BERLIN (AP) — Thomas Müller set a Bayern Munich record for Bundesliga appearances and celebrated by scoring in a 3-0 win over Bochum to keep the defending champion on top on Saturday.
It was Müller’s 428th league appearance for Bayern, one more than club great Gerd Müller, and the most for any outfield player at the club. Only goalkeepers Oliver Kahn (429) and Sepp Meier (473) have played more Bundesliga games for Bayern.
Müller capitalized on a botched backpass from Bochum defender Saidy Janko to break the deadlock in the 41st minute with his fourth league goal of the season. He has 141 altogether.
Bayern substitute Kingsley Coman then scored after some fine combination play in the 64th and Serge Gnabry made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 73rd after he was fouled by the luckless Janko.
It kept Bayern three points clear of Borussia Dortmund, which defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 away to maintain its perfect start to 2023.
Union Berlin visited fourth-placed Leipzig in the late game and could restore the one-point gap to Bayern with a win.
Bayern next visits Paris Saint-Germain the Champions League. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann was evidently thinking of Tuesday’s game when he took Müller off at halftime and gave some time off to João Cancelo, Jamal Musiala, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leroy Sané.
Nagelsmann said Müller had a calf problem and he hoped the veteran would be fit for Paris.
Midfielder Arijon Ibrahimović — no relation to Swedish star Zlatan — came on in the 77th for his Bayern debut.
DORTMUND MAINTAINS CHASE
Dortmund coach Edin Terzić’s changes again paid off to stretch the team’s winning run to six games across all competitions this year.
Bremen goalkeeper Jiří Pavlenka kept the visitors at bay until Terzić brought Jamie Bynoe-Gittens on for Gio Reyna in the 66th. The English teenager scored a minute later, firing inside the top corner to beat Pavlenka.
Julian Brandt sealed the win with a brilliant finish in the 85th after good work from Raphaël Guerreiro to set him up.
Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko went off injured in the first half after a foul from Leonardo Bittencourt.
Dortmund next hosts Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday.
MATARAZZO’S UNFORTUNATE DEBUT
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s debut as Hoffenheim coach ended with a 3-1 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen. The New Jersey-born Matarazzo was appointed coach on Wednesday, two days after the club fired André Breitenreiter.
Robert Andrich got the visitors off to a flying start, and Moussa Diaby and Adam Hložek added two more in the second half for Leverkusen to climb to eighth.
Stuttgart defender Dan-Axel Zagadou conceded two penalties and Vincenzo Grifo scored both for Freiburg to win 2-1 and leave Stuttgart in the relegation zone.
Also, Lee Jae-sung scored twice to help Mainz defeat Augsburg 3-1.
