Bayern Munich 6 Werder Bremen 0: Champions run riot at Allianz Arena

Bayern Munich recorded a customary Bundesliga hammering of Werder Bremen on Saturday, racking up a 6-0 win at the Allianz Arena.

Werder travelled to Bavaria having conceded 18 goals in their last three league meetings with Bayern – and the champions were in no mood to forgive them further embarrassment on this occasion with a devastating first-half display.

Goals from Philipp Lahm, Xabi Alonso, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze put Pep Guardiola’s side four goals to the good at the break, before skipper Lahm and Gotze put the icing on the cake late in the second half.

With Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League trip to Roma no doubt in mind, Guardiola was able to withdraw David Alaba at half-time, as well as Alonso and Arjen Robben on the hour – the latter being replaced by the returning Franck Ribery.

Even without Robert Lewandowski – left on the bench after picking up a heavy knock while on international duty with Poland – Bayern had an overwhelming amount of attacking quality for their opponents to handle and continued their unbeaten start to the season in ominous fashion.

Werder, by contrast, remain rooted to the foot of the table awaiting their first victory of the campaign.

The gulf between the teams in this top-versus-bottom clash was evident from the off – the pattern of the game set as the visitors chased shadows while Bayern zipped the ball around at dizzying speed.

Despite their near-monopoly on the ball, the champions were made to wait until the 20th minute to take the lead through Lahm.

Alaba swung in a cross from the left, Muller re-directed the ball into the path of his onrushing – and untracked – captain, who shot low beyond Raphael Wolf from just inside the area.

Just six minutes later, Bayern’s second arrived.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was fouled on the edge of the area, and Alonso’s clever, low free-kick went under the Werder wall and into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

Muller made it three from the penalty spot two minutes before the break – sending Wolf the wrong way after being brought down by Sebastian Prodl.

Gotze saved the best moment of the first period until last, though, as he produced a sublime, curling finish from 20 yards after turning brilliantly on Alaba’s sharp pass on the stroke of half-time.

Bayern picked up where they left off after the interval, though Gotze missed a sitter after good work from Juan Bernat down the right before Rafinha shot wide from just outside the box.

The home team were proving less clinical than before the break, but Lahm’s second of the game after 79 minutes was worth waiting for.

Muller crossed low into the former Germany skipper, who flicked it into Xherdan Shaqiri for a lightning-quick one-two that bamboozled Werder’s tired backline before slotting calmly past Wolf.

And Gotze was on hand to score his second with four minutes to play, shooting low beyond Wolf after slick interplay involving Ribery and Muller to keep up Bayern’s recent average of six goals a game against the hapless Werder.