A first for the season? In Spring? Yes, it’s true. Bastian Schweinsteiger will feature in the cup for the first time this season when FC Bayern face second division team Eintracht Braunschweig on Wednesday (20:30 CET) in the last 16 at the Allianz Arena. The 30-year-old missed out on the first two rounds last summer and autumn. In the aftermath of the World Cup, he was troubled with a knee injury.
The last time the World Champion played in the DFB Cup? Almost a year ago. Bastian Schweinsteiger also scored on that occasion. The FC Bayern vice captain headed in to put the team 1-0 up against second division team 1. FC Kaiserlautern. Bayern won 5-1 and were then once again in the final. However, Schweinsteiger could only offer advice and motivation from the bench during the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Olympiastadion Berlin. He was forced to miss out through injury and was unable to make his 48th appearance in the competition. He obviously didn’t miss out on the cup presentation ceremony though. Courtesy of all his successes, he finally came to be known as "Mr. DFB Pokal."
Seven cup victories is a never-before-achieved feat. Schweinsteiger currently holds the record for having won the cup the most times. He is ahead of his long-time teammate Oliver Kahn, who was crowned champion on six occasions. Schweinsteiger triumphed in the cup in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Just like in 2014, Schweinsteiger didn’t feature in the finals in 2003 and 2006.
Schweinsteiger desperate for game time
Braunschweig stand in the way of Bayern and a place in the quarter-finals. It will be Schweinsteiger’s 48th cup game, providing that manager Pep Guardiola doesn’t choose to rest him. What currently matters for Schweinsteiger is playing lots of games and getting back into his rhythm.
Following Germany‘s World Cup triumph in Rio de Janeiro, he was sidelined for a long period. He was struggling with a knee injury and after eleven years playing, his body needed a break. Schweinsteiger made his first appearance of the season 132 days later in the 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim. No goal celebrations by the fans in the Allianz Arena this season can compare to the reception he received when substituted onto the pitch. Schweinsteiger, christened “Football God” by the Bayern fans, replaced Mario Götze in the 78th minute. He high fived the World Cup winning goal scorer, ran towards the halfway line, looked towards the fans in the Südkurve and beat the club crest on his shirt. He was back. He even provided the assist for Sebastian Rode’s goal, which made it 4-0, and afterwards he was almost as happy as on the 13th July in Rio.
“To get such a reception from the fans was heart-warming. It was great to be back on the pitch,” said Schweinsteiger, following his short cameo against 1899 Hoffenheim. “You never forget moments like that,” he added. Even manager Pep Guardiola, after one and a half years in charge at FC Bayern, was surprised by the fans’ affection and rapturous applause for the vice captain. “It’s great news for him but also for us,” explained Guardiola. “I knew how important Bastian is for the club and the fans. Today, however, I’ve gained an even greater understanding of just how important he is.”
"I would even say that winning titles is addictive"
It’s strange that Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich’s two captains, haven’t played a single second together this season. Lahm was injured in training a couple of days before Schweinsteiger’s comeback. Lahm is now back running and is expected to return during March.
We then reach crucial weeks of the season, featuring the Champions League and the cup. Schweinsteiger and Lahm could be reunited in central midfield for FC Bayern but that depends on formation and tactics. “I can imagine myself playing for another three or four years at the highest level,” said Schweinsteiger in February, “that is my goal and I believe I can achieve it.” Despite all his titles and successes with Bayern and Germany, Schweinsteiger isn’t satisfied. In fact, he feels quite the contrary. “I now know how you win the major titles. I want to have many more of these moments. I would even say that winning titles is addictive. That is pure motivation.”
So what are the chances of Scweinsteiger satisfying his desire to win in 2015? Bayern are currently on course, eight points clear of challengers VfL Wolfsburg, in the Bundesliga. After the first leg of the Champions League last sixteen finished 0-0, Bayern have a tricky second leg fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk next Wednesday. And in the DFB Cup? The team are “only” four wins away from lifting the trophy.
It seems unlikely that he’ll surpass Oliver Kahn’s record number of appearances, 68 in total, in the cup. Or is it? If Bayern reach the final and Schweinsteiger plays in every game, that’ll take him to 51. Therefore, he’d only need another 17 but it would take time. He would need to extend his contract, currently running up until 2016, by at least another two years. The national team and the DFB would be pleased if the newly appointed captain, Lahm’s successor, would like to defend the World Cup title in Russia in 2018.
First of all, there’s EURO 2016 in France. Being named European Champion is another of Schweinsteiger’s aims. He lost in the final once before (2008 in Vienna against Spain) and also got knocked out in the semi-finals (2012 in Warsaw against Italy). “As captain, and with my prior experience, I would like to lead this team out onto the pitch for years to come. I hope to triumph again like in Rio," said Schweinsteiger and reiterated: “With the World Cup, I’ve become even greedier. I won’t be tired of winning for a long time.”
[mmc/kr]
A first for the season? In Spring? Yes, it’s true. Bastian Schweinsteiger will feature in the cup for the first time this season when FC Bayern face second division team Eintracht Braunschweig on Wednesday (20:30 CET) in the last 16 at the Allianz Arena. The 30-year-old missed out on the first two rounds last summer and autumn. In the aftermath of the World Cup, he was troubled with a knee injury.
The last time the World Champion played in the DFB Cup? Almost a year ago. Bastian Schweinsteiger also scored on that occasion. The FC Bayern vice captain headed in to put the team 1-0 up against second division team 1. FC Kaiserlautern. Bayern won 5-1 and were then once again in the final. However, Schweinsteiger could only offer advice and motivation from the bench during the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Olympiastadion Berlin. He was forced to miss out through injury and was unable to make his 48th appearance in the competition. He obviously didn’t miss out on the cup presentation ceremony though. Courtesy of all his successes, he finally came to be known as "Mr. DFB Pokal."
Seven cup victories is a never-before-achieved feat. Schweinsteiger currently holds the record for having won the cup the most times. He is ahead of his long-time teammate Oliver Kahn, who was crowned champion on six occasions. Schweinsteiger triumphed in the cup in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Just like in 2014, Schweinsteiger didn’t feature in the finals in 2003 and 2006.
Schweinsteiger desperate for game time
Braunschweig stand in the way of Bayern and a place in the quarter-finals. It will be Schweinsteiger’s 48th cup game, providing that manager Pep Guardiola doesn’t choose to rest him. What currently matters for Schweinsteiger is playing lots of games and getting back into his rhythm.
Following Germany‘s World Cup triumph in Rio de Janeiro, he was sidelined for a long period. He was struggling with a knee injury and after eleven years playing, his body needed a break. Schweinsteiger made his first appearance of the season 132 days later in the 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim. No goal celebrations by the fans in the Allianz Arena this season can compare to the reception he received when substituted onto the pitch. Schweinsteiger, christened “Football God” by the Bayern fans, replaced Mario Götze in the 78th minute. He high fived the World Cup winning goal scorer, ran towards the halfway line, looked towards the fans in the Südkurve and beat the club crest on his shirt. He was back. He even provided the assist for Sebastian Rode’s goal, which made it 4-0, and afterwards he was almost as happy as on the 13th July in Rio.
“To get such a reception from the fans was heart-warming. It was great to be back on the pitch,” said Schweinsteiger, following his short cameo against 1899 Hoffenheim. “You never forget moments like that,” he added. Even manager Pep Guardiola, after one and a half years in charge at FC Bayern, was surprised by the fans’ affection and rapturous applause for the vice captain. “It’s great news for him but also for us,” explained Guardiola. “I knew how important Bastian is for the club and the fans. Today, however, I’ve gained an even greater understanding of just how important he is.”
"I would even say that winning titles is addictive"
It’s strange that Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich’s two captains, haven’t played a single second together this season. Lahm was injured in training a couple of days before Schweinsteiger’s comeback. Lahm is now back running and is expected to return during March.
We then reach crucial weeks of the season, featuring the Champions League and the cup. Schweinsteiger and Lahm could be reunited in central midfield for FC Bayern but that depends on formation and tactics. “I can imagine myself playing for another three or four years at the highest level,” said Schweinsteiger in February, “that is my goal and I believe I can achieve it.” Despite all his titles and successes with Bayern and Germany, Schweinsteiger isn’t satisfied. In fact, he feels quite the contrary. “I now know how you win the major titles. I want to have many more of these moments. I would even say that winning titles is addictive. That is pure motivation.”
So what are the chances of Scweinsteiger satisfying his desire to win in 2015? Bayern are currently on course, eight points clear of challengers VfL Wolfsburg, in the Bundesliga. After the first leg of the Champions League last sixteen finished 0-0, Bayern have a tricky second leg fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk next Wednesday. And in the DFB Cup? The team are “only” four wins away from lifting the trophy.
It seems unlikely that he’ll surpass Oliver Kahn’s record number of appearances, 68 in total, in the cup. Or is it? If Bayern reach the final and Schweinsteiger plays in every game, that’ll take him to 51. Therefore, he’d only need another 17 but it would take time. He would need to extend his contract, currently running up until 2016, by at least another two years. The national team and the DFB would be pleased if the newly appointed captain, Lahm’s successor, would like to defend the World Cup title in Russia in 2018.
First of all, there’s EURO 2016 in France. Being named European Champion is another of Schweinsteiger’s aims. He lost in the final once before (2008 in Vienna against Spain) and also got knocked out in the semi-finals (2012 in Warsaw against Italy). “As captain, and with my prior experience, I would like to lead this team out onto the pitch for years to come. I hope to triumph again like in Rio," said Schweinsteiger and reiterated: “With the World Cup, I’ve become even greedier. I won’t be tired of winning for a long time.”
