On Friday evening, FC Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach kick off Matchday 15 with a genuine classic. Both teams are among the best-known and most successful in the Bundesliga and have contested some of the fiercest battles for the championship, especially in the 1970s. Of course, they're also associated with great names in world football, and some even played for both clubs. fcbayern.com has taken a closer look at five of those legends.
Lothar Matthäus: Beginnings in Gladbach - global star in Munich
He's Germany's record player, was captain of the 1990 World Cup-winning team, was awarded the title of FIFA World Player of the Year, is of course a member of FC Bayern's Hall of Fame and is one of the best footballers Germany has ever produced. In 1979, Lothar Matthäus celebrated his Bundesliga debut with Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he very quickly made an impression. But it was when he arrived in Munich as an international in 1984 that he began to accumulate titles. The midfielder celebrated three German championships and a DFB Cup win before moving to Inter Milan after four years. In 1992, however, Matthäus returned to the Isar and was an undisputed first-team regular until his departure in 2000. The legendary number 10 led FCB to four more championships, two cup wins and a UEFA Cup triumph in 1996. Matthäus pulled on the red jersey an incredible 410 times (100 goals) and laced up his boots for Borussia 197 times (48).
Stefan Effenberg: From the 'Tiger' to the boss
In 1987, at the age of 19, Stefan Effenberg made his breakthrough at Gladbach and three years later moved to FCB. In his first game for the Reds, with just four minutes left on the clock he scored the equaliser with a penalty in a 1-1 draw at home against Leverkusen. After a spell at Fiorentina (1992-1994), Effenberg returned to Mönchengladbach in 1994, where he developed into a key player. The 'Tiger', as he was called because of his hairstyle, led the Foals to victory in the cup. It was Borussia's first silverware in almost 20 years. His second spell in Munich followed in 1998 and it was to be the most successful of his career. Effenberg was the absolute boss on the pitch and was instrumental in Bayern winning the Champions League for the first time in 25 years in 2001. In total, the midfielder wore the Borussia jersey 216 times (41 goals) and the red of Bayern 234 times (49). Due to his merits and achievements, he was quite rightly inducted into the record champions' Hall of Fame.
Giovane Élber: Fun footballer with a flair for goals
Giovane Élber arrived at FC Bayern from VfB Stuttgart in 1997 and quickly became a fans' favourite. The Brazilian scared defences witless, scored an incredible 140 goals in 266 games for FCB and usually rounded them off with an extraordinary celebration. Élber's goals played a huge part in Bayern's four championships and three DFB Cup wins. He also won the Champions League and Club World Cup in 2001. In 2005, in the twilight of his career, he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he made just five appearances due to injury before leaving the Foals after a year. Nowadays, the Hall of Fame inductee is back at FC Bayern and representing his beloved club as an ambassador.
Dante: Singing defensive giant
🎵"You won the title! You won the Champions League! And the cup too, and the cup too!"🎵 If he hadn't already done so, Dante sang his way into the hearts of all Bayern fans with this song before the 2013 DFB Cup final. The centre-half was one of the Reds' mainstays in that year's historic treble win and, of course, popular with the supporters not only because of his singing skills. In three years at FCB (133 games, 5 goals), among other honours, the Brazilian won three championships and lifted the DFB Cup twice, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. The defensive giant took his first steps in the Bundesliga at Mönchengladbach. Before moving to Bayern, Dante was the Foals' defensive boss from 2009 to 2012, where he played a decisive role in Borussia avoiding the drop in his first year and qualifying for Europe in his final year.
Jupp Heynckes: World-class striker and legendary coach
Jupp Heynckes may not have played in the red of Bayern, but as head coach he became a legend in Munich. He held the post of coach a total of four times and led FCB to four championships, among other things. Of course, the historic first treble in 2013 and the title in 2018 remain unforgettable! Heynckes took charge of the record champions in October when they were in second place, five points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, and, after terrific performances, clinched the championship on Matchday 29. As a player, with the exception of three years at Hannover 96 (1967-1970), Heynckes only ever played for his boyhood club Borussia Mönchengladbach and was one of the best strikers in the world at the time. In 407 games for Gladbach he scored an incredible 291 times. Heynckes won the German championship four times with Gladbach - mostly in gruelling battles with FCB - as well as the DFB Cup in 1973 and the UEFA Cup in 1975. To this day, he is the Foals' record goal scorer and one of the most popular and successful Bayern coaches in the club's long history.
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