Bayern now have 20 points after eight matches, one ahead of Dortmund and Leverkusen. After the two-week international break, FCB are at home in the Bundesliga twice in a row, against Mainz and Hertha Berlin. It is not an unkind schedule, especially as opponents are visibly in awe of the treble winners right now. “You watch their passing and it's just unbelievable," said Bayer centre back Omer Toprak, “and they're not just doing it against us, they do it in the Champions League as well."
"Brilliant Bayern!" screamed The Guardian on Thursday morning. "Bayern Munich masterclass" declared The Times, describing the treble winners' display as "superhuman". Even the Manchester City home page joined in: "City beaten by Bayern brilliance," said the club's official match report. Bayern's 3-1 victory away to the Premier League giants drew a chorus of critical praise from all sides, including warm applause from the generous and sporting home crowd at the Etihad Stadium. FCB President Uli Hoeneß awarded his team “full marks with distinction”.
"For 80 minutes, I think we saw a brand of football I've basically never seen before in my life," Hoeneß said after the final whistle. The President believes Pep Guardiola has succeeded in taking the team up to yet another level, even after the glories of the previous treble-winning season: "We used to have a super team, and now we have a super-super team."
The triumph in Manchester was Bayern's seventh straight win in the Champions League and the fourth in a row away from home in the competition, both setting new club records. City lost at home in Europe for only the second time ever, and were beaten on their home patch in European competition for the first time in 20 games or five years. Before Wednesday, the Sky Blues had never conceded three goals at home in a UEFA competition.
