The dream of winning DFB Cup final is edging closer. Only four teams are left in the competition. Who will win the Cup? The semi finals will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Head-to-head records: Arminia Bielefeld will not only have to overcome a divisional difference but also their historic record against Wolfsburg. From 23 games, Bielefeld have managed just six wins, while Wolfsburg have recorded 11 victories with six games ending in a draw. In Bielefeld, Wolfsburg have managed five victories from 11 games, suffering just three defeats and three draws. The sides have previously met once in the Cup, with Wolfsburg recording a 3-1 home victory in the round of 16 in 1998/99. FC Bayern and Dortmund have played each other 108 times in all competitions, with Bayern recording 50 wins compared to Dortmund's 28 and 30 matches ending in a draw. At home the Bavarians have managed 30 wins from 50 encounters. There have been seven Cup games between both teams, Bayern prevailing in five of them. One of Dortmund's two wins against Bayern in the Cup was the 2012 final, where they managed an impressive 5-2 victory over FCB. At the time they were unbeaten against Bayern in five consecutive games. The most recent encounter was won by Bayern again though, as they recorded a 2-0 triumph in last season's DFB Cup final through extra time goals from Arjen Robben and Thomas Müller.
Lower league Cup contenders: Bielefeld are only the seventh third league side to reach a DFB Cup semi final since the 2. Bundesliga was created in 1974. Three of these seven teams – Hertha BSC's amateur side in 1993, Energie Cottbus in 1997 and Union Berlin in 2001 – went on to reach the final. No third league team has ever managed to win the competition. The single-track third league was introduced in 2008 and since then, Arminia has become the first third league side to reach the semi final. Bielefeld have already eliminated three Bundesliga sides from the competition: Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen – a feat that only one third league team has ever achieved in the Cup: Energie Cottbus in the 1996/97 campaign. A fourth league team or lower has never managed to reach the semi finals.
Serial offenders: FC Bayern München, Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg also reached last year’s semis. Then, Dortmund recorded a 2-0 home victory against Wolfsburg, while Bayern managed a comfortable 5-1 victory at home against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Bayern and Wolfsburg were in the last four in 2013 too; Dortmund were elimination in the quarterfinal against the competition's record holders FC Bayern (17 Cup triumphs). A victory for Bayern would see them reach their fourth consecutive DFB Cup final – a feat no side has ever managed before.
Specialists: FC Bayern have several Cup specialists in their squad. Bastian Schweinsteiger has already won the Cup seven times, making him the record holder of this competition. Claudio Pizarro has celebrated six titles and is also the most prolific goalscorer in the Cup from all players who are still active. In 49 games, the Peruvian has bagged 29 goals for Bayern and Werder Bremen. Only eight players have scored more goals in the Cup than Pizarro – among them is Klaus Allofs (39 goals), Wolfsburg's general manager. Manuel Neuer could reach his fifth consecutive DFB Cup final, having appeared in the last three with FC Bayern while also winning the competition with FC Schalke in 2011. No player has ever managed to feature in five consecutive DFB Cup finals.
Final: The 72nd DFB Cup final will take place on May 30th in Berlin. Just seven days prior to the Champions League final, which will also take place in Germany's capital this season. No stadium has ever held the domestic Cup final and the Champions League final within one week – the DFB Cup final will therefore open the "Week of Football" in Berlin.
The dream of winning DFB Cup final is edging closer. Only four teams are left in the competition. Who will win the Cup? The semi finals will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Head-to-head records: Arminia Bielefeld will not only have to overcome a divisional difference but also their historic record against Wolfsburg. From 23 games, Bielefeld have managed just six wins, while Wolfsburg have recorded 11 victories with six games ending in a draw. In Bielefeld, Wolfsburg have managed five victories from 11 games, suffering just three defeats and three draws. The sides have previously met once in the Cup, with Wolfsburg recording a 3-1 home victory in the round of 16 in 1998/99. FC Bayern and Dortmund have played each other 108 times in all competitions, with Bayern recording 50 wins compared to Dortmund's 28 and 30 matches ending in a draw. At home the Bavarians have managed 30 wins from 50 encounters. There have been seven Cup games between both teams, Bayern prevailing in five of them. One of Dortmund's two wins against Bayern in the Cup was the 2012 final, where they managed an impressive 5-2 victory over FCB. At the time they were unbeaten against Bayern in five consecutive games. The most recent encounter was won by Bayern again though, as they recorded a 2-0 triumph in last season's DFB Cup final through extra time goals from Arjen Robben and Thomas Müller.
Lower league Cup contenders: Bielefeld are only the seventh third league side to reach a DFB Cup semi final since the 2. Bundesliga was created in 1974. Three of these seven teams – Hertha BSC's amateur side in 1993, Energie Cottbus in 1997 and Union Berlin in 2001 – went on to reach the final. No third league team has ever managed to win the competition. The single-track third league was introduced in 2008 and since then, Arminia has become the first third league side to reach the semi final. Bielefeld have already eliminated three Bundesliga sides from the competition: Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen – a feat that only one third league team has ever achieved in the Cup: Energie Cottbus in the 1996/97 campaign. A fourth league team or lower has never managed to reach the semi finals.
Serial offenders: FC Bayern München, Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg also reached last year’s semis. Then, Dortmund recorded a 2-0 home victory against Wolfsburg, while Bayern managed a comfortable 5-1 victory at home against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Bayern and Wolfsburg were in the last four in 2013 too; Dortmund were elimination in the quarterfinal against the competition's record holders FC Bayern (17 Cup triumphs). A victory for Bayern would see them reach their fourth consecutive DFB Cup final – a feat no side has ever managed before.
Specialists: FC Bayern have several Cup specialists in their squad. Bastian Schweinsteiger has already won the Cup seven times, making him the record holder of this competition. Claudio Pizarro has celebrated six titles and is also the most prolific goalscorer in the Cup from all players who are still active. In 49 games, the Peruvian has bagged 29 goals for Bayern and Werder Bremen. Only eight players have scored more goals in the Cup than Pizarro – among them is Klaus Allofs (39 goals), Wolfsburg's general manager. Manuel Neuer could reach his fifth consecutive DFB Cup final, having appeared in the last three with FC Bayern while also winning the competition with FC Schalke in 2011. No player has ever managed to feature in five consecutive DFB Cup finals.
Final: The 72nd DFB Cup final will take place on May 30th in Berlin. Just seven days prior to the Champions League final, which will also take place in Germany's capital this season. No stadium has ever held the domestic Cup final and the Champions League final within one week – the DFB Cup final will therefore open the "Week of Football" in Berlin.
