BERLIN (AFP) - Werder Bremen thrashed Schalke 04 5-1 in the German championship on Saturday to inherit their second place behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Following a disastrous March, Werder have finally come good having won at Hertha Berlin last weekend as well as this Schalke victory.

Schalke coach Mirko Slomka is now under increasing pressure. Bild newspaper said on Friday that, though he is under contract till 2009, Schalke management are ready to get rid of him.

Bayern lead by seven points from Werder Bremen, by nine points from Schalke 04 and by 10 from fourth-placed Hamburg.

Schalke 04, who were ousted from the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday by Barcelona, started the match better than Werder with Halil Altintop having a chance in the 14th minute.

Werder came out of their lethargy in the 19th minute when Frank Baumann put them ahead, making the most of a major mistake by Schalke in defence. The Schalke rearguard was responsible for the second goal by Boubacar Sanogo in the 32nd minute.

Kevin Kuranyi pulled a goal back for Schalke three minutes before the break though a goal from Markus Rosenberg (59) and two from Ivan Klasnic completed Werder's win.

Werder coach Thomas Schaaf said afterwards: "This victory against fellow European challengers shows that little by little we have regained our best form and we are on our way."

Midfielder Torsten Frings said: "This is three points more towards our goal to qualify for the Champions League and we just need to keep on working."

Werder's victory will not be troubling Bayern, who look set to be without Franck Ribery, who received a knock in their 3-3 draw in the UEFA Cup quarter-final, second leg on Thursday, enough to put them into the last four, for their match against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.