Robert Lewandowski continued his scoring streak and Leon Goretzka shined as Bayern Munich cruised to an emphatic victory over Schalke.
Match Report
Bayern Munich took advantage of RB Leipzig's slip up to move one point behind the Bundesliga leaders with a 5-0 demolition of Schalke.
Buoyed by Leipzig's defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt earlier on Saturday, Hansi Flick's side were dominant from the off at Allianz Arena, leading from the sixth minute when Robert Lewandowski lashed in his 21st league goal of the season.
Thomas Muller bookended a fine first-half display, with the terrific Leon Goretzka striking against his previous club with a sensational scissor-kick five minutes after the break.
Thiago Alcantara helped himself to a simple finish as the hosts ran riot, with a blunder from goalkeeper Markus Schubert – playing in place of the suspended Alexander Nubel, who will join Bayern at the end of the season – enabling Serge Gnabry to complete the scoring in the 89th minute.
Bundesliga Standing
Match Events
6' GOAL! Bayern 1-0 Schalke (Lewandowski)
The Pole pounces in the box to convert Perisic's cross, blasting his effort past Kabak on the line.
Schubert is to blame as he comes for Muller's cross and fails to make the catch. Perisic pounces on the loose ball and steers it towards Lewandowski.
The striker takes a touch before dispatching his effort on the volley into the back of the net.
9' CLOSE! Matondo hits the beam
Matondo comes within inches of equalising for the visitors. He wins possession and surges towards the edge of the box before firing at goal.
His effort takes a deflection off Alaba and loops over Neuer, but it crashes off the bar and bounces to safety.
18' OFFSIDE! Muller’s goal disallowed
Oczipka rises to clear a cross from Perisic towards the edge of the box. Goretzka connects on the volley and Muller latches on to the effort to steer it towards goal.
The German finds the back of the net, but the goal is ruled out for offside. VAR confirms the decision.
23' Lewandowski's shot wide out
Nastastic heads a clearance straight to Lewandowski and the Pole runs at the Schalke defence. He pulls the trigger on a right-footed strike, placing his atttempt just wide of the post.
37' Disallowed! Lewandowski scores but the goal is offside
Harit takes on a strike from the edge of the box after latching on to a pass from Cagliuri, only to place his effort wide of the target.
47' GOAL! Bayern 2-0 Schalke (Muller)
Bayern double their advantage just before half-time as Muller converts from close range. Perisic hangs a cross to the left inside channel and Goretzka nods it on.
Muller times his run to perfection and sticks out a boot to guide his effort past Schubert into the back of the net.
48' Alaba's free kick stopped by Schubert
Alaba bends an effort at goal from a free-kick from 25 yards out. He strikes his attempt well, but Schubert gets across to palm it over the bar.
49' Thiago's long shot stopped by Schubert
The resulting corner is cleared as far as Thiago 25 yards from goal and he connects with a strike on the volley. It soars towards goal, only for Schubert to turn it over the bar with an acrobatic stop.
50' GOAL! Bayern 3-0 Schalke (Goretzka)
Bayern have their third of the game as Goretzka scores against his former club. Kimmich swings a corner deep to the back post for the run of the midfielder.
His header is blocked by Oczipka, but he connects with an acrobatic volley.
Goretzka's effort has the pace and accuracy to beat the hand of Schubert to find the bottom-left corner.
58' GOAL! Bayern 4-0 Schalke (Thiago)
Thiago starts and finishes the move for Bayern's fourth. Boujellab and Kimmich collide in the middle of the park and Thiago scoops up possession. He releases the run of Lewandowski into the final third.
He turns Mascarell with ease and then slides an offload towards the advancing Spaniard. Thiago has a simple finish, slotting the ball past Schubert into the net.
75' CLOSE! Lewandowski hits the post
Bayern win a corner down the left flank and Kimmich swings a cross deep to the back post.
Lewandowski is left unmarked and he lines up a first-time strike on the volley. He fires an effort low towards the bottom-right corner, but Schubert sticks out a boot to divert it past the post.
89' GOAL! Bayern 5-0 Schalke (Gnabry)
The winger completes the route this evening as his curling strike travels through two Schalke defender and the boot of Schubert to find the net. He collects on the left wing from a pass from Coutinho before surging past Caligiuri with ease.
Gnabry goes for a strike from the left inside channel and Schuber is unsighted an unable to keep out the drive with his leg. It sums up the performance from the visitors and their keeper.
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