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Earlier on the Bundesliga's first day back after the coronavirus-enforced hiatus, Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig was held to a 1-1 draw by Freiburg, and Gladbach took full advantage, looking every bit a UEFA Champions League hopeful.

The hosts failed to even keep Gladbach at bay for a full minute as Plea put the visitors in front, while Thuram – a key player before the suspension in proceedings – knocked in his seventh league goal this season soon after.

Substitute Andre Silva pulled one back for the hosts late one, but Ramy Bensebaini had already effectively secured a comfortable win for Marco Rose's side with a penalty.

Frankfurt had suffered three successive Bundesliga defeats prior to the break, and within 34 seconds of kick-off that run looked destined to continue – Plea finding the bottom-left corner despite being unbalanced after a one-two with Jonas Hofmann.

It was 2-0 just six minutes later as Bensebaini turned cleverly in the box and squeezed the ball across the face of goal for Thuram to tap in.

Filip Kostic appeared the Frankfurt player most likely to instigate a revival, but his wicked 24th-minute free-kick was pushed away by Yann Sommer, whose only other first-half save kept out Almamy Toure's tame effort from a tight angle just before the interval.

Adi Hutter introduced Silva for the ineffective Djibril Sow at half-time and Frankfurt had a little more presence in attack as a result, though not to the extent that Gladbach's lead ever looked under threat.

The visitors added a third through the lively Bensebaini, who converted from the spot after Breel Embolo was barged over by Evan Ndicka.

Silva grabbed a well-taken consolation with nine minutes to go, although it failed to inspire a comeback.

Gladbach returns home next weekend, where it will play in front of approximately 12,000 cardboard cutouts instead of fans against Bayer Leverkusen. Life will not get any easier for Frankfurt, however, as it goes to Bayern Munich.