Champions Bayern Munich triumphed 5-0 at VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday to secure the unofficial Bundesliga winter title at the season halfway mark a 25th time with one game to spare.
Stuttgart-born Serge Gnabry got a 40th, 53rd and 74th-minute hat-trick and Robert Lewandowski had a brace in the 69th and 72nd as Bayern grabbed their final three goals in a span of five minutes in front of only 750 fans owing to coronavirus regulations.
Bayern went on to lift the trophy in 21 of the past 24 seasons they led at the halfway stage. From all past 58 campaigns the midway leader has finished top 39 times.
The nine-time reigning champions moved nine points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who host bottom club Greuther Fuerth on Wednesday. Stuttgart are just above the bottom three in 15th.
Bayern end the year on Friday at home against Wolfsburg who were hosting Cologne in one of three late games Tuesday.
