Champions-in-waiting Bayern Munich still have to wait another week before they can seal their sixth Bundesliga title in succession but nevertheless, they cruised past former rivals Borussia Dortmund 6-0 with a Robert Lewandowski hat-trick and further goals from captain Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery and James Rodriguez.
Positives
Schalke’s 2-0 win at home over Freiburg earlier on Saturday meant that Bayern’s couldn’t celebrate clinching the title in front of their own fans for the first time since the Weissbier celebrations at the Olympiastadion way back in 2000. However, this was a magnificent demonstration of power against once-proud BVB and after the “Joy of Six,” Bayern will no doubt seal the title in the derby at Augsburg next Saturday anyway.
Negatives
Leading by five goals at the break, it could have been more but with Champions League action looming on Tuesday in Sevilla, Bayern were content to go easy on a demoralised BVB side in the second half.
Manager rating out of 10
9 — Undefeated in eight games against BVB, Heynckes’ last defeat came in the 2012 German Cup Final when a certain Lewandowski claimed a hat-trick for Jurgen Klopp’s side instead.
Now on the cusp of his fourth Bundesliga title with Bayern after winning back to back in 1989-90 and, of course, the famous treble-winning season in 2013. Who’s to say Heynckes can’t go out with a bang again by clinching another Treble?
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Sven Ulreich, 8 — Hardly tested in securing his 11th clean sheet in 23 games. Ulreich is now a dark horse for Germany’s World Cup squad and it’s going to be exceedingly tough on Bayern’s back-up keeper to make way for the returning Manuel Neuer for a potential Champions League semifinal tie next month. Once ridiculed, who would have said that in September?
DF David Alaba, 7 — Produced a measured pull-back for James Rodriguez to double the lead but hooked at half-time to allow Joshua Kimmich a run in the second half.
DF Jerome Boateng, 7 — Coasted serenely through the game after recovering from a midweek knock while on international duty with Germany. The Bavarians simply do not lose when their rock at the back is in the starting line-up, who’s avoided defeat in all his 17 league starts this season.
DF Mats Hummels, 7 — Hardly broke into a sweat against his former side. Let’s be honest: it must be hard for the former BVB skipper to see his old team in this state.
DF Rafinha, 7 — Steady and solid as ever, replacing Joshua Kimmich at right-back for the opening period before showing his versatility and switching to the left for the second half in place of Alaba.
MF Javi Martinez, 8 — The epitome of steadiness and consistency, Martinez will always be one of the first names on Heynckes’ teamsheet in crunch games. The Spain international will be one of Bayern’s key components in Sevilla on Tuesday.
MF James Rodriguez, 9 — Bayern’s signing of the season (grazie, Carlo Ancelotti) grabbed a deserved goal himself inside the opening quarter-hour and laid a pair of goals on a plate for Muller and Ribery in the first half. He was subbed to standing ovations after the hour mark with more exacting tasks ahead in Europe.
MF Franck Ribery, 8 — Had an early goal chalked off for offside before mesmerizingly dribbling his way to the touchline before for the goal-hungry Lewandowski to poke home his second. After laying on his first league assist of the season, Bayern’s longest-serving player got the goal his efforts deserved, latching onto James’ inch-perfect pass to fire into the roof of the net and make it 5-0 before the break. But Ribery wouldn’t be Ribery if he didn’t pick up a futile yellow card for lashing out at Julian Weigl in the second half and was promptly taken off by Heynckes after his unnecessary contretemps.
MF Arjen Robben, 6 — Like his veteran partner Ribery, the Dutch master only has a few months left on his present deal. On his latest return from a minor twinge, the former Chelsea and Real Madrid man was definitely overshadowed by the France international.
MF Thomas Muller, 8 — Missed Germany’s friendly with Brazil but looked fit and refreshed on Saturday, starting the rout with a pass to Lewandowski for the opener and his 11th assist of the season before getting his ninth goal with a first-time finish from James’s cute cross. The days when he was surplus to requirements under Ancelotti seem a distant memory.
FW Robert Lewandowski, 9 — Signed on a free transfer in 2014 from Dortmund, it was almost inevitable that Bayern’s goal machine was going to score against his former side. He opened the scoring on five minutes with a typically composed finish before poking home his second from close-range on the stroke of half-time after fine work from Ribery. He had to wait until three minutes from time before sealing his hattrick, taking his tally to 26 goals in 26 league appearances, twice as many as the next best Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (now at Arsenal) on 13 goals. Once thing is for certain: if Lewy leaves in the summer it will be for considerably more, although Bayern’s CEO is keen on taking bets that he will stay at the club.
Substitutes
DF Joshua Kimmich, 7 — Replaced Alaba after the break to roam the right flank, setting up Lewandowski’s hat-trick with a slide-rule pass for the final goal of the evening and his 10th assist of the season in the league.
MF Thiago, 7 — Enjoyed some valuable minutes after starring for Spain in midweek following his latest injury. Let’s be honest, Heynckes is spoilt for choice with a luxury of riches at his disposal, bringing on the Spain international for the impressive Colombia playmaker after 66 minutes.
MF Sebastian Rudy, 6 — Came on for Ribery on 69 minutes who had just been booked, while congratulations are in order after he recently became a new father.
Mark Lovell covers Bayern Munich for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter: @LovellLowdown.
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