German Bundesliga giants FC Bayern Munich and FC Schalke 04 are both conducting their mid-season training camps in the warm and pleasant Qatari capital Doha. And as part of their camps the two sides played a friendly match last night at the Al Sadd Stadium, which Bayern Munich convincingly won 5-0.
Bayern Munich have been impressive in the first half of the German season as they are on top of the Bundesliga, and the 5-0 result last night against an out of sorts Schalke will have been a warning to the other title contenders, while Schalke continues to search for its lost form.
Bayern Munich played a great first half, pumping in four goals. Thomas Müller opened the scoreline from the penalty spot in the 10th minute after Mario Mandzukic was brought down by Schalke keeper Timo Hildebrand. It was Thomas Müller who doubled the score on 20 minutes off a square pass from Franck Ribéry, before Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic added a brace in the 33rd and 43rd minutes, with Ribéry again the provider for both goals.
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes made nine changes at the break, with only second goalkeeper Tom Starke and Bastian Schweinsteiger remaining on the field. Bayern didn’t press Schalke as much as they did in the first half, with only Mario Gomez in the 63rd minute getting onto the score-sheet, and Claudio Pizarro missing some good chances.
It ended 5-0 for Bayern Munich, who fly home today with a good feeling after another successful mid-season training camp at the Aspire Academy in Doha.
MATCH STATS
FC Bayern Munich 5-0 FC Schalke 04 – Goals: 1-0, 2-0 Thomas Müller (10′ (pen), 20′), 3-0, 4-0 Mario Mandzukic (33′, 43′), 5-0 Mario Gomez (63′)
FC Bayern Munich
First half: Starke – Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba – Martínez, Schweinsteiger – Müller, Kroos, Ribéry – Mandzukic
Second half: Starke – Rafinha, Can, Gustavo, Contento – Tymoshchuk, Schweinsteiger (66′ Hojbjerg) – Robben, Pizarro, Shaqiri – Gomez
FC Schalke 04
Hildebrand – Ayhan, Höwedes, Matip, Fuchs – Neustädter, Holtby (46′ Jones) – Obasi, Draxler (46′ Meyer) – Pukki, Marica (46′ Huntelaar)