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The Game of the Year

15.05.2014, 19:58 Uhr von: Redaktion

SV Wilhelmshaven, 1860 München, 1. FC Saarbrücken, Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Wolfsburg - FC Bayern München? As you can see our development in this year's DFB-Pokal campaign was steady, but how will the climax be like? Unforgotten are the constant injury worries that accompanied us throughout the whole season, but unforgotten are also the self-sacrificing performances of the whole squad, which against all odds never lost sight of the main goals. Special moments like in Marseille or during the home match against Real Madrid CF will always be in our hearts. Thank you for creating these moments for several years now. Thank you.

Saturday 17th of May. Europe. Germany. Berlin. Sucessful coronation?

When I started writing this report nearly 1000 thoughts rushed through my head. How should this report be like in regard to the importance of the upcoming match? Will I forget an significant aspect? Should I only focus on the match itself and leave the other sounds out? So while I gave thought to the match I asked myself: What makes Borussia Dortmund so special? The quick reply: It connects people from all over the world. While I am on my way to Berlin you are probably sitting in front of your computer, but I know one thing for sure, that you are as much thrilled as I am, even though you will only be able to watch the match via TV or livestream.

For this reason I decided to take the mentioned diversity into account and let nearly all members of Schatzgelb.com come up and share their (diverse) thoughts.

Editors' Thoughts

Scherben: "The weird thing about Nuri Sahin's career is that the two years since 2005, in which he had not been a part of Borussia's squad, were the two years (2008 and 2012) in which we made it to the cup final. This year, it's our third one since 2005, so no wonder that nuri is keen playning that game in Berlin for the first time in his life. At least that was what we said all year. Crazy enough that he got injured on Saturday, but reports suggest that he (as well as the others that were playing great for the last two months) will be able to take part. Let's hope he'll add that particular trophy to his already notable career.

PS: In 2008, when Borussia lost to Bayern, he won the Dutch cup with Feyenoord. So, whenever Nuri or Borussia made it to the final, at least one of them won. Sounds good, hm?"

Nadja: "Berlin, cup final, against Bayern. 2008 we were the underdog, fighting to death against an overpowering opponent. And we came close, very close to the miracle. The spirit, the sphere and the through and through black and yellow city gave the team powers that we never expected that they had. When Petric scored in that last second, it was as if the whole stadium exploded. The sad end to that day, with tears and pride and bittersweet memories felt like it was our last chance for some time to get a title. But it all turned out completely different.

When we came back to Berlin in 2012, against Bayern, we just had won the second title in a row. The game was overwhelming. From the very beginning to the very end, we were dominating Bayern and sent them home with a humiliating 5 conquered goals, completely without a chance. The party, the feeling and the tears of joy on that day no one will ever forget. The boys, our boys, celebrating with both trophies – unbelievable. Now we are returning to Berlin again, cup final, against Bayern. The circumstances are different again, we are returning as equals. One Championsleague final and two second places in the Bundesliga later, we can call ourselves the only true opponent that Bayern has had in Germany in the past years. Thinking where we came from and what we have achieved since the final in 2008, this in itself is amazing. The pressure will be on Bayern. They will have to defend their title and that would probably still not be enough to call it a successful season. Luckily, we are not at all like them! We don’t need a title to be pleased with and proud of what we achieved. No pressure at all! The only thing we have to do is go to Berlin and cheer on our team as much as we can.

Enjoy the day and make Berlin black and yellow! Screem and shout and sing till you lose your voice! Wave your flags, hold up your scarves and clap your hands until your arms fall off! Together with our great team, we can create the spirit and the sphere to take this trophy home again. To Dortmund, where it belongs.”

Vanni: "Honestly, do I think we could win the cup on Saturday? Yes, I do. And that's the big difference in comparison to our last cup final against FC Bayern Munich in 2012. In 2012, I was more than happy and satisfied with winning the championship for the second time in a row and I could hardly believe that we were going to beat the Bayern in another encounter that year. However, I was proven wrong when I travelled to Berlin to witness another historic triumph even though I thought that we would lose the match after the equaliser and the substitution of Roman Weidenfeller. So, what tells us this difference between the two cup finals? I really don't know. Am I too optimistic? I hope not.

Many experts have said that we are the favorite in the match and even though I am sure that we have momentum on our side, I don't think that there is any team that deserves to be called the favorite. I guess it will be an open encounter which can be won by both of the teams running for the trophy. Maybe our black and yellow heroes will be more motivated and more hungry in comparison to Bayern who officially ended the season after they won the championship and at latest after they lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League. However, they somehow need to win the cup to fulfill the high expectations set at the squad before this season.

As you can see, there are several possibilities of how you can look at the final. Everything seems possible although I still tend to believe that we will be going to Dortmund with the trophy. Or maybe this is just a dream. Would it really matter? Would a loss to Bayern mean that we would have played a terrible season? Certainly not. But the cup would be the icing on the cake of yet another great season with several highlights, in the Champions League as well as in the Bundesliga. So let's dream, hope and believe. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart..."

Sandra: "Compared to last year's Champions League final I am somehow a lot more nervous. After the Malaga miracle last year I kept thinking winning the Champions League final was meant to be and never actually pictured us losing it. I think it will be a similiar close match on Saturday but unlike the last time I think we won't struggle with our fitness in the second half. Can see us scoring a late winner this time around! I still love remembering the final in 2012, such an amazing match I really hope we get to lift the Cup again! Either way I'll call it a great season for us no matter what the final result will be because especially with all the injury problems it was way more than everyone expected!"

Ida: "Berlin, dear Berlin. I never really liked you. Someone once told me: you either love Berlin, or you don't. There is no in between. I never got around disliking you. See I tried. I really did. I travelled to you a few times, did all the things I like. But... You are too grey, too hip, too loud, too hectic, too big, too much of everything I don't like. And then every now and then I still come to see you. I make silly trips with fourty degrees of fever and a tonsillitis, just in order to see you. Because every now and then you are everything but grey and hip and hectic. To be fair- during those times there are ugly parts in and around you as well.

Mostly coloured red- but what draws me towards you every now and then, more than towards any other place, is the brightest of all colours, sunshine has nothing on it- it is the colour of our Ballspielverein, that makes all the negative go away. Then, and only then Berlin, to me you are the most beautiful place: when you welcome our Ballspielverein and are host of yet hopefully another magic night, with unforgetable and joyous memories. Dear Berlin, it is nice to see you again. Dear Ballspielverein: welcome to another chapter of football frenzy!"

Henry: "Without a doubt, a cup final is one of the highlights of the season. And if our BVB is one of the final teams it's top. But a cup final BVB against "Buyern" is top of the tops! To be honest during the last years I never was one of the many passionate Bayern haters, which we find a lot in the league. But things changed since one year ago. Why? It all began when Mario Götze left Dortmund to join the red club in Munich. It was not the fact that he left our club it's the fact that "Buyern" communicated his change a few days before our semi final in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Consequences were a fan riot in Dortmund about his changeover. In my opinion a pure calculation to initiate a riot in Dortmund because "Buyern" knows we are the biggest rivals in the league. And during the last months we find a lot of deliberate provocations from South Germany regarding Borussia Dortmund. It seems that Matthias Sammer obviously has forgotten his successful years in Dortmund. Also it's not very gentleman-like of new "Buyern president" Karl Hopfer to name Aki Watzke a "liar" when discussing the conditions of Borussia's former credits.

So let's give "Buyern" the answer on the green on Saturday! The cup final is not only a revenge for our defeat in last year's Champions League final! It's also our battle against arrogance, selfishness and bad practices! And let's hope for a last gala performance of Robert Lewandowski in Black and Yellow. We know we are able to beat them! DO it Borussia!"

DerJungMitDemBall: "Just at the beginning of this text I gave an insight into my state of mind, that is changing probably within every ten minutes. Will we win and take revenge or will Wembley 2013 repeat itself? Being between trust and panic attack seems to be common until Saturday 8. P.M. But in these short moments when I'm calming down, the scales fall from my eyes: A loss wouldn't destroy the positive rating of this year's campaign and a win would 'only' make it even better. So what do we have to lose?

Ahead of us are beautiful days in Berlin, that we can share together with people who love football as much as we do. The capital will be colored in Black and Yellow, let's create a weekend to remember!"