Ilkay Gündogan knows all about the about the magic of the DFB Cup, but also of how fleeting such glory can be on nights like these. Almost three years ago, in March 2012, the German international suddenly found himself alone on a cool Tuesday evening outside the stadium in the Rohnhof district of Fürth. Just moments before, he had fired his team into the DFB Cup final with an injury time winner to make it 1-0 against second division side SpVgg Greuther Fürth. Next stop Berlin. Everyone had savoured these indescribable scenes together; everyone, that is, except for the evening’s hero who was left behind by the Dortmund team bus on their way to the airport. Not the ideal end to the evening.
This evening (20:30 CET) are competing once again in the DFB Cup, but this time not in Fürth, but Dresden. Not against a second division side, but a third. How quickly such glories can vanish- following the glorious victory against FC Schalke in last Saturday’s Ruhr derby, Dortmund do not want to slip up in Dresden. For Jürgen Klopp the aim is clear, “If we want to win the cup, we have to win in Dresden”.
Klopp expects “really tough cup tie”
Klopp knows the game will not be a walkover. He expects “a really tough cup tie”. Ruhr clubs Schalke 04 and VfL Bochum have already experienced the Dynamos’ relentless form in the DFB Cup this season, likewise Bayer Leverkusen last season. All were eliminated in Dresden.
Borussia Dortmund, however, have Ilkay Gündogan back to his best. The visitors need only marvel at the second goal in the derby against Schalke to see what the German international is still capable of. It was Gündogan who, so quickly, started the move off with a pinpoint through ball, and it was Gündogan again whose perfectly timed cross, just seconds later, gave Henrikh Mkhitaryan a simple tap-in to score. After all his efforts to score more in the past few months, the Armenian was naturally congratulated in the celebrations, however the real plaudits should go to Gündogan.
He avoided getting too excited, however, instead he preferring to move on and concentrate immediately on the next task. That must have pleased his manager. Before the meeting with the third division side, Jürgen Klopp said, “Whether there will be an upset or not depends on us”. Nobody will be underestimating their opponents. One way to break down the huge defensive barriers will be through players like Gündogan, and the passing his displayed on Saturday against Schalke. Where that might quickly lead to if they win, is not something anybody at Dortmund is talking about.
In May 2012 at least, after the semi-final on 20th March, Borussia Dortmund were DFB cup winners, beating Bayern München 5-2, and the night in Berlin was magical.
