Story highlights
Bayern Munich thrash Werder Bremen 7-0
Franck Ribery stars with two goals and assists
Record 40th unbeaten match for European champions
Bayer Leverkusen beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 to stay second
Bayern Munich’s record breaking run continued Saturday with Werder Bremen crushed 7-0 by Pep Guardiola’s European Champions who are making Bundesliga history every week.
It was an unprecedented 40th unbeaten league match for last season’s treble winners and Bayern equaled their own club record of 26 away matches without defeat.
But more than just mere records, it was a graphic demonstration of their goalscoring potential, with the returning Franck Ribery at the heart of the attacking prowess.
The French international has not played for nearly a month in the Bundesliga through a rib injury but in the 21st minute it was his cross which was turned into his own goal by Bremen defender Assani Lukimy.
Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten doubled the lead six minutes later before Ribery scored his first of the afternoon before halftime.
Read: Robben brace ensures Bayern’s run extended
Ribery supplied the assist for the fourth from Mario Mandzukic on the hour and a fine finish from Thomas Mueller made it five.
Ribery’s second and a Mario Goetze with the seventh with the last kick of the match wrapped up the rout in front of a stunned capacity crowd at the Weserstadion.
Werder continue to hover above the drop zone in a disappointing season, but Bayern have a four point lead over Bayer Leverkusen, who beat third-placed Borussia Dortmund in a crunch match later Saturday.
South Korea striker Son Heung-Min grabbed the 18th-minute winner after a mistake in the Dortmund defense.
Both sides finished with 10 men with Leverkusen losing Bosnia defender Emir Spahic while Dortmund, who trail Bayern by 10 points, had Sokratis dismissed for a second yellow card late on.
Fourth placed Borussia Moenchengladbach kept up their bid for a Champions League place with a 2-1 win at home to Schalke 04, their sixth in a row.
Read: Bayern honor president persecuted by the Nazis
But it is difficult to see who can stop Bayern, who last lost in the Bundesliga in October 2012 and have scored 39 goals in 15 league games this season under new boss Guardiola.
Ribery’s display will help press his claim for the FIFA World Footballer of the Year honor, which will be announced next month.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid opened their defense of the Copa del Rey with 4-0 win at minnows Sant Andreu.
A double from Arda Turan, flanked by goals from Raul Garcia and David Villa, gave the holders a comfortable advantage ahead of the second leg of the last 32 tie.
Read: Bayern and Man City book passages to knockout stage
Paris Saint-Germain went four points clear in France with a 5-0 thrashing of lowly Sochaux as Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice and laid on two others.
It was a good response from PSG, who lost their first league game of the season in midweek to Evian. Lille can close again to within a point if they beat Bordeaux Sunday with third placed Monaco meeting Ajaccio.
In Serie A, Mario Balotelli scored twice to earn AC Milan a 2-2 away draw at Livorno.
He put them ahead in the eighth minute before Luca Siligardi equalized for the home side.
Livorno went ahead through Paulinho then Balotelli leveled with a stunning late free kick. The sixth draw of the Italian league campaign left Milan in eighth place ahead of Sunday’s games.
