Harry Kane became the first man to score four hat-tricks in his debut Bundesliga season as Bayern Munich reduced Bayer Leverkusen's advantage to seven points.
With Leverkusen hosting Wolfsburg on Sunday, Bayern looked to maintain the pressure on the runaway leaders and they responded with an emphatic win against relegation-threatened Mainz.
England captain Kane, 30, took his tally to 30 goals in 25 Bundesliga games, as well as providing a wonderful assist for Jamal Musiala.
Bayern are aiming for a record-extending 12th successive title but their tight grip on the Bundesliga is under severe threat of being lifted by Xabi Alonso's impressive Leverkusen.
Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel insists his side, who put their domestic woes behind them to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, are not giving up hope.
While the former Chelsea manager said they understood the "reality" of the situation, he promised Bayern would continue to try to make "statements of intent".
This clinical performance against Mainz was certainly that.
After Kane tapped in the opener, Leon Goretzka doubled the advantage by reacting first to the England striker hitting the post from Joshua Kimmich's quick free-kick.
Mainz reduced the gap through Nadiem Amiri but Kane struck again before half-time with a clinical finish.
Any hope Mainz had going into the second half was extinguished when Thomas Muller scored the fourth in similar fashion to Bayern's opener.
As with Kane's first, Musiala was the creator with a pinpoint low cross from the left and veteran Germany international Muller was waiting to stroke in.
As Mainz applied pressure in the hope of reducing the gap, they were punished again.
Kane broke quickly and picked out Musiala with a superb cross-field pass which the Germany winger despatched, before Serge Gnabry audaciously flicked in a sixth.
Kane, who signed for almost £90m from Tottenham last summer, completed his hat-trick with his 40th goal for club and country this season, with Goretzka adding an eighth in injury time.
Source: BBC
BDST: 1034 HRS, MAR 10, 2024
SMS
