Bayern Munich managed to defeat surprise title rivals RB Leipzig to head into the winter break with a lot of confidence.

RB Leipzig have become a surprise outfit to challenge Bayern Munich in a season when the likes of Borussia Dortmund have not been seen near the top of the table. The game against Bayern Munich just before the winter break was seen as a crucial game for the underdogs in their efforts to sustain the title challenge. However, it did not provide the results as expected with Bayern Munich running out comfortable winners after a brilliant first-half performance.

Thiago Alcântara, Xabi Alonso, and a penalty from Robert Lewandowski saw Bayern Munich secured a 3-0 advantage going into the first half break. Of course, the club were certainly helped by the presence of 10 men in the opposition after the Emil Forsberg was given a straight red card in the 30th minute.

Playing against lesser number of players in the second half but Munich were even more comfortable and they never really had to go beyond the first gear in order to secure three points. Manager Carlo Ancelotti was extremely happy with the result, as he felt that everything about the game like intensity, tempo, and chances were as planned.

The club return to action after almost a month with an away match against Freiburg.“The first half was perfect for us -- especially the opening 30 minutes. Everything was just right -- the tempo, balance, intensity. That was the key to success.We were aggressive from the start and took control of the game from the whistle. The game flowed for us after we scored the opening goal. I'm very pleased. It's an important win against our nearest challengers. It gives us a lot of confidence for the future," said Ancelotti.