FCB rewarded for effort and fighting spirit

“It was intense," noted Jupp Heynckes, as Bayern and Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 in a match featuring a penalty, a sending off and countless crunching tackles. Three weeks prior to the Champions League final, the 80,645 at Signal Iduna Park saw a red-blooded encounter between Germany's top two, despite plenty of rotation on both sides. Even in the circumstances, no punches were pulled.

“The emotional temperature is high whenever these teams meet, as we've seen again today," reflected Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, “and that's just fine." Manuel Neuer, who captained Bayern for the first time in the absence of Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, agreed with the chairman. “I don't think this game will ever be a friendly," remarked the 27-year-old, “playing Dortmund is always a challenge for us."