Bayern leap-frogged Freiburg into second place with an emphatic 5-0 win in Munich. After Union won earlier in the day against Dortmund, it was crucial that Bayern responded in order to keep up with the Berliners. The dismissive win sees Freiburg lose in the league for only the second time this season and perhaps spells the end of crisis in Bavaria.
Freiburg came out of the blocks fast in their search of an early lead, as Ritsu Doan picked up the ball on the edge of the area before dragging his effort wide of the right post.
Bayern responded with a chance of their own shortly after, with Alphonso Davies’ rocket of a shot flying over the crossbar.
It wasn’t long before Bayern took the lead, though. Davies put a cross in for Leroy Sane, whose effort was saved, but Serge Gnabry was on hand to head home the rebound.
Gnabry almost grabbed his and Bayern’s second midway through the half, forcing Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken into a smart save after receiving the ball on the edge of the box.
The Bavarians doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting working space for himself in the area before firing across Flekken and into the bottom corner.
Gnabry had another great chance to grab his second, but was again denied by Flekken, who was easily the busiest of the two shot-stoppers in the first period.
Bayern almost grabbed a third after some good link-up play between Choupo-Moting and Gnabry, but the latter could only hit the post after charging into the area.
The Bavarians got the third they’d been chasing moments later, as Sane beat his man before cutting in and bending his shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Bayern started to run riot and grabbed a fourth before the hour mark. Gnabry was the provider, playing a lovely ball through to Sadio Mane, who nonchalantly lobbed Flekken for his fifth Bundesliga goal of the season.
Marcel Sabitzer completed the rout with a well-hit effort that curled beyond Flekken as Bayern saw out the game comfortably to move into second.
Meanwhile, Freiburg fall down to third but remain inside the top four by a point.
