Bayern put eight past Schalke as Bundesliga returns

Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick and Leroy Sane scored on his Bayern Munich debut as they started their new Bundesliga campaign with a demolition of Schalke.

With the emphatic result at Allianz Arena, Hansi Flick’s side have now won 22 games in a row.

Robert Lewandowski, Leon Goretzka, Thomas Muller and 17-year-old Jamal Musiala were also on target for the European champions in match which was a completely one sided affair.

Bayern’s record now reads 30 wins and one draw since their last defeat in any competition on 7 December. They won last season’s treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League.

Schalke, in contrast, have not won in the Bundesliga since 17 January and lost seven of their nine games following the 2019-20 season restart.

Bayern had hoped to have a crowd of 7,500 for their season opener – with clubs from some states allowed to have fans this weekend – but that was blocked by Munich’s mayor.

Gnabry scored in the fourth minute as he found space outside the box before curling home – and Bayern never looked back.

This was the biggest victory any team have managed on the opening weekend of the Bundesliga.

Goretzka drove in a low second from Muller’s lay-off and Lewandowski scored a penalty after he was fouled.

All eight of Bayern's goals against Schalke 🔥pic.twitter.com/FItwdjlY2i

— Goal (@goal) September 19, 2020

Sane then set up Gnabry to score into an empty net from 20 yards for his second goal. They paired up again with Gnabry slotting the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.

Muller scored next, as he volleyed home from Lewandowski’s rabona cross.

Germany international Sane ran on to a through ball from the halfway line before slotting home. That was his first club goal since scoring for City against Manchester United in a 2-0 derby win in April 2019.

Teenager Musiala, who played for two minutes last season, came off the bench and cut in from the wing before adding an eighth. He is Bayern’s youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history.

That was the second time Bayern managed eight goals in a game this year, having smashed Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Bayern manager Hansi Flick was delighted with the early show of intent from his boys.

 “We have done excellently. Before the game we said we wanted to lay down a marker, and we did so with aplomb. We wanted to show that we are also ready for this season. I’m glad that we’ve brought such a performance onto the pitch today.” The German told in the post match reaction.