Bayern Munich goes after its second trophy of the season when it
plays Werder Bremen in the German Cup final on Saturday, a week
after winning the Bundesliga title for the 22nd time.
The contest at Berlin's Olympic stadium brings together the
two most successful clubs in the competition - Bayern has 14 titles
and Bremen, the holder, has six. Bayern has been in the final 16
times, Bremen nine.
"There is nothing better than beating Bayern," Bremen captain
Torsten Frings said.
Although they are the most successful campaigners in the
competition, the two clubs have met only twice before in the final
- when Bremen won on penalties in 1999 and Bayern finished up a 3-0
winner a year later, when it also captured one of the record seven
German league and cup doubles.
Louis van Gaal's first season as Bayern's coach got off to an
erratic start but the club is now chasing a rare trophy treble as
it faces Inter Milan in the Champions League final on May 22.
"Now that we've gone so far, we want to win," Van Gaal said
of the cup final.
"I want to win everything. We are in a certain rhythm, we are
flying high, we had success in all of our games in April.
"And the most important months in football are April and May.
When it mattered, we won. We have to remain in this rhythm and
that's why we have to win against Bremen, so that we can have a
better chance to win the Champions League," van Gaal said.
Bremen recovered from a midseason slump to finish third in
the Bundesliga under longtime coach Thomas Schaaf and clinch a
place in Champions League qualifying.
"Bremen is a strong rival with a good coach and very good
players. They have very creative players in the attack and they can
always score," Van Gaal said.
While Bayern scored the most goals in the Bundesliga (72),
Bremen was right behind at 71. In the league, the two teams drew
1-1 in Munich, while Bayern won 3-2 in Bremen.
"It doesn't hurt the competition when such two extraordinary
clubs play in the final," Schaaf said. If Werder wins, Schaaf will
hold a German record with four cup titles.
He was in his first month as coach when Bremen beat Bayern in
the 1999 final. Bayern was then coming off a heart-wrenching 2-1
injury time loss to Manchester United in the Champions League
final.
"At the time, as now, no one was talking about us. Everyone
was just predicting how big we would lose," Bremen's captain Frings
recalled.
Schaaf, who has spent his entire playing and coaching career
with Bremen, doesn't think Bayern's players will be complacent
after taking a few days off to celebrate the Bundesliga title.
"They still have a lot to accomplish. They are in the
fortunate position of aiming for a historic treble. That's going to
give them incredible motivation," Schaaf said.
Bayern defender Philipp Lahm is sure Bremen won't be lacking
motivation either.
"If they beat us, that would be a satisfaction for them
because they'd beaten a team that was German champion and shone
internationally," Lahm said.
"But if we play the way we can, we'll win, for sure."
