FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund meet in the semi final of the DFB Cup. In previous years both sides have shared an intense rivalry in this competition, playing each other in the 2014 final, the 2013 quarterfinal and again in the final in 2012. Tonight's encounter (20:30 CEST) will be their eighth meeting in the competition.
The record speaks for the defending champions from Bavaria, but Dortmund will take confidence from a game against Bayern not too long ago. Historian Udo Muras looks back at the previous games for DFB.de, in a tie that has become a classic in this competition.
1966: Bayern eliminate defending champions Dortmund
It all started in 1966 when FC Bayern recorded a 2-0 home victory against Borussia Dortmund on January 2nd in the qualification round, which back then preceded the round of 32. Rainer Ohlhauser scored a first-minute opener, giving the 30,000 spectators in the stadium at the Grünwalder Straße something to celebrate. The "nation's bomber" Gerd Müller provided the second goal within the first half.
The second half produced very little action however, as both teams struggled to create chances on the deep and wet pitch. Bayern president at the time Wilhelm Neudecker was clearly pleased: "This 2-0 victory was the best response we could have given towards Max Merkel (editors note: BVB's coach), who claimed that we had gotten lucky to come this far." At the time, no-one would have guessed that the new cup winners had just eliminated the defending champions, but Bayern went on to lift the Cup following a 4-2 victory against MSV Duisburg in the final.
1981: The biggest winning margin – 4-0 for Bayern
Their next encounter again took place in Munich, but this time in the Olympic Stadium, where only 8,000 spectators came out to watch FC Bayern take on BVB in the third round. The hosts recorded a comfortable 4-0 victory, with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge even missing a penalty. He made up for it though by also scoring one of the four goals. The current Bundesliga champions were even able to compensate for the absence of key players such as Paul Breitner and Dieter Hoeneß. Sweeper Bertram Beierlorzer bagged his first ever goal in a FCB-kit, with Wolfgang Dremmler and Wolfgang Kraus also getting their names on the scoresheet.
Dortmund coach Branko Zebec had plenty of reasons to be upset, as he felt that his players had "failed to win a single challenge throughout the entire 90 minutes". Then there was a rather strange effort by FCB, Zebec's former club, to show off their good hospitality, when one of their employers had placed a shot of schnapps in front of Zebec during the pre-game press conference. Zebec, who was known to have a problem with alcohol, angrily said: "They can fill up the entire table with schnapps but I won't drink any of it." Like in 1966, Bayern went on to win the DFB Cup and it seemed Dortmund were proving to be a good omen for FCB.
1992: Dortmund win penalty shoot-out
Their run ended however in their third meeting with Dortmund on September 12th 1992. 120 minutes of football produced no winner as the game was locked even in a 2-2 draw of the second round match. Ten Bayern players had somehow managed to avoid a defeat after Olaf Thon was sent off following a confrontation with Dortmund's Fleming Povlsen. A penalty shoot-out was required to decide the matter and from the 10 takers only one missed – Bayern's Mazinho.
2008: Toni's brace secures Bayern victory
Their next two encounters would take place in the final. The first in 2008 was won by Bayern, who struggled to assert themselves as the favourites. Mladen Petric scored an injury time equaliser in the second half, after Bayern striker Luca Toni had bagged the opener. Bayern needed extra time and a second goal from Toni to secure the Cup. The game did not offer a lot of quality on the pitch, but Franck Ribery stole the show during the celebrations, as he "stole" the Cup and sprinted towards the fans, earning lots of laughs from the crowd. Oliver Kahn meanwhile celebrated his sixth and last DFB Cup triumph.
2012: Dortmund humiliate Bayern and win the double
FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund meet in the semi final of the DFB Cup. In previous years both sides have shared an intense rivalry in this competition, playing each other in the 2014 final, the 2013 quarterfinal and again in the final in 2012. Tonight's encounter (20:30 CEST) will be their eighth meeting in the competition.
The record speaks for the defending champions from Bavaria, but Dortmund will take confidence from a game against Bayern not too long ago. Historian Udo Muras looks back at the previous games for DFB.de, in a tie that has become a classic in this competition.
1966: Bayern eliminate defending champions Dortmund
It all started in 1966 when FC Bayern recorded a 2-0 home victory against Borussia Dortmund on January 2nd in the qualification round, which back then preceded the round of 32. Rainer Ohlhauser scored a first-minute opener, giving the 30,000 spectators in the stadium at the Grünwalder Straße something to celebrate. The "nation's bomber" Gerd Müller provided the second goal within the first half.
The second half produced very little action however, as both teams struggled to create chances on the deep and wet pitch. Bayern president at the time Wilhelm Neudecker was clearly pleased: "This 2-0 victory was the best response we could have given towards Max Merkel (editors note: BVB's coach), who claimed that we had gotten lucky to come this far." At the time, no-one would have guessed that the new cup winners had just eliminated the defending champions, but Bayern went on to lift the Cup following a 4-2 victory against MSV Duisburg in the final.
1981: The biggest winning margin – 4-0 for Bayern
Their next encounter again took place in Munich, but this time in the Olympic Stadium, where only 8,000 spectators came out to watch FC Bayern take on BVB in the third round. The hosts recorded a comfortable 4-0 victory, with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge even missing a penalty. He made up for it though by also scoring one of the four goals. The current Bundesliga champions were even able to compensate for the absence of key players such as Paul Breitner and Dieter Hoeneß. Sweeper Bertram Beierlorzer bagged his first ever goal in a FCB-kit, with Wolfgang Dremmler and Wolfgang Kraus also getting their names on the scoresheet.
Dortmund coach Branko Zebec had plenty of reasons to be upset, as he felt that his players had "failed to win a single challenge throughout the entire 90 minutes". Then there was a rather strange effort by FCB, Zebec's former club, to show off their good hospitality, when one of their employers had placed a shot of schnapps in front of Zebec during the pre-game press conference. Zebec, who was known to have a problem with alcohol, angrily said: "They can fill up the entire table with schnapps but I won't drink any of it." Like in 1966, Bayern went on to win the DFB Cup and it seemed Dortmund were proving to be a good omen for FCB.
1992: Dortmund win penalty shoot-out
Their run ended however in their third meeting with Dortmund on September 12th 1992. 120 minutes of football produced no winner as the game was locked even in a 2-2 draw of the second round match. Ten Bayern players had somehow managed to avoid a defeat after Olaf Thon was sent off following a confrontation with Dortmund's Fleming Povlsen. A penalty shoot-out was required to decide the matter and from the 10 takers only one missed – Bayern's Mazinho.
2008: Toni's brace secures Bayern victory
Their next two encounters would take place in the final. The first in 2008 was won by Bayern, who struggled to assert themselves as the favourites. Mladen Petric scored an injury time equaliser in the second half, after Bayern striker Luca Toni had bagged the opener. Bayern needed extra time and a second goal from Toni to secure the Cup. The game did not offer a lot of quality on the pitch, but Franck Ribery stole the show during the celebrations, as he "stole" the Cup and sprinted towards the fans, earning lots of laughs from the crowd. Oliver Kahn meanwhile celebrated his sixth and last DFB Cup triumph.
2012: Dortmund humiliate Bayern and win the double
The 2012 Cup final presented Bayern with a unique opportunity, as they were looking for revenge having lost the league title to Dortmund. But things did not go as planned for the record Cup holders, as Shinji Kagawa fired Dortmund into the lead just three minutes after kick-off. Arjen Robben - who had missed a crucial penalty in a 1-0 defeat to Dortmund in the league just weeks before this final, potentially costing Bayern the championship – converted from the spot after 25 minutes to level the score. But Dortmund were unstoppable on this day as they went on to score two more goals through Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski before the break.
Lewandowski added a second goal to his tally midway through the second half, essentially killing off the contest. Franck Ribery pulled one back for Bayern with 15 minutes left to play, before Lewandowski completed his hattrick in the 81st minute, to give Dortmund an impressive 5-2 victory over FCB. "All questions have been answered," claimed Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp after Dortmund had won their first ever domestic double.
Bayern had never conceded as many goals in a final and were shocked: "It was a disgrace," said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge during Bayern's banquet after the game. "There is a team in Germany, who is currently playing better football than us. We have to respect and accept that and look to turn it around next season." At the time, FCB were still looking to make up for this defeat by winning the Champions League final against Chelsea in the Allianz Arena one week later. Things probably couldn't go worse than a 5-2 defeat, but unfortunately they did...
2013: Bayern win on route to treble
Bayern bounced back in style the following season by brushing aside the defending double winners (and winning a third title on top of that), this time in the quarterfinals in Munich. The game was broadcasted in170 nations across the globe as Bayern recorded a 1-0 victory. Arjen Robben, a tragic figure in Bayern's disappointing 2012 campaign, was crowned the match winner following his wonderful strike from outside the area just before half time. Roman Weidenfeller made several saves to keep his side in the game, but in the end Bayern recorded a deserved victory. Bayern completed their revenge against Dortmund by winning the Champions League final in Wembley against BVB several weeks later.
2014: Bayern win in extra time
For the third time, Bayern and Dortmund faced each other in the DFB Cup final in Berlin in 2014. Like today, FCB had several injured players to replace as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago and David Alaba were unable to make an appearance. Furthermore, Pep Guardiola had suspended Mario Mandzukic for internal reasons. Skipper Philipp Lahm was forced to be subbed off after just 31 minutes and replaced by Franck Ribery, who had only just returned from injury himself. Guardiola needed a plan to prevail against Dortmund's fast-paced, counter attacking style of football and deployed a three-man backline with Javier Martinez, Jerome Boateng and Dante. The midfield featured four more defensive players, far more than Bayern are used to and Arjen Robben led their line up front.
The final that was again viewed around the world produced very few chances for both teams but one scene would make headlines as Bayern's Dante cleared a Mats Hummels header clearly behind the line in the 64th minute. Referee Florian Meyer and his assistants failed to recognise this as a goal and the game went on. This scene single-handedly forced the introduction of goal line technology for the 2015/16 season.
Goals, that actually counted this time, were scored in extra time. Arjen Robben once a tragic figure in games against Dortmund, continued to steal the headlines by scoring the 1-0 opener in the 107th minute. Thomas Müller bagged a second goal from a counter attack to give Bayern their 17th Cup triumph. Will they add number 18 in 2015? Dortmund will certainly be doing all they can to deny them.
