'No chance': Bielefeld embrace underdog tag in German Cup final
Of the 81 times the competition has been played since it was created, only once has a side from outside the top flight lifted the trophy: second-division Hannover in 1992.
"Like in the games before, we have no chance. And we have to take advantage of that," Bielefeld coach Mitch Kniat told reporters on Thursday.
Bielefeld beat four top-flight sides on their way to the showpiece event, including defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals.
Their opponents Stuttgart have endured two relegations in the past decade but are among the traditional giants in Germany, winning five league titles and three German Cups.
"We don't just want to have a nice day here, a nice holiday," Kniat said. "We also want to win the game and then grab hold of that beautiful trophy."
Around 100,000 Arminia fans are expected in Berlin, around a third of Bielefeld's total population and well over the allocation of 20,000 tickets per team.
"I don't think anyone in Bielefeld has turned up to work for the past week," Kniat said.
"You see people who have been fans of the club for 50 or 60 years. They're ready for the greatest day of their lives. They filled their tanks and went on their way."
Bielefeld's American captain Mael Corboz, born and raised in Alabama, said his side were given a special send-off by fans and local media before making the trip on Friday.
"Their message was push hard on the gas, stick together, and with a lot of courage you'll make it. And we get that courage from our fans too."
Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness said Bielefeld's league status would not be relevant on the pitch on Saturday.
"I understand the narrative but it's irrelevant for me. We're not playing against a third-division side, we're taking on the cup finalists.
"They've knocked out four Bundesliga sides so it doesn't matter to us which league they're from."
The coach spent the better part of a decade with Hertha Berlin's reserve team during his playing career and was thrilled to be taking part in the festivities in the German capital for the first time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
8 hours ago
- LeMonde
Ten-woman Germany beats France on penalties to reach Women's Euro 2025 semifinals
Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semifinals on Saturday, July 19, after prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout against France following a gruelling match which finished 1-1 after extra time. Alice Sombath missed the decisive penalty for France to hand a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Ten-woman Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. St Jacobs Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken – who also missed a penalty in the second half – levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Sombath's mistake sent the majority of the crowd wild. Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich inexplicably pulled Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from the fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphine Cascarino needlessly straying offside before flicking home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Ann-Katrin Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out with an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, in which Amel Majri and Sombath both had weak efforts saved and allowed Germany to win against all odds.
LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
Are female footballers' performances being accurately measured?
"UEFA Women's euro 2025 had a lot to live up to after England 2022 set new standards across the board with prolific goalscoring feats and unprecedented stadium crowds. However, the tournament in Switzerland is raising the bar even more across the board." When reviewing the group stage of the competition on July 17, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made no effort to hide its delight. The day before, in Geneva, more than 26,000 fans attended the match between Italy and Norway, once again setting a new benchmark for a quarterfinal not hosted by the home nation. However, as UEFA pointed out, "the record may not last long," with France set to face Germany in Basel on July 19 for a spot in the semifinals. While the tournament's success appears evident, are fans truly recognizing the performances of the women's teams? That was the question raised on June 26 by Einstein, a popular science show on the German-speaking Swiss public channel, which had grown tired of the often condescending judgments about female players – who are supposedly slower, less technical and more error-prone, especially in goalkeeping − than their male counterparts.
Fashion Network
5 days ago
- Fashion Network
Puma and Manchester City sign record £1B kit deal to extend long-term partnership
Puma has strengthened its global sportswear strategy with a record-breaking kit partnership extension with Manchester City, the club announced on Tuesday. British media reports value the long-term deal at around £1 billion ($1.35 billion), making it the most lucrative contract in Premier League history. The agreement extends the existing relationship between the English football club and the German sportswear giant for at least another 10 years, reportedly worth £100 million per year. The previous contract, signed in 2019, was valued at £65 million annually. This new deal is expected to set a benchmark for kit manufacturer agreements in English football, surpassing Manchester United's £900 million 10-year contract with Adidas, signed in 2023. Manchester City have had a dominant run since 2020, claiming four consecutive Premier League titles and completing a historic treble in the 2022–23 season. Despite their recent success, the club did not win a major trophy last season. City will begin the 2025–26 Premier League campaign on August 16, with an away match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. ($1 = £0.7435) © Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.
