Football produces more than its fair share of miracles. No Bayern fan will ever forget the “Miracle of Milan” or the “Miracle of Getafe”. However, future archivists will search in vain for records of a “Miracle of Düsseldorf”. Bayern were 3-0 down to Bayer Leverkusen in Wednesday’s DFB Cup quarter-final with 70 minutes already on the clock, but struck twice in two minutes to haul themselves back into it and set up a grandstand finish. Unfortunately, it was not enough for a happy end along the lines of last term’s heroics against Getafe.
“We reacted really well to going three goals down, but we failed to score a third of our own, and at the end of the day, we deserved to lose,” acknowledged general manager Uli Hoeneß after a 4-2 defeat to the Rhineland outfit, ending the holders’ interest in the DFB Cup for this season. The cup exit means FCB can claim a maximum of two trophies this term. “Unfortunately, we have to write off the cup for this season. We’re left to concentrate 100 percent on the Bundesliga and the Champions League,” coach Jürgen Klinsmann ruefully observed after the match at the LTU Arena.
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