Bundesliga: Bayern Munich stroll to victory over Bochum
August 21, 2022VfL Bochum 0-7 Bayern Munich
(Sane 4‘, de Ligt 25‘, Coman 33‘, Mane 43‘ 59‘ pen, Gamboa o.g. 69‘, Gnabry 76‘)
Ruhrstadion, Bochum
Julian Nagelsmann made three changes to his Bayern Munich starting eleven away at VfL Bochum on Sunday, and all three scored in the German champions latest Bundesliga demolition.
Leroy Sane, starting in place of the injured Jamal Musiala, opened the scoring in the fourth minute as Bayern went on to rout Bochum 7-0 and avenge last season's shock 4-2 defeat here.
New signing Matthijs de Ligt, making his first competitive start for Bayern since joining from Ajax, doubled the scoreline with a neat back-host header from a corner before Kingsley Coman, replacing Serge Gnabry, made it three.
Sadio Mané added to his fledgling Bundesliga tally with the fourth goal before half-time, and then the fifth from the penalty spot after the break.
Just before that, the Bochum and Bayern ultras had packed away two huge banners in their respective sections reading: "Good friends can never be separated – good friends are never alone" – a celebration of the fan friendship which binds the two clubs.
For the hosts, that friendship extended to full-back Cristian Gamboa slotting the ball past his own goalkeeper for Bayern's sixth, before Gnabry, on for Thomas Müller, made it seven.
To their credit, the Bochum fans only ramped up the volume with every goal which flew past the hapless Manuel Riemann at one of Germany's most atmospheric stadia.
But it could disguise the gaping gulf between the two sides – one a beneficiary of decades' worth of Champions League revenues and massive sponsorship, the other only in their second season back in the Bundesliga, as Bayern march on.