Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus became the club’s first player in over five years to register five direct goal involvements in a single Bundesliga game, as he starred in Sunday’s drubbing of Borussia Monchengladbach.
With leaders Bayern Munich having beat Greuther Furth 4-1 earlier on, Dortmund responded with a 6-0 thrashing of coach Marco Rose’s former team at Signal Iduna Park.
It ensured BVB kept within six points of the champions, while also saw them get back on track after Thursday’s humbling Europa League defeat to Rangers.
Reus, who had just one shot and failed to create a chance against Rangers, was the star of the show, scoring twice and assisting three other goals against his former team.
The Germany forward, who scored 36 Bundesliga goals for Gladbach before joining Dortmund in 2012, opened the scoring from close range in the 26th minute, before playing in Donyell Malen for BVB’s second.
Reus laid it off for Marius Wolf to score two minutes after coming on midway through the second half, before then crossing in for teenager Youssoufa Moukoko to tap home.
The 32-year-old’s second goal arrived in the 81st minute, as he finished coolly after latching onto Mats Hummels throughball. Reus could have had a hat-trick when Dortmund were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, but it was Emre Can who stepped up to convert it.
Reus’ display marked the first time a Dortmund player has been involved in five goals in a league match since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did so against Hertha Berlin in November 2016.
It was the 100th Bundesliga meeting between the two sides, with Gladbach having gone into the match on the back of two wins over Dortmund from their last two encounters.