• Bayern go seven points clear at top
• Aubameyang scores twice in Dortmund win
• Dortmund's Reus ruled out against Benfica
• Hoffenheim crush Ingolstadt
• Gladbach fire four goals past Schalke

Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti left Mats Hummels, Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robben and Ribery on the bench at the start with an eye on the Arsenal match.

But their absence was never felt as Bayern dominated throughout with 20 shots on goal compared to Cologne's six.

"We played an outstanding match," Ribery told reporters. "This win is also very important for our match (against Arsenal) on Tuesday."

Borussia Dortmund, hosting Benfica on Wednesday for their own Champions League match, also made the most of Leipzig's slip-up, closing in to within six points in third place after Bundesliga top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to help them demolish Bayer Leverkusen 6-2.

Gabon international Aubameyang's two goals put him top of the scorers' list with 21 but Dortmund's Marco Reus limped off with a thigh muscle injury just before the break and is ruled out against Benfica.

Fellow Champions League club Leverkusen, who face Atletico Madrid later this month, drop to ninth after losing four of their last six league games.

Hoffenheim fought back from 2-1 down to crush Ingolstadt 5-2 and remain fourth on 41 points, two off Dortmund.

Borussia Moenchengladbach fired three goals past Schalke 04 in 12 minutes in the second half to win 4-2 and climb up to eighth, sending their opponents tumbling to 13th on 27 points.

New VfL Wolfsburg coach Andries Jonker, who succeeded sacked Valerien Ismael this week, failed to inject any new life into the struggling former German champions, who drew 1-1 with Mainz 05.