If Cristiano Ronaldo's five-goal haul against Espanyol was stunning, how about scoring five goals in nine minutes against the team that finished runners-up in the Bundesliga last season.
Robert Lewandowski got those jaws dropping in nine second half minutes, from 51 to 60, scoring five sumptuous goals to help Bayern Munich overwhelm the team that finished just below them in the Bundesliga last season – Wolfsburg.
Wolfsburg came into this match in confident mood, having beaten Bayern in their last couple of matches, including an emphatic one at their home last season. The second win came in the Super Cup to start the season, but this time, Bayern Munich got their revenge, and in some style too, at the Allianz Arena.
Lewandowski, whose pick of those five goals was an outstanding volley from the edge of the penalty box, himself summed the ridiculous performance up pretty well.
"That was madness," he was quoted as saying by Bayern's official website "Five goals -- unbelievable! I'm very, very pleased. It's a massive evening for me.
"We were behind at halftime. I wanted to go for it because we needed two goals. After the third or fourth goal I looked up at the video wall and was surprised there was so long left to play.
"The coach didn't have to give me instructions. I knew what I had to do."
It was a massive evening for Bayern Munich as well, with the defending Bundesliga champions sending a message of the highest order to their rivals. Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund are thought to be the teams set to push Bayern all the way this season, but if Pep Guardiola's men turn on this kind of style more often than not this season, the title will be a foregone conclusion again.
"I've never experienced anything like it, either as a coach or a player," Guardiola said. "Five goals in nine minutes. I'm so happy for Robert. We didn't play well for 45 minutes and then we score five in nine minutes. I can't explain it."
Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking was understandably at a loss for words after the Lewandowski show. "What can I say? A world-class striker's taken five shots at goal and could actually have scored seven," he said. "Obviously that can't be happening.
"We had a good first half and succeeded in keeping Bayern a long way from our goal, Bayern were unable up the pace. In the second half we've had these famous nine minutes.
"We can't be going 2-1 down 50 seconds after conceding the equaliser. We have to accept the thrashing we've taken."
