Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich warmed up for Real Madrid with a 3-0 win at Hanover 96 on Saturday as Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski both scored after coming off the bench. Mueller struck within 12 minutes of his half-time introduction before Lewandowski doubled the lead and Sebastian Rudy added a third after coach Jupp Heynckes started a weakened team.
With one eye on Wednesday's blockbuster Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Real, Heynckes left out several regulars while handing 18-year-old centre-back Lars Lukas Mai his Bundesliga debut. Arjen Robben captained the side with Thiago Alcantara, James Rodriguez and Jerome Boateng the only other outfield players in Saturday's line-up likely to start against Real.
Both sides had their chances in a goalless first half before Bayern pulled away after Mueller replaced Robben, the Germany international striking on 57 minutes when his first-time shot from a Juan Bernat cross deflected off Salif Sane and past goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner. Bayern's top scorer Lewandowski added a second just six minutes after coming on himself.
Rudy swung in a corner and the Polish forward headed home to score for the 38th time this season in all competitions. Defensive midfielder Rudy capped the win a minute from time to leave Bayern 23 points clear of second-placed Schalke, who are at bottom side Cologne on Sunday. Ten-man RB Leipzig crashed to a 5-2 home defeat by Hoffenheim in a key clash for the Champions League places next season.
Swedish international Emil Forsberg was sent off for a foul on Florian Grillitsch just after the break with Hoffenheim already 3-0 up. Mark Uth, Serge Gnabry and Pavel Kaderabek all scored as Leipzig's defence buckled in the opening 45 minutes. Naby Keita pulled a goal back before the hour mark, but Uth scored his second goal with a header before midfielder Lukas Rupp hit Hoffenheim's fifth. England Under-21 international Ademola Lookman, on loan from Everton, set up Dayot Upamecano to score Leipzig's second on 88 minutes.
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