Hoffenheim 0-6 Bayern Munich: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Stoppages Marr Heavy Away Win

Bayern Munich produced a scintillating performance away at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, thrashing their hosts 6-0 and ensuring they retained top spot in the German top division, but banners revealed by a section of their supporters caused bizarre scenes towards the end of the match.

Munich flew out of the traps and the game was effectively over as a contest by the quarter-hour mark with Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Joshua Zirkzee notching to see Bayern race into a 3-0 lead. Philippe Coutinho bagged a brace with a goal either side of half time before substitute Leon Goretzka made it six to round off a thoroughly miserable day for Hoffenheim.

With Hoffenheim’s focus solely set on avoiding a cricket score, the home side offered extremely little in the way of an attacking threat. Robert Skov showed endeavour and broke the Munich offside trap on a couple of occasions, but with little in the way of support his efforts amounted to nothing.

The sour note of the day for the visitors had nothing to do with their brilliant players, but came from the terraces. After multiple warnings from both the referee and their own players, banners revealed by a portion of the Bayern Munich fans – protesting Hoffenheim's billionaire investor Dietmar Hopp – saw the players taken off the pitch by referee Christian Dingert, before the game was resumed after a 15-minute stoppage.  

The players then took a mutual stance in passing the ball between themselves and applauding the remaining fans for their support before the referee called time on an odd day. 

Hoffenheim

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Baumann (7); Rudy (4), Nordtveit (5), Zuber (4), Hubner (5); Skov (7), Samassekou (6), Baumgartner (6), Grillitsch (6), Larsen (6); Bebou (6). 

Substitutes: Ribeiro (6), Kramaric (5), Akpoguma (6).

Bayern Munich

Key Talking Point

After 70 minutes with Bayern cruising and Philippe Coutinho absolutely running the show, this isn't the talking point you'd have expected to see.

​​After a small section of the Bayern travelling support unveiled an offensive banner, the atmosphere in the ground turned toxic, with referee Christian Dingert removing the players from the field after remonstrations from ​Bayern players and officials had no effect.

In light of a number of games continuing after high-profile racist incidents in recent months (granted, none of them involving these players specifically) the players' decision to pass the ball between themselves rather than play out a frankly futile last 15 minutes of the game has led to questions being asked of their priorities on social media. 

Bayern Munich

Player Ratings

​Starting XI: Neuer (6); Pavard (6), Boateng (7), Davies (7), Alaba (8); Kimmich (8), Thiago (8), Coutinho (9*); Müller (7), Gnabry (8), Zirkzee (8). 

Substitutes: Goretzka (5), Hernandez (6), Tolisso (6).

Philippe Coutinho

Many were beginning to look at Coutinho’s loan move from ​Barcelona as a waste of time, with the Brazilian being overlooked for the starting XI for Bayern’s crucial Champions League clash with Chelsea. The little magician gave his manager plenty to think about here.

He was at his mesmeric best, turning from scorer to provider on multiple occasions. He may not possess the speed of some of his teammates, but his footballing brain was there for all to see.

Perhaps a little lucky as his first goal took a slight deflection on its way into the top corner, but his second was all about awareness and movement before showing the poise to slot home.

Should have rounded off the day with a hat-trick but somehow contrived to put his free header wide from six yards. Nonetheless, a magical display from the former Liverpool man.

Looking Ahead

Next up, Bayern host Augsburg before a trip to Union Berlin as the ​Bundesliga title race nears the home straight. Then it’s back to European action as the Bavarians look to ensure Frank Lampard’s Chelsea don’t do the unthinkable and overturn their first leg 3-0 advantage.

For Hoffenheim, their quest for European football sees them travel to fellow European hopefuls Schalke.