Cup final debut: Dr. Felix Brych will officiate the DFB Cup final for the first time. It is one of the few events that the 39 year old has yet to take part in. He has been to World Cups, Confederation Cups, Olympic games and in 2014 he refereed the Europa League final, as well as being named “Referee of the Year” in 2013. Brych is looking forward to a special atmosphere at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
DFB.de: Dr. Brych, You’ve already refereed in cup finals before…
Brych: … two so far. The Egyptian cup final in Cairo in 2010 and the final in Cyprus in 2012. They were fun trips and interesting games.
DFB.de: The DFB Cup final in Berlin is still missing from your CV
Brych: And therefore I am very excited about Berlin. When I found out from Herbert Fandel that I would be refereeing this year’s final, I was so happy. The DFB Cup final has become a huge event. It’s a great honour for referees to officiate these games. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
DFB.de: Have you ever watched the final live in the stadium?
Brych: I have watched the past ten finals from the stands in Berlin. As referees we are always invited at the end of the season to go to these types of events. The eleventh time I will be on the pitch and be able to enjoy the incredible atmosphere myself.
DFB.de: Are you able to appreciate up the atmosphere during the game?
Cup final debut: Dr. Felix Brych will officiate the DFB Cup final for the first time. It is one of the few events that the 39 year old has yet to take part in. He has been to World Cups, Confederation Cups, Olympic games and in 2014 he refereed the Europa League final, as well as being named “Referee of the Year” in 2013. Brych is looking forward to a special atmosphere at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
DFB.de: Dr. Brych, You’ve already refereed in cup finals before…
Brych: … two so far. The Egyptian cup final in Cairo in 2010 and the final in Cyprus in 2012. They were fun trips and interesting games.
DFB.de: The DFB Cup final in Berlin is still missing from your CV
Brych: And therefore I am very excited about Berlin. When I found out from Herbert Fandel that I would be refereeing this year’s final, I was so happy. The DFB Cup final has become a huge event. It’s a great honour for referees to officiate these games. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
DFB.de: Have you ever watched the final live in the stadium?
Brych: I have watched the past ten finals from the stands in Berlin. As referees we are always invited at the end of the season to go to these types of events. The eleventh time I will be on the pitch and be able to enjoy the incredible atmosphere myself.
DFB.de: Are you able to appreciate up the atmosphere during the game?
Brych: I’ll have to let you know after the game! (laughs). At the beginning of my career I had tunnel vision. The older and more experienced I became, the more I was able to appreciate it. At least before the game. Then the concentration switches to the game.
DFB.de: What is it that draws people to the cup final?
Brych: It’s the end of the season in Germany. It’s the final competitive match and it’s also the most important. The DFB Cup final is on everyone’s lips, it’s a great game.
DFB.de: In 2013 you were in charge of the game between Hoffenheim and Leverkusen with Stefan Kießling’s “Phantom goal”. This year’s final will see the introduction of goal line technology for the first time. Are you happy to have this extra support from the cameras?
Brych: Absolutely. I have said that many times. All referees welcome additional support. I can honestly say it has been good based on my experiences at the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup.
DFB.de: What game stands out for you from the past few years?
Brych: There have been many great games in recent years. There are many that come to mind but at the moment every game in Germany is great. The stadiums are fantastic and there is an unbelievable atmosphere around football right now. Every match is an experience.
Brych’s Assistants
Brych‘s assistants for the cup final will be Mark Borsch (Mönchengladbach) and Stefan Lupp (Zossen), as well as fourth official Robert Hartmann from Wangen.
