Bayern Munich began a fourth term under veteran coach Jupp Heynckes with a 5-0 thrashing of Freiburg in the German football Bundesliga on Saturday.
An own goal by Julian Schuster and a header from Kingsley Coman gave Bayern a two-goal cushion at the break before Thiago Alcantara and Robert Lewandowski doubled the tally and Joshua Kimmich completed the rout in stoppage time.
Bayern move to 17 points in second place, two ahead of Hoffenheim, who were held 2-2 by visiting Augsburg.
Leaders Borussia Dortmund will be aiming to restore the gap at the top to five points when they greet fourth-placed RB Leipzig's in the day's late kick-off.
Heynckes, 72, who agreed to take over for the rest of the season following the dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti, was on the bench for the first time since winning the treble in 2013.
He did not have to wait long to see his side go ahead when a David Alaba cross from the left was turned into his own net by Schuster in the eighth minute.
The champions doubled their lead three minutes before the interval when Arjen Robben cut in from the right to shoot with his left. Keeper Alexander Schwolow could only parry the effort and the ball fell for Coman to dive forward with a header into the top of the net.
Midfielder Thiago made it three with a shot inside the post from outside the box, Lewandowski notched his ninth league goal of the season and Kimmich made it five as Bayern returned to winning ways following two draws in the league and a 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Hoffenheim were pegged by Augsburg after twice leading. Benjamin Huebner put the home side ahead seven minutes after the break, but Michael Gregoritsch levelled in the 75th. Mark Uth then curled in a shot from the edge of the in the 85th but with a minute left Kevin Vogt turned a Jeffrey Gouweleeuw cross into his own net.
Elswehere, Hertha Berlin's Japan international Genki Haraguchi was sent off for a flying late tackle shortly before half-time at home to Schalke.
The visitors took the points in a 2-0 win when Leon Goretzka converted a penalty and Guido Burgstaller scored against 10-man Hertha in the second half.
Before kick-off, Hertha players linked arms and knelt on the pitch in solidarity with US athletes who have been protesting racial injustice by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.
SV Hamburg stay deep in trouble near the bottom after a 3-2 defeat at Mainz, while Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-1 at Hanover thanks to a last-minute Ante Rebic goal.
On Friday, crisis club Cologne slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at VfB Stuttgart and remain bottom with just one point from eight games.
