Enlarge image

Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry combined for a dream goal

Photo: Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

FC Bayern Munich is gradually returning to its familiar level in the Bundesliga.

After outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel's team impressed against Lazio in the Champions League during the week, the record champions defeated Mainz 05 8:1 (3:1) and at times went into a frenzy.

In the Rhenish derby, Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Köln drew spectacularly 3:3 (1:1).

RB Leipzig celebrated a confident 2-0 (1-0) mandatory win over bottom team Darmstadt 98, FC Augsburg won 1-0 (1-0) at home against Heidenheim.

Mood of crisis in Munich?

No way: FC Bayern dominated at will in the home game against Mainz.

This pleased striker Harry Kane, who took the lead after a pass from Jamal Musialas (13th minute).

A setback followed: Alphonso Davies was injured in the aerial duel with Silvan Widmer, Raphaël Guerreiro was new to the team (19th).

It didn't seem to bother Bayern.

After a quickly taken free kick, Joshua Kimmich found Kane.

It failed to hit the post, but Leon Goretzka was there to score the goal (19').

Nadiem Amiri proved that the Mainz team also mastered their free-kick variants, when he smashed a ball briefly presented by Brajan Gruda into the goal from around 25 meters (31').

Bayern didn't let themselves get nervous: Shortly before half-time, Goretzka returned the favor to Kane, setting the scene for his center forward with a fine pass and a short time later they were able to celebrate the 3-1 half-time score (45th + 7th).

After the break, Bayern began the real magic: Musiala replaced Thomas Müller (47'), Kane showed his playmaking qualities and assisted Musiala (61'), substitute Serge Gnabry volleyed a Goretzka cross into the goal with his heel (66.).

The half dozen were full, but Mainz was only relieved after Kane's third goal (70') and Goretzka's header to make the final score 8-1 (90'+2).

Bayern are still seven points behind Leverkusen in the table, but at least the team's self-confidence should have been restored.

Mainz is second to last, three points ahead of 18th place.

Mediocrity in Gladbach, relegation battle in Cologne: The rivals from the Rhine are not having their best seasons, but they had saved a football festival for the derby.

It started with a dream start for Cologne, whose Faride Alidou shot from a tight angle and was lucky that the ball was deflected into the goal by Gladbach keeper Moritz Nicolas (7th).

In return, Marvin Schwäbe directed an attempt from Florian Neuhaus onto the post (9th).

It was a fast-paced game with chances on both sides.

Franck Honorat took advantage of one of them: After a bad pass from Timo Hübers, Borussia quickly switched over to Neuhaus, who served Honorat, who equalized with a right-footed shot (32nd).

After the break, Neuhaus hit the post again (53'), then Alidou put Cologne back in front and headed a free-kick cross from Florian Kainz into the goal (64').

Gladbach's answer was called Robin Hack: The attacker came on as a substitute (70th), headed the equalizer (71st) and shot BMG into the lead (73rd).

However, he was not allowed to call himself the match winner because Cologne's joker Damion Downs managed to make it 3-3 in a wild game (79').

From the beginning, things were clear in Leipzig.

The hosts were clearly superior, but took the lead with an own goal when Thomas Isherwood's cross from David Raum bounced off his shoulder into the Darmstadt goal (3rd).

RB remained dominant, was better in all statistics and converted this advantage into 2-0 when Christoph Baumgartner finished from the edge of the penalty area after a pass from Xaver Schlager (50th).

Darmstadt remained winless in the 18th league game in a row and remains in 18th place. Staying in the league is hardly realistic anymore.

Leipzig, on the other hand, remains in the race for Champions League qualification, but can still be relegated to fifth place by BVB in the evening.

Heidenheim's captain Patrick Mainka almost put his team behind with an own goal, goalkeeper Kevin Müller was just able to clear his tackle for a corner (21').

This resulted in the only goal of the game: Arne Maiers crossed the ball high, and Augsburg's central defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw completed a demanding dropkick at the second post to make it 1-0 (22nd).

The game had few chances and neither team was really dangerous.

An exception was a shot from Iago in the 67th minute, which Müller was able to deflect onto the crossbar (67th).

Thanks to their third win in a row, Augsburg is now eighth, but can still be overtaken.

Heidenheim is currently in eleventh place.

cev/mrk