Much-changed Bayern sink Freiburg
Munich - FC Bayern Munich took their Bundesliga points tally to a record-breaking 84 following a narrow but comfortable 1-0 win over SC Freiburg.
Slipping into gear
Capped by 's maiden Bundesliga goal, it was yet another dominant display from a Bayern line-up that showed a whopping ten changes to the side that stole the midweek headlines with a world-beating victory against FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
If Jupp Heynckes has such a thing as a second-string XI this was it, but the hosts nonetheless made the sort of controlled start Bayern fans have become accustomed to of late, with Xherdan Shaqiri the first to threaten, meeting Mario Mandzukic's cool knock-down and firing past the post from 18 yards.
Freiburg had never won in Munich, but they might have given themselves a chance at bucking such an unwanted trend when an unmarked Jonathan Schmid found the ball at his feet right on the penalty spot, only to skew wide with Tom Starke's goal at his mercy.
Can strikes
Another record would soon tumble, though, as Bayern took a 1-0 lead for a milestone 27th time this season after Can got the faintest of touches on Shaqiri's devilish free kick. It could have been two moments later, but Mandzukic fired straight at Oliver Baumann.
The hosts got straight back on the horse at the start of the second half, with Shaqiri again making his presence felt in front of the Freiburg back four, before Mandzukic took on Claudio Pizarro's slide-rule pass and saw his deft lob graze the top of the crossbar.
Gomez Cameo
Looking to kill off the contest, Heynckes threw Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez into the fray, with the latter planting a downward header narrowly wide with his first touch of the afternoon and then tickling the post late on.
While it wasn't vintage Bayern, it was still another commanding display and, with so many key players rested, the ideal warm-up for next week's second-leg showdown at Camp Nou.
Line-ups and statistics
Christopher Mayer-Lodge
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