Bayern Munich prepare for Real Madrid by ending 54-year record

Bayern Munich will head into the second leg of its Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid in the best possible mood after a historic afternoon in the Bundesliga. Kompany’s side crushed a helpless St. Pauli 5-0, a rout that not only put the Bavarians in position to clinch the title next week after Dortmund’s stumble against Leverkusen, but also brought a new scoring record in Germany’s top flight. With five games left, Bayern already has 105 goals, four more than the 101 the club itself scored in the 1971/72 season. Some team.

What record did Bayern break?

Even so, before stretching its lead over second-place Dortmund to 12 points, fans at the legendary Millerntor could tell that Bayern’s biggest game is on Wednesday. With the showdown against Real Madrid in mind, Kompany rested key starters such as Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah and Serge Gnabry, the latter left out of the squad because of knee discomfort. The changes, however, did little to slow Bayern, which controlled St. Pauli throughout the first half and went into the break ahead thanks to a Musiala header from a Laimer cross. It was fully deserved.

• How Luis Díaz helped rewrite Bayern Munich history

In the second half, the six-time European champion steamrolled the home side and made history through a Goretzka volley that became Bayern’s 102nd goal of the season, one more than the iconic 101 scored by Beckenbauer’s generation in 1971/72. Just a minute later, the unstoppable Olise added another with his left foot, prompting a wave of substitutions that allowed regulars such as Stanisic, Davies, Luis Díaz and Tah to get 25 minutes under their belts ahead of the meeting with Real Madrid. Kane did not play, leaving Jackson and Guerreiro to complete the five-goal performance for a Bayern side that only needs to pick up one more point than Dortmund next week to seal the title. Let Madrid come.

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