FRANKFURT: Bayern Munich began their defence of the Bundesliga title in perfect style with an 8-0 thrashing of Schalke on opening night.

Serge Gnabry grabbed a hat-trick while Thomas Muller, Leon Goretzka, Robert Lewandowski, Jamal Musiala and new signing Leroy Sane also got onto the scoresheet.

Gnabry netted his first of the game after just four minutes when he connected with a lofted ball forward before unleashing a fierce driven effort into the top corner.

Goretzka made it two on 19 minutes and Lewandowski netted a penalty on the half hour mark to give Bayern a 3-0 lead at the break.

The hosts started the second-half in a similar way to the first with Gnabry netting early on. Just before the hour, the winger secured the match ball with a third.

Lewandowski’s outrageous rabona assist helped Muller make it six with Sane getting a goal himself after latching onto Joshua Kimmich’s pass a minute later.

In the final ten minutes, youngster Musiala scored the eighth but Bayern could have made it more before the full-time whistle.

The result will continue to pile the pressure on David Wagner, whose Schalke side failed to win any of their final 16 Bundesliga games last season.

##############