Bayern Munich begins title defense with a thumping win against Schalke.
Bayern Munich continued where they left last season by putting eight past Schalke in the first game week of the 2020/21 Bundesliga season. Serge Gnabry stole the show by scoring a hattrick, while new boy Leroy Sane scored on debut and created two goals.
Hansi Flick handed Leroy Sane debut against his former club. In the defense, David Alaba and Alphonso Davies missed out. The former out of the matchday squad due to injury, while the latter was on the bench. Lucas Hernandez started in the left-back position. Jerome Boateng was fit enough to start in central defense. Meanwhile, Schalke handed a competitive debut to Goncalo Paciencia.
Die Roten meant business from the word go as they opened the scoring through a smashing finish from Gnabry in the fourth minute. The Bavarians were all over Schalke with their intense pressing and crisp passing. It felt like Schalke was the team that didn’t have a proper pre-season since they were looking laboured on the ball.
Leon Goretzka made full use of Die Roten’s domination by popping up at the edge of the box to slot it past Ralf Fahrmann. Thomas Muller continued to be the creative force for the hosts as he cleverly created the goal for Goretzka. By the half an hour mark, it was curtains for the visitors as Ozan Kabak brought down Robert Lewandowski in the box. The Polish striker calmly converted the penalty to make it 3-0.
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Joshua Kimmich was pulling strings in the middle of the park while donning the number six shirt. The German took the number after Thiago Alcantara left the club for Liverpool this week. Kimmich showed his expansive passing range to find attacking players in dangerous positions.
After the half time, Schalke showed no signs of showing some resilience as Gnabry got two more goals before the hour mark. Sane was the architect of both goals as the two young German wingers showing positive signs of forming a deadly partnership in the final third.
The visitors were even struggling to create chances due to poor decision making in the final third. Die Roten didn’t show any signs of slowing down, grabbing two quickfire goals in at the end of the 70th minute. Sane opened his account for the club by a curled finish past the keeper, while Muller shot from the edge of the box after a rabona cross from Lewandowski.
Jamal Musiala rounded off a perfect evening by getting his first goal for the senior team. Despite lacking proper pre-season preparations, the European champions showed no signs of rustiness. With more players likely to come in, Die Roten have set the tone for the campaign with this resounding victory against Schalke.
"Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1)NeuerPavard-Sule-Boateng-HernandezKimmich-GoretzkaGnabry-Muller-SaneLewandowskiSubstitutes- Ulreich, Nubel, Martinez, Cuisance (↓Sane (72′)), Zirkzee (↓Muller (82′)), Davies, Tolisso (↓Goretzka (51′)), Fein, Richards (↓Boateng (72′)), Musiala (↓Gnabry (72′)).Schalke (4-2-3-1)FahrmannRudy-Kabak-Stambouli-OczipkaBentaleb-SerdarMatondo-Uth-HaritPacienciaSubstitutes- Schubert, Mendyl, Raman (↓Matondo (65′)), Ibisevic, Kutucu, Skrzybski (↓Paciencia(79′)), Schopf(↓Serdar (30′)), Becker (↓Harit (79′)), Thiaw."
