Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller says opposing teams are now "trying anything" in a bid to try and stop the runaway league leaders.
Muller was speaking after Bayern ground out a 3-1 win over Schalke to open up an eight-point advantage at the top of the Bundesliga.
It was hard going for the defending champions in Gelsenkirchen though as Schalke packed men in behind the ball, but Muller admits that is the sort of thing his side are now having to face.
"I don't know if it's nice for the fans, but then again our opponents are trying anything now to stop us," he told Sky television. "You've got to work hard for every win in the Bundesliga, particularly when more and more of our opponents are playing with five men at the back."
The relentless rain also made it a challenge for Bayern, who only put the game to bed in stoppage time when Muller scored their third.
Bayern's other goals came from David Alaba (10) and Javi Martinez (70), either side of an 18th-minute equaliser from Max Meyer.
"It wasn't easy to play football in these conditions," said Bayern's former Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
"With it raining all the time, the ball was slippery, but I still think I should have saved their goal.
"I tried to turn it beyond the post, but I didn't succeed. After that mistake, I played a decent game, oozed calmness and we won this game together, deservedly."
Schalke coach Andre Breitenreiter defended his side's tactics and hailed their "excellent performance" against a side who once again appear to be in a league of their own this season.
"The lads followed our plan to perfection," he said. "We were always deadly on the break and it was only a small mistake which Bayern punished to go 2-1 ahead.
"We had a chance to get something today and now we head to Leverkusen and look to get something from there."