On Wednesday evening, 1. FC Saarbrücken achieved what hardly anyone would have thought possible: the third division team knocked the big FC Bayern out of the DFB Cup.
Martina Kind
FCS player Marcel Gaus calls what he played a significant part in a “game for the history books” – In the 96th minute it was the 34-year-old who shook Saarbrücken’s Ludwigsparkstadion with a last-minute winning goal against none other than FC Bayern Munich.
It’s a Saarland football fairy tale that was written on Wednesday evening: David actually defeated Goliath – or, as some media headlines, he embarrassed Bayern to the bone.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow today,” said a visibly sobered Thomas Tuchel after Bayern’s early exit from the DFB Cup. “There are maybe 100 explanations or none. It feels strange,” said the FCB coach.
For the third time in the last four seasons, the German record champions have finished in the second round of the cup. “Of course that’s anything but what we want,” was how Thomas Müller, who ultimately gave Munich a worthless lead, assessed the game.
“I’ve never had a hotter evening yet”
Helpless shrugging of the shoulders on the one hand, complete ecstasy on the other. The surprising triumph was “a highlight in life,” said FCS player Calogero Rizzuto: “How many teams win against Bayern? Things have looked bleak in the last few weeks. I’ve never had a better evening yet.” He “cannot yet realize” what he has achieved.
This apparently happened to many of his blue and black colleagues. “I can’t believe it, it’s crazy! If anyone had thought that on draw day, everyone would have said we’re crazy. That’s awesome, just awesome,” cheered FCS keeper Tim Schreiber, who had a few chances, especially in the second half Bayern thwarted.
The coach and manager of the FCS, Rüdiger Ziehl, also seemed at first to be unable to believe his luck – after all, it was “a huge experience to win against Bayern Munich as a third division team.” The team now deserves to celebrate wildly, even if they are in demand again in the league against Sandhausen on Saturday. “If you don’t allow that now as a coach of a third division team, you would call me crazy.”
Sensational victory also a topic international media
The sensational victory will give the club “a billion-dollar reach, which is not an everyday occurrence,” predicted cup hero Gaus. “It’s all over the world.” He should be right about that.
Spanish, Italian and British media, among others, picked up on the defeat of the great Bavaria at the hands of a third division team. The latter in particular were also surprised: Why didn’t Tuchel let his record transfer Harry Kane play?
The FCB coach explained that he actually intended to do it. “It was just one more change. I wanted to wait for extra time, if there is extra time.” But – probably contrary to expectations – this was no longer to happen. The evening in Saarbrücken also had something historic for FC Bayern: the record winners had previously failed against a club from the third division or below in the second round in the 2000/01 season against the then fourth division team 1. FC Magdeburg.
Two Saar teams in the DFB round of 16
FC Homburg also secured their ticket to the DFB round of 16 on Tuesday evening with a win against second division club Greuther Fürth. This means that for the first time in almost 50 years, two Saarland football teams are in the round of 16. This was last the case in the 1975/76 season. Who they will meet will be decided on November 5th. But one thing is certain so far: By reaching the round of 16, both teams will each receive 862,400 euros from the DFB.
“From a Saarland perspective, this was a very successful matchday in the DFB Cup with two games that were hard to beat in terms of excitement. The saying that the cup has its own rules has proven true again,” the Saarland Football Association congratulated both Saarland clubs.
“Both teams showed a great performance and absolutely deserved to win. Now we’re looking forward to the round of 16 with two Saarland teams.”
The SR radio news also reported on this topic on November 2nd, 2023.
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