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Bayern Munich’s treble crushed Schalke 04 8-0 with a hat-trick from Serge Gnabry and a magnificent debut from Leroy Sane on Friday, when they got off to a sensational start to the new Bundesliga season and sent an ominous warning to the possible rivals.
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Gnabry scored his first goal for the hosts with a nice spin and fired in the fourth minute in what turned out to be a one-sided affair that extended Bayern’s unbeaten streak to 31 games this year, having won the last 22 matches in a row. .
Schalke, who have not won the league since January, were defenseless against Bayern’s fast play and Leon Goretzka found enough room to launch a low shot that passed goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann in the 19th minute.
Last season’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, found the net with a 31-minute penalty to become the first player to score in 10 straight games against the same Bundesliga opponents.
Then, Gnabry scored twice of Sane’s assists at 47 and 59 before Thomas Muller made half a dozen.
Sane then capped off a magnificent Bayern debut with a fine shot from a counterattack before substitute Jamal Musiala punched in goal number eight to become Bayern’s youngest goalscorer in the league at 17.
Bayern ended their season in August when they added the Champions League to their Bundesliga titles and the German Cup and then had only brief preparation for the new season.
“You can see that the team was already strong last season,” said Sane, who arrived from Manchester City. “The team is still hungry despite winning the treble last season and having such a start is extraordinary.”
Bayern coach Hansi Flick praised his team for the victory.
“It was great of us. Before the game we wanted this to be a game that defines where we are at this stage and my players did very well,” said Flick.
“We wanted to show that this season we are here again.”
However, Flick was quick to point out that it was just one game in a long and busy season to come.
“We just had the first game. Let’s go slowly here. But it was important to show that we are on the right track.”
Schalke coach David Wagner, whose team have failed to win any of their last 17 league games, lamented his team’s poor approach to starting the campaign.
“Bayern were in sensationally good shape,” Wagner said. “At the moment Bayern are probably the strongest team in the world. They proved it today.
“We don’t play well at all. Now we have to shake ourselves off and show a reaction [next week]. “
