The Champions League final is Saturday (live on FOX, 2 p.m. ET), and it’s an all-German affair. Traditional power Bayern Munich is set to take on Borussia Dortmund. Brats and beers for everyone!
While the seasoned soccer fan may know all about these two impressive clubs, we here in mainstream land need a little assistance getting properly excited for this showdown. Who better than our own resident German (and yes, a Bayern fan) to help us through — FOXSoccer.com’s Thomas Hautmann. He’s in London to chronicle the events. Be sure to follow him all week on Twitter and on our FOX Soccer blog.
So settle in, soccer novices. Here is our interview with the pro:
FOXSports.com: The Champions League final, featuring Bayern Munich — who most of us have at least heard of — against something called Borussia Dortmund. Where the heck did they come from? Who are they?
Thomas Hautmann: Borussia Dortmund has the second-biggest following worldwide out of the German teams. It’s Bayern Munich’s main rival. It’s kind of like a Barcelona-Real Madrid thing. ... Dortmund is in Westphalia, the big industrial center of Germany, but is really only known for its club, especially the home support. Dortmund (has an) estimated population of around 580,000, (and yet) there were over 500,000 ticket requests for the final. In short, Dortmund really loves its soccer.
FS: You did a piece for FOX Soccer explaining the rivalry between the clubs. You said it’s like Barcelona-Madrid. What makes it so intense?
TH: The rivalry really kind of started in the mid-'90s, when Dortmund won successive Bundesliga titles, and the year after doing so they won the Champions League final, which was in Munich. And the following season, Dortmund knocked out Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinals, which is the only other time the two teams met in (the Champions League). ... They just got outperformed in Europe for two successive years, and Bayern’s supposed to be the German club for Europe. Dortmund kind of took that away.
So after 1998, the two teams really kind of hated each other, and you could see that on the pitch. There were bite attacks, kung-fu kicks thrown in the direction of players, Bayern and Dortmund played one of the most contentious matches in Bundesliga history. Ever since then, it’s been something very special.
FS: The big-name English and Spanish teams are obviously no longer in the tournament. To give us some perspective of where we’re at here, if you had to do an international club power rankings, where would you put Bayern and Dortmund right now?
TH: We actually do have that on our site, and Bayern and Dortmund are 1-2 right now because they’ve proven it over the whole course of the season. Dortmund beat Real Madrid, not only in the (Champions League) semifinal, but they also played them twice in the group stage. Bayern just dismantled “the best team in the world,” Barcelona, 7-0 on aggregate (in the other semifinal).
FS: Dortmund is not doing so well this year in the Bundesliga. They’re in second place but quite a ways behind Bayern Munich.
TH: They are . . . but when the two teams have faced each other this season, they’ve all been close games — draws or one-goal games. Bayern just kind of decimated the rest of the league while Dortmund stumbled here and there.
FS: So we have a lot of stereotypes for teams in America. Dortmund and Bayern, what are the stereotypes?
TH: Bayern are definitely the Yankees. They always buy up the stars. They’re buying Mario Gotze, who is Dortmund’s best player. For Dortmund, they're what's hot right now, so if you want to stick with MLB, let's go with the Giants. Dortmund toiled in obscurity for much of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, but have since really come on and been a threat to Bayern, winning the last two titles. But one thing to note is that Dortmund usually have to sell off their best players. They do a lot with less, so maybe kind of like the Rays?
FS: When I’m watching the game, which player should I never take my eyes off on either side of the field?
TH: For Dortmund, usually I would say Mario Gotze, who is a huge story not just because he's Dortmund's best player and dubbed "the German Lionel Messi," but also because he is moving to Bayern next season. But he won't make it for the final due to a hamstring injury, so I'm going with the striker, Robert Lewandowski, who scored four goals in one of the semifinal games against Real Madrid. He will likely have to score if Dortmund wants to win.
For Bayern, it’s tough because they’re all so good and prominent. I guess you have to look at Bastian Schweinsteiger. He’s the midfield general, the director of the game. And Franck Ribery on the left wing has had maybe the best season of anybody in Europe this season.
FS: Give me a sense of how important an all-German Champions League final is to people in Germany, on a scale of “two Americans squaring off for kayaking gold at the Olympics” to “a Super Bowl with a Justin Bieber halftime show and a trailer for a new George Clooney-Brad Pitt movie.”
TH: It’s very much as big as it can get. Bieber at the Super Bowl is an appropriate comparison. There hasn’t been this much enthusiasm and fanfare since Germany got the pope a couple of years ago.
FS: Final piece. A little German lesson. I’m going to throw out some common soccer phrases and you tell me how to say them in German. Goal.
TH: Tor.
FS: Free kick.
TH: Freistoss.
FS: Striker.
TH: Stürmer.
FS: Header.
TH: Kopfball.
FS: Fake injury.
TH: You mean a dive?
FS: Yeah.
TH: Schwalbe.
FS: Well, I appreciate you taking the time to humor the casual soccer fan, Thomas. I think we’re now ready to watch the Champions League final (again, that's Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on FOX). But for your parting shot, forgetting for a minute that you’re an unabashed Bayern fan, please give us your prediction for the match.
TH: (Thinks long and hard) . . . 2-1, Bayern.
There you have it!
