BERLIN — Thomas Mueller and Thiago Alcantara struck twice as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich thumped Werder Bremen 5-0 Saturday to open an eight-point gap at the top with its first win in three games.
The Bavarians, who claimed one point from their previous two matches, terrorized visiting Werder with Kingsley Coman setting up three goals in an eye-catching dress rehearsal for the Champions League last-16 second leg against Juventus next week.
Guardiola can also count on Mario Goetze again after the attacking midfielder made his comeback from a four-month injury layoff.
Thiago, plagued by injuries for the past two seasons, fired the hosts into a ninth-minute lead with his first goal in 748 days following fine work down the right from 19-year-old winger Coman.
Werder was unable to threaten without injured top striker Claudio Pizarro and Frenchman Coman set up the second goal for Mueller who volleyed in from five metres in the 31st minute.
The German forward then grabbed his 19th league goal of the campaign when he stabbed the ball home after keeper Felix Wiedwald had spectacularly parried a 20-metre volley from Franck Ribery in the 65th minute.
Substitute Robert Lewandowski, who had come on in the 74th minute, netted his 24th league goal of the season four minutes from time to remain the leading Bundesliga scorer.
