´We´re worthy champions´, says Kehl

13 May 2012 15:57

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sebastian Kehl was delighted with his side's 5-2 DFB-Pokal final win over Bayern Munich on Saturday.

The holding midfielder admitted the Bavarians caused them plenty of problems, but stressed that Dortmund were up to the task as they completed the domestic double after previously securing the Bundesliga title.

"I think we've proved we're worthy champions and cup winners this season. We were always up for it and alert," Kehl said.

"Bayern are a very good team, and we've been made to work extremely hard on Saturday.

"Taking a 2-1 lead settled us down, and then we scored the important third before half-time. In the second half we waited for our chances on the break, and we've ended up deserving to win."

Dortmund had last won the DFB-Pokal in 1988-89.

Loew predicts Bayern backlash

13 May 2012 15:08

Germany coach Joachim Loew believes Bayern Munich will bounce back against Chelsea after their DFB Pokal final thrashing.

Jupp Heynckes' men looked horribly out of sorts in Berlin as they were thrashed 5-2 in the final by Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Bayern suffered a fifth successive defeat at the hands of their great rivals in all competitions after Robert Lewandowski netted a hat-trick following earlier strikes from Shinji Kagawa and Mats Hummels.

While Germany boss Loew felt that Bayern got what they deserved, he does not believe that their hopes of claiming a fifth Champions League title will have have been affected by what happened at the Olympiastadion.

"I never expected this result," Loew said. "But especially based on the second half it's a deserved victory.

"Dortmund always show plenty of bite against Bayern, but I think we'll see a huge reaction from Bayern against Chelsea next weekend."

Bayern host Chelsea in the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday.

Defeated Bayern were better, says Lahm

13 May 2012 12:05

Bayern Munich full-back Philipp Lahm has claimed they were the better team in their 5-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Pokal final.

The Bavarians had started reasonably well but Shinji Kagawa opened the scoring in Berlin for the German champions and although Arjen Robben equalised, a penalty from Mats Hummels and a Robert Lewandowski strike right in injury-time at the end of the first-half put two goals between the sides at the break.

The latter struck twice more, either side of an effort from Bayern's Franck Ribery, to seal the double for Dortmund and leave Lahm in shock at just how poorly his side had defended.

"We were the better team for 90 minutes, but we made disastrous errors and kept handing it to our opponents on a plate, a situation Dortmund exploited to the maximum," the Germany international told the club's official website.

"We just can't make errors like that next week (against Chelsea)."

Meanwhile, Dutch winger Robben admitted that he is glad that Bayern still have the Champions League final against the Blues to look forward to after their devastating defeat by Dortmund.

"Losing 5–2 hurts a lot. I can't explain that performance," the Netherlands international said.

"We're frustrated now, but as of Monday our focus is on the Champions League final."

Bayern will be bidding to claim their fifth European Cup title when they host the Blues at the Allianz Arena next Saturday.

DFB Pokal: Borussia Dortmund 5 Bayern Munich 2

12 May 2012 22:52

Borussia Dortmund secured a domestic double with a 5-2 victory over Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Shinji Kagawa put the Bundesliga champions ahead early on but Arjen Robben levelled the game with a penalty midway through the first half. Mats Hummels restored Dortmund's lead before Robert Lewandowski added another in stoppage time.

Lewandowski then added his second with a thunderous finish just before the hour mark that seemed to put the trophy well beyond Bayern's reach.

Franck Ribery ignited a late surge for Bayern with an excellent solo effort but Lewandowski completed his hat-trick in the dying moments to put the game beyond Jupp Heynckes' men.

The Bavarians started the game promisingly but fell behind to Dortmund's first attack with just three minutes played.

Jakub Blaszczykowski pounced on a weak back pass from Luiz Gustavo before squaring the ball for Kagawa to slot the opening goal home.

Bayern went close through Mario Gomez soon after and their perseverance eventually paid off when the striker was brought down for a penalty by Roman Weidenfeller.

The Dortmund goalkeeper was booked before Robben stepped up and converted the spot kick with 25 minutes on the clock.

The game was being evenly contested and after Hummels made a goal-line block from Philipp Lahm's shot, he made himself a hero at the other end moments before the break.

Jerome Boateng fouled Blaszczykowski in the area and Hummels converted the penalty.

Dortmund then managed to add another goal in first-half stoppage time when Kagawa played a fantastic reverse pass into Lewandowski, with the Polish international firing home to double the lead.

The second half continued to go from end to end with Dortmund proving very dangerous on the break and after a number of let-offs, Juergen Klopp's side added a fourth when Lewandowski slammed an emphatic finish past Manuel Neuer.

Bayern managed to reduce the deficit with a superb individual effort from Ribery, the Frenchman carrying the ball across the box from the right before rifling an effort into the bottom corner.

Lewandowski completed his hat-trick when he headed home from Lukas Piszczek's cross after the right-back capitalised on a spilled ball by Neuer.

The win was Dortmund's first DFB Pokal title in 23 years.

Lattek: Bayern must win DFB Pokal

12 May 2012 16:06

Former Bayern Munich coach Udo Lattek says Jupp Heynckes' men must win Saturday's DFB Pokal final against Borussia Dortmund.

The 77-year-old, who coached both clubs throughout his career, feels the Bavarians need the cup glory more than ever before - for a much needed confidence boost heading into the Champions League final against Chelsea.

"For many in Bavaria, the cup has been more of a necessary evil or a consolation prize in the past. If you could not win the Bundesliga, then at least you would win this trophy," Lattek told TZ.

"However this time it's different. This time the cup is really important for the Bavarians.

"There are a whole host of reasons: they need to win the cup. They will want to avoid Dortmund doing the double. They do not want to lose for the fifth consecutive time against Dortmund.

"They must prevent the continued national rise of Dortmund. But most of all they will want to get self-confidence for the match against Chelsea."

Strunz predicts classic DFB Pokal final

12 May 2012 15:19

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Strunz has predicted a thrilling DFB Pokal final between his old side and Borussia Dortmund.

Juergen Klopp's men have had the better of their illustrious Bavarian counterparts of late, and claimed their second consecutive Bundesliga title this term, while the Allianz Arena outfit have the Champions League final against Chelsea to play next weekend.

Strunz is hoping his former club can win but feels it could be by the finest of margins.

"I do not dare to predict. It will be a very close and emotional game. The winner could be decided in a penalty shoot-out," he told Goal.com.

"The game against Dortmund is just as important as the Champions League final. No Bayern player wants to lose for the fifth time in a row against Borussia Dortmund.

"It is also about psychological aspects for the new season. The winner of the game will go into next season's first encounter full of confidence after victory.

"Of course Bayern's seasons are always judged by how many titles they won. Even if Bayern get no titles, they have played a very good season."

Schweinsteiger: Final will be toughest yet

12 May 2012 09:44

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger feels the DFB Pokal final against Borussia Dortmund will be the toughest yet.

The Bavarian giants will take on Jurgen Klopp's men on Saturday to decide the winners of the domestic trophy, with the Signal Iduna Park outfit looking to wrap up a double after claiming the league title.

The Germany international midfielder is expecting a tough game, but feels that his side can prevail if they show the same qualities that saw them beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

"It will be the hardest game of all the five cup finals that I have played in," Schweinsteiger told Kicker.

"However, if we play with passion, as we did in Madrid, with the right mentality and willingness to run, then it will be hard to beat us."

Striker Mario Gomez is also wary of Dortmund's qualities, but is out to achieve glory in the final.

"For us, it does not matter who the opponents are, we really want to win this trophy. That it is Dortmund, the most difficult team to play in Germany, we are aware of.

"But we are also not easy to play, so I think we will be on the winning side this time."

Finally, with Bayern to take on Chelsea in the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena next weekend, Toni Kroos said it wais difficult to forget about the upcoming European fixture.

"It is not possible to completely get Chelsea out of our heads; the Champions League is just too big an event. But Dortmund are also in our heads," he told Bild.

Heynckes bullish ahead of cup final

11 May 2012 23:33

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes is in a confident mood ahead of the DFB-Pokal final against Borussia Dortmund.

The Bavarian giants have lost both of their matches against Dortmund this season, but Heynckes believes his side will finally be able to defeat Juergen Klopp's men on Saturday.

"In such a game, many factors play a role," he told Goal.com. "We have thought a lot, of course, about how we can beat Dortmund. I am very confident.

"It would mean a lot to win this cup. I think we have to win tomorrow."

Heynckes took the time to praise his Dortmund counterpart, saying: "Klopp has managed to integrate young players into the team.

"Dortmund's success is closely attached to Klopp's name."

Bayern lock horns with Chelsea on May 19 in the Champions League final, but Heynckes said his players will be fully focused on the match against Dortmund.

"You cannot get the Champions League final out of the players' heads," he said. "But the DFB-Pokal is a major goal of ours.

"We are focused solely on the match against Dortmund, then we will worry about the Champions League final."

Hummels tips Kagawa to leave Dortmund

11 May 2012 16:15

Mats Hummels does not expect his Borussia Dortmund team-mate Shinji Kagawa to stay at the club beyond the end of the season.

The Japanese star has been in fantastic form this season as his club stormed to a second consecutive Bundesliga title, but has been widely linked with a move away with Manchester United the reported destination.

The 23-year-old has been stalling over signing a new contract, and Hummels believes that this is an indication that Kagawa is preparing for a move elsewhere.

"Shinji is a world-class player, but honestly, I don't expect him to stay with us. Otherwise, he would have extended his contract by now," Hummels told Bild.

"However, I'm not scared because we're going to get Marco Reus and we won't be losing any quality."

Borussia Dortmund have the chance to complete a domestic double on Saturday when they face Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal final, and although Juergen Klopp's men have overcome their rivals twice in the league this season, Hummels is expecting a different challenge this time around.

"They'll definitely take us seriously. They'll play differently in Berlin," he said.

Woerns impressed by Dortmund progress

11 May 2012 15:54

Former Borussia Dortmund defender Christian Woerns says he has been impressed by the club's rise to prominence in recent years.

Dortmund have won back-to-back Bundesliga titles after a number of disappointing seasons in the early 2000s, and Woerns has nothing but praise for their resurgence.

"Their development is very impressive. Things have really gone uphill in the past four years. That they have now won two consecutive Bundesliga titles makes things even more impressive," Woerns told Goal.com.

"Last year was perhaps a bit of a surprise, but they successfully defended their title, which is quite something. They have every reason to be proud with such a fantastic performance."

Ahead of Saturday's DFB Pokal final between Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Woerns believes there is no clear favourite to win despite Juergen Klopp's men enjoying a better head-to-head record in recent meetings.

"Both will obviously try to win the DFB Pokal. No team will want to give up the cup just like that. I don't really see a favourite for this game as anything can happen," he said.

"The Champions League final might perhaps be more important for Bayern, but you always take one game at a time. A title is at stake and both teams will want to win it.

"Borussia Dortmund will try to attack and play an open game, while Bayern generally do the same. We will have to wait and see how this turns out. I hope that it will be an exciting final."

Woerns said that while there were several differences between both teams, the cup final may come down to individual brilliance.

"Dortmund have some very talented individuals as well, or they would not have won the Bundesliga title. You can't achieve something like that without individual quality," he said.

"Overall, they rely a bit more on the strength of the team, though, whereas Bayern always have individual quality to fall back on."

Barrios keen to sign off with win

10 May 2012 15:10

Lucas Barrios is desperate to beat Bayern Munich in Saturday's DFB Pokal final in Berlin in order to end his Borussia Dortmund career on a high.

The Paraguay international has already signed a contract with Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande, but wants to complete the domestic double with BVB before saying farewell to the Bundesliga champions.

"My biggest wish is to win the DFB Pokal final in my last game for Dortmund. I want to say farewell to the fans by winning the double. Preferably by scoring against Bayern in Saturday's game," Barrios told Bild.

"I am leaving BVB with tears in my eyes. I have had three fantastic seasons here. I have learned a lot here, also during this season. Borussia Dortmund will forever have a place in my heart."

The 27-year-old joined Dortmund from Colo Colo in the summer of 2009, and has since won two Bundesliga titles.

Hoeness: DFB and CL are equal

9 May 2012 09:53

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has compared the DFB Pokal final to their upcoming Champions League final against Chelsea.

Bayern take on the Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, before locking horns with the English giants on May 19 in Europe, and Hoeness said the titles are on par with one another.

"The game against Dortmund is just as important as the Champions League final," Hoeness told TZ.

"We want to end what has so far been a good season with some titles. And the DFB-Pokal is a title. In addition, we have to consider that we're trying to stop Dortmund. We've lost four times - there is some unfinished business.

"Next season has nothing to do with it. Next season, everything will start from scratch again."

Hoeness added that he never had any doubts Dutchman Arjen Robben would extend his stay at Bayern, after he signed on until 2015 last week.

"For me, it was always clear that he would sign. He just wanted to let grass grow over the situation with (Franck) Ribery, that's all," Hoeness said.

Weidenfeller relishes cup final clash

7 May 2012 12:07

Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller cannot wait for Saturday's Cup final clash between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Dortmund's Dortmund claims the rivalry between the two German clubs is of similar proportions to the heated relationship of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Dortmund and Bayern have dominated German football in the past three years as BVB have won two consecutive titles after the Bavarian club's successful 2009-10 campaign, and both sides meet again in the final of the DFB Pokal in Berlin on Saturday.

"This is a battle between equals, each team has achieved something great. Bayern have reached the Champions League final against Chelsea, while we have won the Bundesliga title," Weidenfeller told Kicker.

"This is like Real Madrid versus Barcelona. We don't feel superior to Bayern after four straight wins.

"There's only conviction. We still have great respect for Bayern."