Bayern Munich took care of business against SC Freiburg, earning a 3-1 victory on the road and ensuring that it remains at the top of the Bundesliga table for another week — just ahead of Borussia Dortmund.

It was not necessarily a straightforward afternoon, but the result was exactly what Bayern Munich needed as the league’s early-season standings continue to take shape.

The victory is particularly important because the teams chasing Bayern Munich are not standing still. Borussia Dortmund picked up a 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, while RB Leipzig cruised to a 4-0 victory over SV Elversberg. Hoffenheim also delivered one of the weekend’s biggest results, beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.

That means Bayern Munich had to respond to some impressive results from their closest competitors, and they did just that in Freiburg.

The standings movement makes this weekend particularly interesting. Dortmund’s victory keeps the pressure on FC Bayern, while RB Leipzig’s three points strengthen its position among the European contenders. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen’s defeat is a significant setback, and Freiburg will be disappointed to lose ground after falling to FC Bayern.

For the Bavarians, the most important takeaway is simple: Bayern Munich is still setting the pace. The Bavarians have another three points in the bank, another victory against a difficult Bundesliga opponent, and another week at the summit.

The next league challenge is a massive one — Borussia Dortmund visits the Allianz Arena next weekend. If Bayern Munich wants to keep its rivals looking up at them in the standings, there could hardly be a better opportunity to make another statement.