Heynckes: Long way to go yet

However, despite coming through its first major test of the season with a 2-0 win at Schalke on Saturday, its coach Jupp Heynckes has warned that the road to the title is still a long one with many dangerous junctions.

"It is pleasing to have a five-point advantage, but the title is a marathon played over 34 matches," he said.

Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was equally cautious, saying: "We had an eight-point cushion over Dortmund last season and we all know what happened then.

"We must not make the same mistakes again."

That is unlikely, given the way Bayern has played in its first seven competitive games this season.

"We are hungry," said forward Arjen Robben. "We have not won a title in two years and that is not a nice feeling, so this time we want to win titles."

Schalke has been waiting even longer for its maiden Bundesliga title.

But after an unbeaten start to the season, thoughts that this could be a breakthrough year were inevitably beginning to circulate in Gelsenkirchen prior to the Bayren duel.

"Let's not forget that we were playing against Bayern Munich, one of the best teams in Europa," said Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes.

"It was incredibly difficult for us to counteract them."

Nevertheless, Schalke don't have to play Bayern every day of the week and Howedes does not want to dwell on the defeat.

"We cannot bury our heads in the sand," he said on his club's website. "We now have to concentrate on the Mainz game when we want to keep all three points."

Schalke hosts Mainz on Wednesday morning (AEST) when Bayern is in action against Wolfsburg.