Borussia Dortmund put a disappointing week behind them as they claimed a comfortable win at Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann offered some comfort to the visiting fans and head coach Jurgen Klopp at the Allianz Arena after the midweek Champions League exit to Real Madrid.
The result also offered Dortmund a boost ahead of their German Cup semi-final against Wolfsburg this week, with another match against Bayern potentially ahead in the final.
But Bayern struggled to make their mark against Klopp's team, looking lethargic and short of creativity ahead of their German Cup last-four clash with Kaiserslautern this week.
Mario Gotze looked set to cause problems in the fifth minute, but he was adjudged to be offside as he collected Arjen Robben's pass.
Bayern controlled the opening exchanges, with Dortmund seemingly happy to soak up the pressure and attack on the counter through Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Javi Martinez was cautioned in the 11th minute for a clumsy challenge on Aubameyang.
But the game lost its way as the first half progressed, with possession having been dominated in midfield and few clear chances created.
In the 20th minute, though, Dortmund drew first blood. Reus picked up a throw-in and laid the ball into the path of Mkhitaryan, who lashed it into the net from close range.
Mkhitaryan does what he failed to do against Real Madrid and score to put Dortmund up 1-0 against Bayern.
But it was a disappointing performance by the Bundesliga champions, who seemed lethargic in the opening half.
Mats Hummels was enjoying a comfortable evening, and he easily snuffed out the threat of Franck Ribery in the 30th minute after a through ball from Gotze.
Bayern were clearly struggling against Jurgen Klopp's tactical plan and just did not appear to be a threat as the half wore on to the accompaniment of a number of niggling fouls by both sides.
Indeed, only a 40th-minute free-kick by Robben offered any danger to Dortmund, but the Holland international fired wide of goal.
Moments later, though, an attempted scissor kick by Mario Mandzukic did force Roman Weidenfeller into action, but the Dortmund goalkeeper was equal to the task.
Pep Guardiola was forced into a change of goalkeeper at the break with Manuel Neuer struggling with a calf problem, so Lukas Raeder came on in his place.
Four minutes after the break, Dortmund added a second through Reus. Mkhitaryan fed the ball to Aubameyang, who turned it to Reus to scramble over the line.
Seven minutes later, the visitors made it 3-0 when Hofmann collected a ball over the top and lashed it into the roof of the net.
Aubameyang left the field in the 77th minute after he was withdrawn by Klopp, but the striker fully deserved the warm applause from the visiting supporters in the Allianz Arena.
However, the whole Dortmund team deserved credit for a tremendous performance that will boost their German Cup hopes this week.
Bayern's woes were compounded in injury-time when Rafinha was dismissed for raising his hands to Mkhitaryan.
Bayern, meanwhile, will have to regroup to rediscover their form ahead of their semi-final against Kaiserslautern.
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