( CNN ) -- Ailing German champions Bayern Munich thrashed second-placed Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 on Sunday to boost the club 's hopes of European Champions League football next season . Germany international striker Mario Gomez scored a first-half hat-trick for the 22-time Bundesliga winners in a victory which saw the Bavarians climb into the third and final qualifying position for Europe 's premier club competition . The 25-year-old scored his treble between an early Simon Rolfes own-goal and a late strike from French winger Franck Ribery , with Switzerland striker Eren Derdiyok restoring some pride for Jupp Heynckes ' team . Leverkusen , four-times German runners-up but not since 2002 when the club also lost in the Champions League final , could have closed to within two points of league leaders Borussia Dortmund . But Dortmund instead moved eight points clear with a 3-0 victory over Freiburg in Sunday 's late match . Heynckes , who has coached Bayern on two previous occasions , is set to move to the Allianz Arena next season as a replacement for sacked Dutch coach Louis van Gaal . Van Gaal guided Bayern to a domestic league and cup double last season , also losing in the Champions League final , but the 59-year-old lost his job after last weekend 's draw with Nuremberg . Bayern , currently under caretaker boss Andries Jonker , are now one point ahead of fourth-placed Hannover -- who drew 0-0 at Hamburg on Saturday -- with four games left . The opening goal against Leverkusen arrived after just seven minutes when Bastian Schweinsteiger headed a Thomas Muller corner onto the unfortunate Rolfes , who deflected the ball beyond goalkeeper Rene Adler . Gomez grabbed a second in the 28th minute when Chile 's Arturo Vidal made a mistake with a backpass , before 2010 World Cup golden boot winner Muller grabbed his second assist of the match as he teed up his teammate at the far post a minute before halftime . Gomez claimed the match ball with his 22nd Bundesliga goal this season in first-half stoppage time , before Derdiyok found the roof of the net for the visitors just past the hour mark . A neat move between Ribery and Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten led to Bayern 's fifth and final goal with 15 minutes remaining . Borussia Dortmund , seeking a first title since the club 's sixth success in 2001-02 , had few problems at home to eighth-placed Freiburg . Defender Marcel Schmelzer burst to the byline and cut the ball back for 18-year-old Mario Gotze to open the scoring in the 23rd minute , then Dortmund playmaker Nuri Sahin limped off with a knee injury . Striker Robert Lewandowski made up for two earlier misses with the second goal just before halftime , with the Poland international pouncing after Freiburg 's Omer Toprak deflected a pass from defender Mats Hummels into his path . Kevin Grosskreutz sealed victory in the 78th minute with his 15th goal in all competitions this season after Lewandowski released Gotze and the teenager squared the ball to the 22-year-old .
Bayern Munich beat title hopefuls Champions League to move into third in the Bundesliga . Bayern need to finish in the top three to qualify for first-half Leverkusen 5-1 . Bundesliga striker Mario Gomez scores next season 's hat-trick for the defending champions . Borussia Dortmund go eight points clear of second -placed Leverkusen .