Wolfsburg 54, Bayern 53, Frankfurt 52 – the stage is set for a showdown in the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga among the league’s top three teams in the battle for the title. Should the Bavarians win at home this Sunday (14.00 CET) at the Grünwalder Stadion against SGS Essen, second place and a place in the Champions League will be secured. If Wolfsburg are not victorious in Frankfurt, the FC Bayern women will be crowned champions for the first time since 1976.
“We’re very much looking forward to a real highlight,” said Bayern coach Thomas Wörle in the build-up to the last day thriller. “This starting position is what my team has been working hard on for over a year. We have the chance to play for everything on the final matchday, something we hadn’t expected before the season started.” Second place would still be “a sensation,” added Wörle, “It would be terrific!”
“Since we didn’t plan on it, we’re going into the game without any pressure,” said Germany international Melanie Leupolz. There will be no updates on the game in Frankfurt during Bayern’s match, announced Wörle. “We’ll only concern ourselves with our game. It’ll be a difficult fight. We’ll have to block out everything else for those 90 minutes.”
Together on the Town Hall balcony?
It’s clear how fired up the players are ahead of the season finale, noted coach Wörle, who is counting on the support of the home crowd on Sunday. An attendance of approximately 5,000 is expected at the Grünwalder Stadion. “That’s a factor that gets you going,” added Wörle. A duplicate of the trophy will be in the stadium while the original will be in Frankfurt.
“We’re very positive and will give everything we have one more time for 90 minutes,” Wörle vowed. An additional boost of confidence came from the men’s side as well. Pep Guardiola wished the women “all the best” and “good luck” for Sunday, and in the event of the first men and women’s double in German football history, FCB chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge held out the prospect of a combined championship celebration on the Town Hall balcony. “That would be the absolute ultimate,” said Leupolz.
But first, the task at hand must be completed. “We know what we’re capable of and will have to bring that in and win,” said Leupolz, “we’ll give it our all. We’ll see what happens in the end.”
Team
FC Bayern are without Katharina Baunach, Sarah Romert, Vanessa Bürki, Ricarda Walkling and Viktoria Schnaderbeck due to injury on Sunday.
Stadium
Tickets are still available at the turnstiles (seats €8; concessions €6). FCB season ticket holders have free admission.
TV/Internet
A live conference of the games will be available on TV on Eurosport and HR; online on BR, NDR and HR. DFB-TV will broadcast the individual games live.
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