season.
The deserved win means Munich regain second spot in the Bundesliga after 23 matches on 48 points, one behind Dortmund prior to the leaders’ evening kick-off at home to Hannover, and one ahead of Mönchengladbach, with Schalke now four points off FCB in fourth. The Bavarians are next in action on Saturday 3 March with a league trip to fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
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