FC Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will contest the 77th DFB Cup final on Saturday (8pm CEST), bringing the cup campaign to an end 330 days after it began on 9 August 2019. To make sure you’re on the ball for the trip to Berlin, fcbayern.com has seven of the most important facts and figures for you.
1. Bayern the record winners
This is Bayern’s 24th DFB Cup final, which is a competition record alongside the club’s 19 titles. Leverkusen have reached Berlin for the fourth time, looking to add to their sole cup win from 1993 when they beat the Hertha Berlin reserves, which was their last major honour. FCB have progressed in five of their six DFB Cup ties against Die Werkself, with the 4-2 defeat in the 2008/09 quarter-finals the only blip. This is the first meeting in the final.
2. Lewandowski typically assured in the cup
Robert Lewandowski has scored six goals in his five DFB Cup final appearances, making him the final’s all-time top scorer. By comparison, Leverkusen as a club have scored just three goals in their three finals to date.
3. Neuer eying record
Manuel Neuer has kept 32 clean sheets in the cup throughout his career and could now equal Oliver Kahn’s competition record of 33.
4. Scoring winning run
Bayern also boast an impressive recent record in the DFB Cup, having won each of their last 11 games and scored 29 goals in that time. The Reds have also netted 53 goals in their 23 finals to date.
5. Latest final in 46 years
The coronavirus pandemic saw the 2020 DFB Cup final postponed from 23 May to 4 July, making this the latest final since 1974, when it actually took place at the start of the next season following the World Cup. That year it was held on 17 August.
6. Müller matches Ribery at the top
Thomas Müller could make his eighth appearance in the final of the DFB Cup, equalling Franck Ribery’s competition record.
7. Flick knows the score
Hansi Flick caused a huge cupset in 2003/04 when he led third-tier Hoffenheim to a 3-2 win over Bundesliga side Leverkusen in the round of 16.
Take a look back on the previous six DFB Cup encounters with Leverkusen:
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