Relief for Klinsmann as Bayern bounce back

Bayern Munich bounced back after two chastening defeats to rout Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 on Saturday with Franck Ribery the main architect of this much needed pick-me-up.

The France international scored one of the goals and was instrumental in setting up another in a result that has given under-fire coach Jurgen Klinsmann some much needed breathing space from his critics.

Klinsmann’s job looked in jeopardy after last weekend’s 5-1 humbling by Wolfsburg followed three days later by the humiliating 4-0 drubbing dished out by Barcelona.

With their Champions League aspirations all but over Bayern had to win Saturday’s assignment to maintain their Bundesliga title challenge and they did the business to move into second, leaving Klinsmann to hail his men for showing character after their humiliation in Barcelona.

“That was a classy showing by the team after the debacle of Barcelona. We wanted to put things right again for our fans,” said Klinsmann, who promised his side would go down fighting if they do indeed exit Europe as expected on Tuesday.

Bayern took a third-minute lead when Luca Toni set up Ribery, who scored with an angled shot from the right from 20 metres for his seventh goal of the season.

Barely quarter of an hour later the former Marseille playmaker conjured up a pinpoint freekick with his left foot for Toni to volley in.

On 35 minutes Brazilian Lucio headed in from a corner for Bayern’s third with Bastian Schweinsteiger completing a satisfactory afternoon’s work three minutes after the break.

Bayern remain three points behind Wolfsburg, who notched up their ninth straight win, a 2-1 affair at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Wolfsburg largely failed to replicate last weekend’s stunning romp over Bayern over a Moenchengladbach side that are struggling to avoid the drop.

Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko put the Bundesliga leaders in front in the 21st minute only for the home side to level with 11 minutes left on the clock.

But Wolfsburg maintained their impressive run with Sascha Riether’s 85th minute match winner.

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath said he had expected a rough time.

“We had expected a tough game and that’s what we got. At the start Borussia were the more active team and we were lucky not to fall behind. In the second half we had the upper hand.”

Elsewhere surprise early pacesetters Hoffenheim crashed 3-0 at Vfl Bochum after having two players sent off while Hertha Berlin were beaten 2-0 at Hanover 96.

Hamburg, second on goal difference to Wolfsburg going into the weekend’s action, can regain second with victory over Stuttgart on Sunday.