Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-0 Absolutely no chance for Fortuna in this semi-final. Florian Wirtz with 2 goals (1 pen) and 1 assist again MOTM. Awesome player. The dream of an "all 2.Bundesliga final" for the first time ever was already over after 7 mins when Leverkusen scored for the first time. Final : Bayer vs Kaiserslautern Cup winner of 1993 (Bayer) vs Cup winner of 1996 (FCK) Bayer won the cup 1-time, FCK 3-times but of course Leverkusen is the big favourite. The only time that a 2.Bundesliga side won the DFB Pokal was in 1992 when Hannover 96 won 4-3 (after penalty shootout) against Gladbach. This was a sensation back then and it would be an even greater sensation this time if the "roten Teufel (red devils)" would win it against Bayer. Leverkusen now unbeaten in all 40 competitve matches this season. Yesterday they weren't in danger of ending this streak. Maybe it will end against West Ham in the Europa league....I have a gut feeling here
Did you enjoy that Hannover, what with you being Braunschweig and all. Speaking of which, I may visit the Eintracht stadion in one of those long weekends in May. Game is against Wiesbaden on the 12th! So Bayer vs Lautern then. Bit of a conundrum for me. I like Bayer and their sensible approach to managing a football club (ie not throwing money out the window like everybody else) but Lautern share a special bond with Sechzig. Suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if either win the game. Leverkusen will most likely win the league so if they can give a trophy to Lautern I wouldn't mind. Bet Xabi would though.
Moyes must be relishing the chance to be the one to break Alonso's run. Even if it only means some meaningless 1-0 win in the second leg after being battered 4-0 in Leverkusen.
I have no problem with 96 tbh, hardcore Eintracht Fans will see it different, though. 12th May? Second last matchday, hopefully Eintracht is already safe at that time. Last weekend they had a very encouraging 5-0 home win against Elversberg. But still only 1 pt ahead of Kaiserslautern at the relegation playoff spot. The Eintracht Stadium isn't a football only one. I always hated the track around the field. But at least nowadays it's all roofed. When I lived in Braunschweig in the late 80s during stay at the Uni the stadium had uncovered stands on 3 sides and we often stood there and "haben uns den Arsch abgefroren" Lautern still not safe and maybe even will be relegated again to 3.Liga. Last time FCK won the Cup in 1996 they were also just relegated (that time from 1.Bundesliga). Coincidence? I don't wish FCK the relegation but I hope they'll lose next weekend at the Volkspark, though
The way things are looking right now (Bayern losing, Leverkusen winning) Leverkusen would only need one more win? Winning the title with 5 games to spare, some achievement that by Xabi.
Imagine if they get knocked out the CL they'll just get rid of Tuchel early. Plausibly don't even finish 2nd right now. Wild.
16 point gap, thats embarassing for Bayern that. Tuchel's reputation has taken an absolute mauling, last big job he gets I'd guess.
Has to go down as one of the worst Bayern seasons ever. Our habit of profiting from Dortmund's failures has come to an end. From Bayern-Dusel to Bayern-Grusel. Now even Heidenheim are too much for us. I cannot even point on a map where this place is. Now for the Champions League. The last time I feared Arsenal was back when Vieira, Henry and Kanu were playing. I'm not looking forward to this CL tie after the nonsense Bayern have been playing the last few weeks. What on earth is going on at Man Utd to lose to this Bayern side twice? As for Leverkusen, even when they play badly they still get the edge over all their opponents. Next 1:0 narrow win at Union Berlin. 41 games unbeaten - this is supposed to be Bayern's record, but it's Bayer's. From Vizekusen to Neverlusen - as somebody quite fittingly nicknamed them here.
It didn't matter today, we all know the title is over this year but that CL qualification is certain. The motivation is gone, I couldn't care less if we finish second, third or fourth tbh. The CL tie v Arsenal is all that is important now, yes we might f##k it up, what the hell, one bad season in god knows how many, let's see someone else win the league for once.
Quote of the Day Stuttgart won in Dortmund meaning that they're now even with Bayern on points and Dortmund lost the 4th place, the last CL spot, to Leipzig (won 4-1 in Freiburg) on Goal Difference. Wow! Heidenheim in their first ever season at the top tier now at 10th. Again Wow! City has only 50.000 citizen, would fill Bayern's Allianz Arena only to 2/3 **************** In the 2.Bundesliga St.Pauli lost the saturday evening match at Karlsruhe ( both teams are the 2 best teams of the Rückrunde, St.Pauli 1st, KSC 2nd). Holstein Kiel winning again (4-0 in Nürnberg) they are now only 2 points behind Pauli. HSV won 2-1 against Kaiserslautern and is back on 3rd, at least for a night. Fingers crossed for #15 Eintracht Braunschweig today at #4 Fortuna Düsseldorf. I hope they get at least a draw, would be good for them and also for HSV. Seems that HSV will only play for 3rd place again. 7 points to Kiel at 2nd with only 6 matches to play is a lot, especially with the great form Holstein is actually in and tbh they deserve promotion. After 3 times in a row 4th place now 3 times in a row 3rd place for HSV? It's not so easy to get out of 2.Bundesliga for relegated clubs, as Schalke and Hertha are actually finding out and it's not only HSV who is now for a few seasons in the 2nd tier, the same for Nürnberg, Hannover, who are now also a few seasons here after relegation (and not to forget Bielefeld's back to back relegation from 1.BL to 3.Liga, where they can't get out, either) At least HSV played all 6 seasons in the top4 and had never anything to do with relegation danger in 2.Bundesliga unlike all the mentioned clubs (in one season or the other) edit: Too bad. Fortuna won 2-0 against Eintracht, meaning that they're back at 3rd and HSV down to 4th again. And to make it worse, Eintracht is back at the relegation playoff spot because Hansa Rostock won (FCK now at a direct relegation spot after the loss against HSV)
More garbage from Bayern, but luckily Köln were not good enough to exploit it. 2:0 win, but we're seriously so shit, it's not even funny anymore. Our passing game is a disgrace and the defending is too stand-offish. If Bayern play like this against Arsenal, the Gunners are going through to the semis in our own backyard, just like Liverpool did in 2019.
Did you post about the 1st leg? Didn't find anything in the thread but maybe my search wasn't thorough enough. Reckon if the Premiership Arsenal turn up on wednesday, you have no chance. In the 1st leg, Arsenal didn't do anything. Just expected Bayern to roll over and that's it. It's obvious they are prioritizing a league win over the CL (as well they should). Still looking forward to the 2nd leg.
Bollocks, Bayern know that the league is over this season, they also know that CL qualification is certain, so there was no motivation. Tuchel left half the team out. I didn't even bother watching it live.
We know the Meisterschaft is over, but I'm sure they took the game as a training match for Arsenal, as certain defensive tactics, such as the lack of high pressing, resembled the first leg. I hope you're right and Bayern only gave 10%, because they looked awful yesterday. We also want direct qualification for the CL, rather than risk getting knocked out before the actual CL even starts, don't we? Congratulations to Bayer Leverkusen on winning the Bundesliga. I'm not disappointed after Bayern won the league 11 years in a row. Some fans were still in nappies the last time we didn't win. Anyways, I'm happy for Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso, as they played very well and I like their style of play. Alonso is also making the right decision by sticking with his epic Leverkusen project, rather than starting from zero at some impatient major club.
