The cup is known for its ability to write very special stories, and FC Bayern's finals are no exception. Saturday's clash against Bayer Leverkusen will be the 24th time the team from Munich have reached the domestic cup final. We've picked out six of their most memorable appearances.
29 December 1957: First cup title
FC Bayern's very first appearance in the final also saw them lift the trophy for the first time. Even more amazing considering the fact the FCB board of directors had previously considered not participating in the cup in the first place due to the costs. But coach Willibald Hahn was able to talk the decision-makers into it and sent a highly motivated team into the games. After a total of nine fiercely contested matches, the Reds reached the final against Fortuna Düsseldorf just two days before the end of the year. 44,000 supporters attended the game in wintry conditions at the Rosenaustadion in Augsburg, but it took a while before anyone witnessed a goal. In the 79th minute, Rudi Jobst got on the end of a cross, and when Fortuna keeper Albert Görtz parried his first shot, Jobst was on hand to slot home the rebound for the winner. Hans Bauer, who had won the 1954 World Cup with West Germany, became the first Bayern captain in history to lift the DFB Cup. The celebrations after the final whistle are said to have carried on into the New Year's Eve party.
14 June 1969: First double
In the 1969 DFB Cup final, FC Bayern defeated Schalke 2-1 thanks to a brace from Gerd Müller, making it their fourth cup win overall. It was a very special one in the club's history, as they just had won the Bundesliga a week earlier – their first since being promoted to the top flight in 1965 - making Bayern the first team in the Bundesliga era to achieve the double.
1 May 1982: 4-2 against Nürnberg
This game went down in the history books as a prime example of the fighting spirit of the German record champions. At half-time, their Bavarian rivals were already 2-0 up and looking very much like sure-fire cup winners, but FCB fought back after an incredible charge. Dieter Hoeneß was symbolic of Munich's will to win that day. The striker collided with his opponent Alois Reinhardt in the 13th minute and suffered a gaping laceration, but he continued to play with a head bandage right until the end. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Wolfgang Kraus and Paul Breitner had turned things around before Hoeneß rounded off the 4-2 win in the 89th minute - of course with a header!
6 May 2000: Revenge against Bremen
It was sweet revenge for Bayern as they faced Werder Bremen again in the cup final just a year after a painful defeat on penalties the previous season. This time, the men from Munich scored three times without reply in what turned out to be a clear-cut victory. However, it took a while for the dominant German champions to score in what was a hard-fought match. For a long time, instead of goals, the only thing to be seen were cards. Referee Alfons Berg handed out 10 yellow cards, but never reached for his red. It wasn't until the second half that Giovane Élber (57') scored the opening goal. In the closing stages of the match, Paulo Sergio (83') and Mehmet Scholl (90') ensured defeat for Bremen and brought the cup back to Munich.
1 June 2013: Treble clinched against Stuttgart
The treble was the crowning glory in the most successful season in the club's history. After winning the Bundesliga title and the Champions League, FC Bayern went on to secure the DFB Cup on 1 June 2013. The Reds beat VfB Stuttgart 3-2 in the final in Berlin thanks to a brace from Mario Gomez and a goal from Thomas Müller. Jupp Heynckes' team marched straight into the history books as the first and so far only German team to win the treble.
17 May 2014: BVB overcome in extra-time
In his inimitable style, and with his last ounce of strength, Thomas Müller sprinted towards Roman Weidenfeller before rounding the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper and slotting the ball home to round off a 2-0 win. In an unforgettable match on 17 May 2014, FC Bayern and their long-standing rivals Dortmund battled it out for the DFB Cup at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. With the score at 0-0 after 90 minutes the game went into extra-time. Arjen Robben took the lead for the record champions (107'). Thanks to his successful "epic battling run", as he himself described the sprint against Marcel Schmelzer, Müller finally wrapped up the game in injury time and FCB celebrated their 17th cup triumph.
Check out our gallery for the best images from all of FC Bayern's previous cup finals:
