BERLIN, July 29 - Bayern are back.

Just months after finishing their worst season in 11 years in fourth place and losing their annual ticket to the Champions League, new-look Bayern Munich swept away the three teams above them and won the pre-season League Cup on Saturday with ease.

But not only did the 20-times German champions win the League Cup for the sixth time in its 11-year history, they did it with the style, creativity and offensive firepower that was sorely missed last season.

"We laid down our marker that we're back," said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld after they beat Schalke 04 1-0 in front of 43,500 spectators in Leipzig.

"It's good to beat all three teams that were ahead of us, one after another."

Bayern, after spending a massive 70 million euros ($96 million) on talent in the close season, played a surprisingly attractive brand of soccer in the six-team tournament, thrashing Werder Bremen 4-1 and Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart 2-0 en route to the final.

France midfielder Franck Ribery, who joined Bayern in a Bundesliga record 25 million euros ($34 million) transfer in the close season, scored three goals in his first two matches and delighted long-suffering Bayern fans with his attacking style.

Ribery, however, was sorely missed in Saturday's final. He was out due to a minor knee injury suffered against Stuttgart.

Also missing were other newcomers, Italian international striker Luca Toni and Germany forward Jan Schlaudraff.

German internationals Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger were also out with injuries and Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel was suspended.

But Germany striker Miroslav Klose, another newcomer who moved to Munich from Werder Bremen, filled the gap, scoring his first goal for Bayern that proved to be the winner.

The last four times Bayern won the pre-season League Cup they also won the Bundesliga championship.

"This team is an attraction for the Bundesliga," said Matthias Sammer, the German Football Association (DFB) sport director said after the Schalke match.

"They're the favourites for all the titles."

Hungry for silverware after last season's humiliation, Bayern officials and players have been talking openly about taking four titles this season: the League Cup, the UEFA Cup, the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

"We've set out to do a lot after last year's poor season," said Bayern captain Oliver Kahn. "It's always good to get the first title. We won't get carried away but it's a good start.

"We've now got a team that we hoped to have. It'll take a while until we find the best lineup.

He added: "The new players represent a chance for us but there's also dangers involved. I think we'll have to wait for seven or eight weeks to see how it all works."