Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Müller, Mario Gomez and Franck Ríbery came into the day having combined for 39 Bundesliga goals, but with a Tuesday trip to Juventus ahead for Germany’s eventual champions, Jupp Heynckes elected to start a second-choice attack against visiting Hamburg. Claudio Pizarro got the call up top, while Xherdan Shaqiri played wide in Bayern Munich’s 4-2-3-1. Along with Luiz Gustavo at left back and Jerome Boateng starting in the middle of defense, almost half of Bayern’s team differed from their choice XI.
The score 9-2 is seen after German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern vs Hamburger SV, on March 30, 2013 in Munich. AFP PHOTO CHRISTOF STACHE DFL RULES TO LIMIT THE ONLINE USAGE DURING MATCH TIME TO 15 PICTURES PER MATCH. IMAGE SEQUENCES TO SIMULATE VIDEO IS NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME. FOR FURTHER QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT DFL DIRECTLY AT + 49 69 650050. (Photo credit should read CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
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That’s what makes Saturday’s final score so scary: 9-2. With three goals in the first 30 minutes, five by halftime, and their final goal at the 79-minute mark, Bayern put up their most convincing performance of what’s becoming a ridiculously dominant season.
Consider where their league record stands after today’s avalanche. They have 23 wins in 27 games, having only lost once. Bayern have scored 78 times and, only conceding 13 goals, have a +65 goal difference. Break out your TI-85s and you’ll see FCB’s on pace for a 90-point season and 98 goals.
Perhaps as scary as the scoreline was the quality of opponent. Hamburg did not play well on Saturday, but having recovered from a slow start to the season, they’re a solid mid-table club. The 34 goals they allowed coming into today’s match put them in top third of Bundesliga defenses. Rene Adler is considered one of the best goalkeepers in Germany, yet starting with Shaqiri’s fifth minute opener, Bayern put in nine goals in 74 minutes: Pizarro had four, Arjen Robben put in two, while Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ribery, and Shaqiri each scored once.
Juventus fans will be hoping Bayern used all their goals on Saturday, but ahead of the teams’ Tuesday meeting in UEFA Champions League, München’s only affirming the notion they’re the class of Europe.