Hans Jörg Butt says that he no longer has just one home. Sure, on the one hand there is Oldenburg, the city of his birth, with its residential palace, St Lambert's Church and the old town hall with its triangular layout, an obligatory photo for every tourist. Butt came into the world in Oldenburg 50 years ago on 28 May, and it was here that he was promoted to Bundesliga 2 with VfB Oldenburg in 1995, with his brother Henning occasionally sitting on the bench as substitute goalkeeper. The first-choice keeper scored four goals in the promotion year – all from the penalty spot. Butt is still remembered as a penalty taker today at his former clubs Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, and of course at FC Bayern. "In that time, Munich has also become a home," he says.
The goalkeeper moved from Benfica to Bayern in 2008. He was supposed to be an experienced backup in Munich but it turned out very differently: as number one he celebrated the domestic double in 2010 as well as reaching the Champions League finals in 2010 and 2012, and playing for Germany at the 2010 World Cup. He established himself as a confident and reliable custodian, who also scored penalties from time to time. "It was nothing to do with being adventurous," recalls Butt. "It just came about – when a player feels confident, he steps up. That's still the case today. There were constantly situations in which I wanted to help the team."
Glorious past with Eusébio
Since his four years with the German record champions from 2008 to 2012, Butt has lived with his wife and three children in the Bavarian state capital. Since hanging up his gloves, he's worked in the family business, which specialises in loading ramps, loading platforms and load locks. However, his football career catches up with him on a regular basis – at least when his former clubs Bayern and Benfica meet in the Champions League. As they will again on Wednesday evening in Fröttmaning.
"It's special every time," describes Butt, who still turns out for the FCB Legends team in goal now and then. "That one year in Lisbon was exciting, even if things didn't quite go to plan for me on the sporting front." Butt waited for his chance behind Portuguese international Quim but, aside from four outings in the cup and one in the league, it didn't materialise. "Looking back, it was still a great year and a great experience at a club with tremendous history," he reflects. Benfica remain the biggest club in Portugal, with 38 championships and 26 cup (Taça de Portugal) successes to their name, more than any other team in the country. During their most glorious period, the Eagles won the European Cup, the precursor to the Champions League, in 1961 and 1962 with the legendary Eusébio.
Away games like home games
"Benfica was important for the Portuguese's feeling of self-worth during the dictatorship – the success of the football team gave the people a lot of self-confidence – so the club has an incredibly high standing among the population," explains Butt. The ex-goalkeeper also felt that during his time on the Atlantic Coast. "Wherever we played – apart from maybe at Porto and Sporting – they were always home games because the majority of the stadium was cheering for Benfica." And when Butt came to eat in a restaurant, "if you were recognised, it was often difficult to be allowed to pay the bill afterwards". The love, the devotion of the Portuguese to Benfica was too great. The respect for a Benfica player, says Butt, was always enormous.
There are parallels to Bayern, particularly in the expectation levels, the confidence and the status in the country: "That determination to win is very similar. For both clubs, a draw feels like a defeat." Although the fans of Benfica may suffer a bit more emotionally because of their temperament, "that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt for Bayern", explains Butt.
The pressure on a goalkeeper between the posts in Lisbon and Munich is also comparable. "Although Benfica haven't done as well in Europe in recent decades, at national level it's comparable: the special mentality is that you go into every game with the desire to win at all costs," he adds. On the Europen stage, however, the confidence isn't as great as it is at Bayern due to the lack of success since Eusébio's time.
Benfica battling Guttmann curse
With Benfica's long drought in European competition, the so-called 'curse of Béla Guttmann' has become almost mystical. Former coach Guttmann, who guided the Eagles to the European Cup wins in 1961 and 1962, is said to have demanded a pay rise immediately after the 5-3 triumph over Real Madrid in the 1962 final, which was rejected. Guttmann and Benfica parted company, leading the coach to apparently prophesy that Benfica would "not win another title in Europe for 100 years". Since then, the club have suffered eight defeats in European finals – some in dramatic fashion, such as the most recent penalty shootout defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League in 2014.
The special mentality at Bayern and Benfica is that you go into every game with the desire to win at all costs.
Hans Jörg Butt, FC Bayern legend
Two world champions at Benfica
Although Butt doesn't follow the Portuguese Liga as closely these days, Benfica come to the Allianz Arena with nine wins from their last 10 games and plenty of confidence. The only loss in that time came late against Feyenoord (3-1). "Ángel Di María was there when I was there," says Butt. The 36-year-old, like defender and captain Nicolás Otamendi, won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 and played at the highest level for years with Real Madrid. Before that, Di María's first club in Europe was Benfica. "It's a club that have very good contacts with South America and are always discovering young, talented players with big potential," says Butt.
But for Wednesday evening's encounter, which the ex-Bayern shot-stopper will be watching from the stands, he doesn't give Benfica much chance: "I'm confident FC Bayern will win. I'm predicting 3-1."
The facts on the match against Benfica:
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