'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bayern Munich roared to an emphatic 8-0 home win over hapless Schalke at the Allianz Arena on the opening day of the 2020-21 Bundesliga season.
Serge Gnabry struck a hat-trick while Leon Goretzka, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane and substitute Jamal Musiala all bagged a goal apiece as the Royal Blues continued their woeful winless run in the league, which now stands at 17 games.
The Bavarian giants were in cruise control after a slow start and never took their foot off the gas, taking the visitors to the cleaners in an absolutely dominant performance to rack up the biggest-ever win on the opening day of the Bundesliga.
On that note, here are the five major talking points from the match:
#1 Serge Gnabry would need some stopping
One of the biggest success stories from Bayern Munich's treble-winning campaign last season was Serge Gnabry, the West Brom reject who charted a phenomenal ascent to the football pinnacle following a solid run of form.
With a stunning hat-trick on the opening day of the 2020-21 Bundesliga season, Gnabry showed that he ain't stopping anytime soon. He was sharp as ever, ruthlessly finished off his chances and excellently linked up with new signing Leroy Sane.
It took just four minutes for Gnabry to open his account for the season when he expertly evaded his marker to slot into the far post before netting a quickfire brace right after the interval to round off his first Bundesliga hat-trick.
#2 Leroy Sane off to a bright start on his Bayern Munich debut
Leroy Sane is back with a bang. After four years at Manchester City, the German star returned to the Bundesliga this summer and made an emphatic debut for his new employers Bayern Munich with a wonderful goal and two assists.
The 24-year-old, who started on the right side of a three-man midfield, was a menace throughout with his probing runs into the area and excellent linkup play with Gnabry, something that will only develop as the season progresses.
After twice assisting his compatriot in quick succession, Sane then added the icing on the cake by opening his account for Bayern Munich. He ran in behind Schalke's defence and expertly beat goalkeeper Ralph Fahrmann after connecting with Joshua Kimmich's lofted pass.
It was an impressive debut from the young winger by all accounts, and should he maintain this form going forward, Sane will be crucial in guiding Bayern Munich to more silverware this season.
#3 Royal Blues still stuck in the rut
While reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich merely continued from where they left off last season, so did Schalke, albeit, not in the way the latter would have hoped for. The visitors ended the 2019-20 season by going winless in their last 16 Bundesliga games, losing ten times and going from top-four contenders to finishing below the mid-table.
Their catastrophic start to the new campaign has showed that the club are still struck in the rut. While you may argue that their opponents were Bayern Munich, who completed the treble just four weeks ago, it's the manner of the loss and their listless display that should worry David Wagner.
The Royal Blues barely got a whiff of the ball all night and mustered just a single shot on target. Amine Harit and Rabbi Matondo, two powerful and explosive wingers, were completely outsmarted and outpaced, leaving strikers Goncalo Paciencia and Mark Uth devoid of service upfront.
And the less we talk about the Schalke defence, the better. Wagner might have managed to escape a sack despite such a deplorable finish to last season. But the opening-day battering last night is a reminder that he continues to walk a tight rope.
#4 Bayern Munich young guns come to the fore
One of the important aspects of Hansi Flick's tactics that has endeared him to the Bayern Munich faithful is his penchant to blood young players. Against Schalke, he gave opportunities to four youngsters, highlighting the importance of youth in his side's success.
Michael Cuisance, Joshua Zirkzee, Chris Richards and Jamal Musiala were all subbed on in the second stanza, but the one who caught the eye was the latter who even got on the scoresheet to put the final nail in Schalke's coffin.
The 17-year-old teenager collected a pass from Robert Lewandowski on the right before showing excellent ball-control and dribbling skills to cut inside and arrow a shot into the bottom corner past Ralf Fahrmann to become Bayern Munich's youngest scorer in the competition.
#5 Bayern Munich lay down the gauntlet
While it was only the first matchday and hence it may be too early to draw conclusions, it was some start to the new season from Bayern Munich who're aiming to clinch a historic ninth-consecutive Meisterchale.
Having only finished the 2019-20 season just four weeks ago and resumed training only ten days ago, you could be excused for expecting the Bavarians to be fatigued and just about scrape through the tie.
However, the treble-winners showed that they are not slowing down any time soon. This wasn't just a clinical demolition; it was the biggest-ever opening-day win in the history of the Bundesliga!
Bayern Munich fired on all cylinders against Schalke, thoroughly dominating the visiting midfield and proving ruthless in the attack to blow Schalke out of the waters and truly lay down the gauntlet for the likes of Borussia Dortmund.
