Berlin: Robert Lewandowski netted a hat-trick as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich handed Hamburg an 8-0 thrashing at the Allianz Arena on Saturday in Carlo Ancelotti’s 1,000th match as a coach.
Kingsley Coman came off the bench to score twice while Arturo Vidal, David Alaba and Arjen Robben were also on target as Bayern got back to winning ways after last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin.
They stay five points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, who were 3-1 winners at home to Cologne.
For struggling Hamburg there was a depressing predictability about the outcome of their trip to Bavaria — they had conceded 36 goals in losing their previous six away league meetings with Bayern.
That run included two 5-0 defeats, a 6-0 loss, one 8-0 drubbing and a 9-2 humiliation in March 2013.
Vidal opened the scoring and a Lewandowski penalty doubled Bayern’s lead just past the midway point in the first half, with the Pole making it 3-0 just before the break after a Douglas Costa shot had been saved.
Lewandowski completed his fifth hat-trick since the start of last season by finishing from a Robben assist early in the second half for his 19th league goal of the campaign. He then combined with Thomas Mueller to set up Alaba for the fifth goal, and Hamburg’s pain didn’t end when the Pole went off.
Frenchman Coman was introduced and added a brace with Dutchman Robben putting the seal on a memorable win on a landmark day for Ancelotti, 57.
After the match, Ancelotti was understandably pleased with his team’s performance. “Perfect day, perfect game. The team was fantastic and I’m delighted,” Ancelotti said.
He also praised out-of-form forward Muller, who was the provider for Bayern today despite finishing goalless. “Thomas was the key man for us today. The best player on the field. He was involved in every attack,” Ancelotti said.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund kept their Champions League qualification bid on track with a 3-0 win away at Freiburg. Sokratis Papastathopoulos converted from a Marco Reus free-kick to put Thomas Tuchel’s side in front and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang picked up his 18th and 19th goals of the season to secure the three points.
In Milan, Mario Mandzukic overcame a wasteful first half to inspire Juventus to a 2-0 home win over Empoli that edged the Turin giants closer to a record sixth straight Serie A title.
Juventus, claiming their 22nd win in 26 games, moved 10 points clear of closest challengers Roma ahead of their visit to Inter Milan late on Sunday.
Napoli remain third but are now 12 points off the pace after a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Atalanta virtually ended their hopes of challenging for a long-awaited scudetto.
Juventus are also challenging for a third consecutive league and cup double and coach Massimiliano Allegri underlined those ambitions by resting several players for Tuesday’s semi-final first leg with Napoli.
The ‘keeper’s gloves went to Brazilian Norberto Neto after Gianluigi Buffon was rested, while Dani Alves and Daniele Rugani stepped in for veteran defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, both on the bench.
Argentine playmaker Paulo Dybala also started on the bench but given Empoli’s miserable record at Juventus Stadium there was little to suggest Allegri’s choices would backfire.
