Bayern throw down gauntlet to Dortmund

With second-placed Dortmund hosting second-from-bottom Hoffenheim on Sunday, Bayern took the chance to extend their lead just four days after their Champions League draw at Juventus.

Guardiola's Bayern now have 62 points out of a possible 69, their tally exactly double that of Wolfsburg, who are eighth.

Dortmund host Guardiola's Bayern at their Signal Iduna Park stadium next Saturday after the Bavarian giants play Mainz at home on Wednesday when Dortmund visit Darmstadt.

Victory in Dortmund, with ten games left, could all but hand Bayern the title as they attempt to become the first club to win four consecutive German league titles.

But Guardiola is taking nothing for granted as goals by Kingsley Coman and Robert Lewandowski sealed the win at Wolfsburg's Volkswagen Arena.

"We knew it would be difficult to have to come here after playing Juventus," said Guardiola, who singled out goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for special praise.

"That was another step (towards the title), our points tally is okay, but nothing is decided.

"We started well, but the performances of Thiago and Franck Ribery were important in the one-on-ones.

"The first goal made things easier for us, but in addition Manuel Neuer held things up well."

But it was Lewandowski who will grab the headlines as he scored his 23rd league goal of the season in his 22nd league game.

No one has scored more goals at this stage of the season since Bayern legend Gerd Mueller on his way to the record of 40 in the 1971/72 season.

Having sent league records tumbling by scoring five goals in nine minutes against Wolfsburg last September, Lewandowski remains the league's top scorer.

He could only grin when a Sky reporter asked: "You only scored one against Wolfsburg here, what's going on?"

"That was a clear victory and three important points for us," said Lewandowski.

"I didn't think about the five goals when I was out there - that's history."

Bayern's captain Philipp Lahm says they want to beat Mainz and Dortmund for obvious reasons.

"It's a decisive week for the league title," said Lahm.

"If we win both games, then we can definitely talk about the championship as it would be very, very difficult to overtake us.

"But first of all we have to win those games.

"Our goal is to travel to Dortmund with at least an eight-point advantage. 

"It would be our job to win there. Then if we had 11 points (between us), that would already be decisive."

It was Coman who broke the deadlock approaching the midway point in the second half.

When Lewandowski's shot headed skywards after being blocked, Coman arrived unmarked in the box to fire home on 66 minutes.

There was a distinct French flavour to Lewandowski's goal as well as Coman's cross was met by substitute Ribery, who flicked the ball on to the striker to fire home on 74 minutes.

In the dying stages only a superb save from Neuer, who was rock solid all afternoon, denied Max Kruse's fierce shot as Wolfsburg sought a consolation.