'Berlin, Berlin, wir fahren nach Berlin' - The Saarbrücken story and the beauty of the Pokal
For the first time in history, there is just one Bundesliga team in the DFB Pokal semifinal and in Saarbrücken a third-division side has a good chance to reach the final.
“Berlin, Berlin, wir fahren nach Berlin” the Saarbrücken fans chanted as the 3. Liga side had reached the semifinal of the DFB Pokal. The famous German chant “Berlin, Berlin, we are going to Berlin” has become synonymous with the DFB Pokal and the final in Berlin.
There is no doubt in this author’s mind that the DFB Pokal is the best knockout competition on the planet. This week’s madness just underlined that claim even further. After knocking out Karlsruher SC, Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, 3. Liga side 1. FC Saarbrücken beat visiting Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 thanks to a very late Kai Brünker winner.
With Gladbach out, we now have a situation where there will be at least one lower-division side in the DFB Pokal final in Berlin on May 25. Saarbrücken will face 1. FC Kaiserslautern in what will be pretty much a derby between two big historic sides that have been stuck in the lower divisions for far too long.
We could even have two lower-division sides in the final if Fortuna Düsseldorf do the impossible and beat all-conquering Bayer Leverkusen in the other semifinal. It's unlikely, sure, but we have seen crazier things this year, like Saarbrücken knocking out giants Bayern, Pokal specialists Frankfurt, and now Gladbach.
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