Bayern power on after bizarre finish
Bayern Munich's Bundesliga game at Hoffenheim was twice interrupted after away fans unfurled an offensive banner aimed at Hoffenheim investor Dietmar Hopp.
Bayern won 6-0 in their biggest win of the season but the final 13 minutes of the game were one of the most bizarre ever seen in the Bundesliga after the latest in a long line of insults towards billionaire Hopp from rival Bundesliga fans.
Many Bundesliga supporters see their clubs as traditional and accuse SAP software mogul Hopp of manufacturing Hoffenheim into a Bundesliga team, much like they accuse energy drinks firm Red Bull of doing the same thing with RB Leipzig.
Angry Bayern coach Hansi Flick angrily remonstrated with Bayern fans alongside most of his players when the banner first appeared midway through the second half.
Bayern chief-executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge put his arm around Hopp in the stands to apologise and then went on the pitch to argue with fans when it happened again.
Following the second interruption, both sets of players played keepy-uppy in the centre circle with some fans unsure if the game had restarted or not.
In fact it was part of the game and the last few minutes were a deliberate non-event - a stand against the banner.
The poster had appeared to have been taken down from the Bayern end and then all Hoffenheim fans and both sets of players broke out into a round of applause, which Rummenigge said was aimed at Hopp.
The Bayern chief added that the billionaire had been "very emotional".
More standing around ensued in the pouring rain, with neither goalkeeper in their goal and no one really sure what was going on.
The players then wandered round the pitch one more time and eventually the referee blew the final whistle.
Bayern, without Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman, scored after two minutes through Serge Gnabry with Joshua Kimmich, Joshua Zirkzee, Philippe Coutinho (2) and Leon Gorezkta also netting.
RB Leipzig can cut the gap to a point with a win over Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Borussia Dortmund, who began with Erling Braut Haaland as a substitute, won 1-0 at home to Freiburg to go level on points with Leipzig for now.
Fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach prevailed 3-2 at Augsburg and bottom side Paderborn lost 2-0 at Mainz, Robin Quaison and Karim Onisiwo giving the hosts breathing space in the relegation dogfight.
Australian Associated Press