Sub Javi Martinez made a winning start to his time in Munich as rampant Bayern outclassed, outfought and outscored VfB Stuttgart in a terrific display of attacking football on Sunday evening. Jupp Heynckes’ men maintained their 100 percent record this term, and ran up a seventh straight victory over their south German arch-rivals, who finished the match a man down after Vedad Ibisevic’ dismissal.
The full house at the Allianz Arena, now boasting a capacity of 71,000 due to the installation of additional seating, in fact saw the home side start slowly and survive an early let-off when Martin Harnik hit the bar, but although the Austrian international took his second chance and opened the scoring on 25 minutes, Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos struck twice in a minute after the half-hour to put FCB in front.
Luiz Gustavo made it 3-1 at the break with a 25-yard screamer, before an extraordinary spell at the start of the second half with a Bayern goal every two minutes, as Mario Mandzukic, Müller and a jubilant Bastian Schweinsteiger made it half-a-dozen quality goals. Vedad Ibisevic was rightly shown a red card for headbutting Jerome Boateng as VfB’s frustration boiled over, before the crowd rose to acclaim star signing Martinez in his debut appearance a quarter of an hour from time.
The thumping win, Bayern’s second in two Bundesliga fixtures, means the Reds remain top of the early standings on goal difference from fellow six-point men Eintracht Frankfurt, pursued by a host of teams on four points. The league now takes a two-week break for internationals, before FCB are at home again on Saturday 15 September when Mainz visit the Bavarian capital.
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