Champions League
From Libuda to Ricken: Borussia Dortmund’s European Cup finals
In 2002, Borussia Dortmund, with striker Jan Koller, lost the UEFA Cup final to Feyenoord Rotterdam. This time, things will be different. Photo
© Anja Niedringhaus/dpa
Borussia Dortmund has won two European Cups so far. The last triumph was 27 years ago. Since then there have been two disappointments.
The Champions League final on Saturday (9 p.m./ZDF and DAZN) is the sixth European Cup final of the BVB since the legendary triumph in Glasgow in 1966. All of Dortmund’s previous final appearances at a glance:
1966: European Cup Winners’ Cup, Borussia Dortmund – Liverpool FC 2:1 aet
Borussia Dortmund was the first German club to win a European Cup 58 years ago. In Glasgow’s Hampden Park, BVB beat Liverpool FC after extra time. The match and this title contributed a lot to the club’s importance in the Ruhr region. BVB legends Lothar Emmerich and Siggi Held were dubbed the “Terrible Twins” by the English press. Emmerich scored 14 goals in the competition, more than any other player after him in the competition. However, he remained goalless in the final. Held scored with a volley. After the Reds equalized, Reinhard “Stan” Libuda scored in extra time.
1993: UEFA Cup, Borussia Dortmund – Juventus Turin 1:3 and 0:3
It was the beginning of Dortmund’s first golden era under coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. The later title collector had led Dortmund to a final one year after the runner-up spot and 27 years after the triumph in Glasgow, but the UEFA Cup still consisted of a home and away match. Matthias Sammer, Flemming Povlsen, Ned Zelic, Michael Schulz and Günter Kutowski were out of action in the first leg in Dortmund. Nevertheless, Dortmund started furiously, with Michael Rummenigge scoring after just 61 seconds.
But Juve, with the later BVB professionals Andreas Möller, Jürgen Kohler and Julio Cesar, was still a size too big. Dino and Roberto Baggio in particular were untamable in both matches. BVB invested the money it earned in the competition in the further development of a strong team.
1997: Champions League, Borussia Dortmund – Juventus 3:1
The big moment for Lars Ricken, who had already scored decisive goals in Auxerre and Manchester on the way to the final in Munich. Against the once again favored Juve, the Dortmund native came on in the 70th minute and was played free just 16 seconds later. The then 20-year-old ran alone towards the Turin goal and lifted the ball over Angelo Peruzzi into the net for the final score – Dortmund’s greatest success to date. The goal by the current managing director was later named Dortmund’s “Goal of the Century.”
2002: UEFA Cup, Borussia Dortmund – Feyenoord Rotterdam 2:3
In the meantime, there was only one final in the UEFA Cup, and for the first time it was a home game for one of the two teams. Two days previously, the Rotterdam right-wing populist Pim Fortuyne had been murdered, and both teams played in his home town wearing black armbands. In his last professional game, Jürgen Kohler caused a penalty after just over 30 minutes and was even shown the red card. “It was a foul, the red card is fine. I feel sorry for the team. Now I have a small black mark on my white record,” said Kohler afterwards. Pierre van Hooijdonk converted the penalty and scored the 2-0. After the break, Dortmund also had another chance with a penalty, but conceded a counterattack to make it 1-3. Dortmund only managed to draw level through Jan Koller.
2013: Champions League, Borussia Dortmund – Bayern Munich 1:2
A German final at Wembley – the nightmare of all English football fans. In the Bundesliga, Bayern had become German champions with a 25-point lead over Dortmund. In the final, both teams were evenly matched. Mario Mandzukic’s lead was equalized by Ilkay Gündogan with a penalty. When everyone was expecting extra time, Arjen Robben struck.
Eleven years later, at least BVB is now returning to Wembley in the same competition. “We have the feeling that we still have a score to settle. That we still have something to make up for in this city, in this final,” said BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl, who sat on the bench for 90 minutes as Dortmund captain.