Borussia Dortmund overpowered Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on Saturday with two goals from captain Marco Reus to go back into top spot in the Bundesliga on nine points from four matches.
In a perfect dress rehearsal for next week's Champions League premiere at home to Barcelona, the Spanish side's former player Paco Alcacer volleyed in his fifth goal of the campaign in the 28th minute.
The Spaniard has now scored in all eight competitive games for both club and country this season, grabbing a total of 10 goals so far.
Dortmund were eager to bounce back from a shock loss at Union Berlin before the international break, and had a dizzying spell midway through the first half that saw them hit the bar and force Lucas Hradecky to make a string of superb saves.
Reus, however, struck five minutes after the restart with Jadon Sancho cutting back into the box and Alcacer faking a shot but letting the ball through his legs for the Dortmund captain to fire in.
In a similar move Hradecky managed to palm a Sancho cross away but it fell into the path of Portuguese Raphael Guerreiro who had no trouble tapping in the third goal after 83 minutes. Reus completed the win in the 90th with his third goal in four games.
Alassane Plea's 14th minute goal was enough to give Borussia Moenchengladbach a 1-0 win at Cologne and lift them to seven points.
Werder Bremen beat Union Berlin 2-1 away in a lively encounter that had three penalties, two sending offs -- one for each team -- and four video reviews.
Leipzig, who are also on nine points, host champions Bayern Munich, who have seven, later on Saturday.
