Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to his side's "attitude and reaction" after Bayern Munich bounced back to end a run of three games without a win with a convincing 4-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.
Thomas Muller opened the scoring, firing home from close range in the 13th minute for his first Bayern goal in six games. Rising-star Joshua Kimmich doubled the lead, nodding in his seventh goal in his last eight appearances from almost on the goal line.
Luciano Narsingh reduced the arrears, finishing off a fine counter attack in fine style to give the visitors hope just before half-time.
But Robert Lewandowski headed in his first Bayern goal in five games just before the hour mark, before Arjen Robben crowned the victory against his former club, looping ahead over PSV goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet with six minutes remaining.
Speaking at the post-match news conference, Ancelotti said: "We played well. That was the reaction I expected from the team. We showed strong intensity at the start and a lot of efficiency in attack."
Ancelotti had called on his players to show a better attitude after twice letting a lead slip on Saturday against 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
"What happened against Frankfurt wasn't good and the players understood this," he said.
"But the attitude and the reaction was good tonight. Frankfurt was a good lesson for us."
In Frankfurt, Ancelotti had accused his side of falling asleep for at least 45 minutes in every game this season.
A happier Ancelotti on Wednesday joked: "We were asleep for just 20 minutes today, for 70 minutes we were good, although we did relax after the half hour mark and at the beginning of the second half."
In fact, Bayern were indebted to a tremendous reflex save from Manuel Neuer to keep his side ahead after the break, leading a relieved Ancelotti to comment: "We are very happy to have him."
According to Ancelotti, "the game was settled" following Lewandowski's close range header on the hour, and it was left to Arjen Robben to score his first-ever Champions League goal with his head in the final minutes.
And a smiling Netherlands skipper said after the game: "You are never too old to score a header."