First we take Man City, then we take Berlin

style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: 600;"Fri 25th Jan, 2013

Allianz Arena - Bayern Munich moved five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 4-0 trouncing of second division champions Hertha Berlin.

Mario Gomez started their fourth consecutive home rout, with further goals from Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger making it 3-0 to the hosts within the opening 13 minutes.

Franck Ribery was again in inspired form and the diminutive French diva had a hand in all four Bayern goals.

'Super Mario' Gomez opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he latched onto Ribery's through-ball, beat Andre Mijatovic and his weak shot somehow found its way into the corner past a floundering ex-Bayern goalkeeper Thomas Kraft.

Former Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng helped Bayern to double the lead on seven minutes, charging powerfully down the right-hand side before pulling the ball back for Ribery, who slotted home from six yards out.

Ribery turned provider for the third as he ghosted past a static Berlin backline before playing in Schweinsteiger, who fired into the corner to make it three.

The game was over as a contest within the first quarter of an hour - and it was a question of how many Bayern would score. Damage limitation became the focus for the totally overwhelmed visitors from the German capital, who have not won in Munich since 1977.

Bundesliga top scorer Gomez's second goal came from the penalty spot in the 69th minute. The unstoppable Ribery was fouled inside the penalty area by Roman Hubnik and Gomez lashed home the penalty for his 10th goal of yet another productive Bundesliga campaign.

Hertha were perhaps spared a real drubbing (like the 7-0 pasting handed out to SC Freiburg last month), as Bayern were content to go through the motions in the second half in preparation for their midweek Italian Job and a tricky trip to Naples in the Champions League.

Man of the Match Ribery enthused: "I enjoyed the game a lot and it's an important win for us. It's also important for Tuesday against Naples. We were good going forward and created lots of chances. In the second half we perhaps took it a bit easy. But we didn't concede. That's good."


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