Thiago strikes as Bayern thrashes ‘Gladbach

BERLIN: Bayern Munich claimed another title with a 5-1 win over hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach in Sunday’s final of the pre-season Telekom Cup as new-signing Thiago Alcantara netted his debut goal.
Having beaten Hamburg 4-0 in Saturday’s semifinal, European champions Bayern romped to another win with new signing Thiago scoring in the first-half to claim his first goal for the Bavarians.
Bayern became the first German team to win the treble of European, league and cup titles last season and they added another trophy to their growing collection.
“We’re happy, it’s always good to win a pre-season tournament,” said coach Pep Guardiola, who has changed Bayern to a 4-1-4-1 system from the conventional 4-2-3-1 formation.
“We have a few things to improve still, we aren’t moving enough yet, but it’s early in the season and we have a long, long road.”
Thiago made his Munich debut on Saturday against Hamburg at Moenchengladbach’s Borussia Park, then the 22-year-old chested home his first goal for the European champions on Sunday.
The Spain Under-21 captain signed from Barcelona last Monday in a four-year deal with an initial fee of 20 million euros ($26 million), plus an extra five million euros from an upcoming friendly between Bayern and Barcelona.
Having won all six of their pre-season friendlies against minor opposition before this weekend, Guardiola’s team passed their first test against Bundesliga opposition with flying colors.
In Sunday’s final, which was two 30 minute-long halves, France winger Franck Ribery opened the scoring by volleying home Arjen Robben’s curling cross on 17 minutes.
Bayern captain Philipp Lahm, who Guardiola has moved from right-back into the midfield, grabbed the second on 23 minutes before Thiago’s third three minutes later.
Dutch striker Luke de Jong gave ‘Gladbach a glimmer of hope when he converted a 30th-minute penalty, but Robben, — who scored the winner in May’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund — headed Bayern’s fourth on 41 minutes.
Germany winger Thomas Mueller grabbed the fifth a minute from time when he tapped home after Ribery and Robben had combined to slice open the ‘Gladbach defense.
Bayern face sterner tests this week as they host Barcelona on Wednesday in a friendly, then travel to Dortmund on Saturday for the German Super Cup final.
Dortmund finished third at the ‘Gladbach tournament having beaten Hamburg 1-0 in the play-off.