 Match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 2017–18 DFB-Pokal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | 19 May 2018 (2018-05-19) | ||||||
| Venue | Olympiastadion,Berlin | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Ante Rebić(Eintracht Frankfurt)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Felix Zwayer (Berlin)[2] | ||||||
| Attendance | 74,322[3] | ||||||
| Weather | Clear 20 °C (68 °F) 35%humidity[4] | ||||||
←2017 2019 → | |||||||
The2018 DFB-Pokal Final decided the winner of the2017–18 DFB-Pokal, the 75th season of the annual Germanfootball cup competition. The match was played on 19 May 2018 at theOlympiastadion inBerlin.[5][6]
The final featuredBayern Munich, the record winners of the competition, andEintracht Frankfurt, the runners-up of the previous season, making it a rematch of the2006 final. Eintracht Frankfurt won the match 3–1 to claim their fifth cup title.[7][8]
As winners, Frankfurt earned the right to host the2018 edition of theDFL-Supercup at the start of the following season, facing the champions of the2017–18 edition of theBundesliga, Bayern Munich. Frankfurt also earned automatic qualification for the group stage of the2018–19 edition of theUEFA Europa League.[9]
The match was the 22nd final for Bayern Munich, a competition record. Of the previous finals, Bayern had won on 18 occasions, also a competition record, and lost three times.[10] Bayern's last final appearance was in2016, where they won on penalties againstBorussia Dortmund.[11] Bayern were chasing a league and cupdouble, having won the2017–18 Bundesliga in April 2018.[12] Bayern had previously completed the double on 11 occasions (in 2013 as part of atreble), a record in Germany, most recently in 2016.[13]
The final was the fifth for Bayern coachJupp Heynckes as a player and manager, having come out of retirement in October 2017 following the sacking ofCarlo Ancelotti.[14] Heynckes won the final in1973 as a player withBorussia Mönchengladbach, before losing his next two finals as a manager in1984 (with Gladbach) and2012 (with Bayern). Heynckes then won the2013 final before retiring, securing the treble for Bayern, the first ever in German football. The final was the last match for Heynckes as a manager, with Frankfurt'sNiko Kovač taking over Bayern for the 2018–19 season.[15] Heynckes previously managed Frankfurt during the1994–95 season, but is not remembered well at the club after being sacked nine months into his tenure following a poor campaign.[16]
The match was the 8th final for Eintracht Frankfurt, with a record of four wins and three losses prior. Frankfurt last won the competition in1988, the last major title for the club at the time, winning 1–0 againstVfL Bochum. This was the second time Frankfurt have managed to reach consecutive finals, having previously done so in1975.[10] In theprevious final, Frankfurt lost 1–2 toBorussia Dortmund.[17]
The final was the second consecutive for Croatian managerNiko Kovač in his second full season with Frankfurt, previously accomplished byDietrich Weise in 1975. Kovač took over as manager of Eintracht Frankfurt in March 2016, where he managed to keepDie Adler in the Bundesliga after winning the relegation play-offs against1. FC Nürnberg.[18] The match was the last for Kovač with Frankfurt, against his future employers Bayern Munich, where he took over as coach for the following season after signing a three-year contract.[15][19] A win would also see Kovač become the fifth person to win the DFB-Pokal as a player and manager, having won the2003 final as a player with Bayern, previously accomplished byLudwig Janda (player in1942 with1860 Munich, manager in1956 withKarlsruher SC),Alfred Schmidt (player in1965 withBorussia Dortmund, manager in1970 withKickers Offenbach),Thomas Schaaf (player in1991 and1994, manager in1999,2004 and2009, all withWerder Bremen) andJupp Heynckes (player in1973 withBorussia Mönchengladbach, manager in2013 withBayern Munich).[1]
The final was the 138th match between Bayern and Frankfurt, with a record of 68 Bayern wins, 39 Frankfurt wins, and 30 draws prior. Of the prior matches, four had been in the DFB-Pokal, with Bayern winning thrice and Frankfurt winning once. This included the2006 final, where Bayern won 1–0 via a goal fromClaudio Pizarro, making the match the 8th final pairing to be repeated (on 11 occasions).[10][20] Their most recent cup meeting was in the round of 16 of the2009–10 season, where Bayern won 4–0. The sides met twice during season prior to the final, with Bayern winning both by a score of 1–0 away in the first meeting on 9 December 2017 and 4–1 at home in the second meeting on 28 April 2018.[21]
The DFB-Pokal began with 64 teams in asingle-elimination knockout cup competition. There were a total of five rounds leading up to the final. Teams were drawn against each other, and the winner after 90 minutes would advance. If still tied, 30 minutes ofextra time was played. If the score was still level, apenalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner.[22]
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
| Bayern Munich | Round | Eintracht Frankfurt | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | 2017–18 DFB-Pokal | Opponent | Result |
| Chemnitzer FC (A) | 5–0 | First round | TuS Erndtebrück (A) | 3–0 |
| RB Leipzig (A) | 1–1 (a.e.t.)(5–4p) | Second round | Schweinfurt 05 (A) | 4–0 |
| Borussia Dortmund (H) | 2–1 | Round of 16 | 1. FC Heidenheim (A) | 2–1 (a.e.t.) |
| SC Paderborn (A) | 6–0 | Quarter-finals | Mainz 05 (H) | 3–0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen (A) | 6–2 | Semi-finals | Schalke 04 (A) | 1–0 |
In the first round of the cup, Bayern facedthird-division sideChemnitzer FC away.Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Bayern in the 20th minute, beforeKingsley Coman scored the second in the 51st minute. Lewandowski completed a brace in the 60th minute, beforeFranck Ribéry scored the fourth for Bayern in the 79th minute. DefenderMats Hummels scored shortly before the end to seal the 5–0 win.[23] In the second round, Bayern traveled to faceRB Leipzig, the runners-up of theprevious Bundesliga season. After going a man down withNaby Keïta sent off, Leipzig were awarded a penalty afterJérôme Boateng fouledYussuf Poulsen in the box.Emil Forsberg converted the penalty pastSven Ulreich to give Leipzig the lead in the 68th minute. However, five minutes later Bayern equalised through a header byThiago. After a goalless period of extra time, the match went to a penalty shoot-out. After the first nine penalties were all successful, Ulreich savedTimo Werner's shot to send Bayern through to the next round.[24]
In the round of 16, Bayern were drawn at home againstcup holders and fellow Bundesliga sideBorussia Dortmund, who had knocked Bayern out in the semi-finals of the previous season. Boateng opened the scoring with a header in the 12th minute, beforeThomas Müller doubled the lead for Bayern in the 40th minute.Andriy Yarmolenko reduced Dortmund's deficit with a goal in the 77th minute, but Bayern held on with a 2–1 win to advance.[25] In the quarter-finals,Die Roten faced third-division sideSC Paderborn away. Coman opened the scoring in the 19th minute, before Lewandowski increased Bayern's lead six minutes later.Joshua Kimmich scored the third for Bayern in the 42nd minute, withCorentin Tolisso adding to the scoring with a header in the 55th minute.Arjen Robben scored a late brace for Bayern to secure the 6–0 win.[26]
In the semi-finals, Bayern were drawn away to fellow Bundesliga sideBayer Leverkusen. Bayern began quickly, with Lewandowski completing a brace with goals in the 3rd and 9th minute.Lars Bender reduced the deficit for Leverkusen with a header seven minutes later. In the second half, Müller increased Bayern's lead with a 52nd minute strike. Thiago scored the fourth for Bayern in the 60th minute, before Müller completed a brace four minutes later.Leon Bailey got a goal back for Leverkusen in the 72nd minute, before Müller completed his hat-trick six minutes later to seal the 6–2 win, sending Bayern to the final.[27]
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In the first round, Eintracht Frankfurt were drawn away tofourth-division sideTuS Erndtebrück. Frankfurt were a man down afterDavid Abraham was sent off in the 23rd minute, but they took the lead 12 minutes later via a goal fromTimothy Chandler. In the 72nd minute,Mijat Gaćinović doubled the lead for Eintracht, beforeSébastien Haller scored three minutes later to secure the 3–0 win.[28] In the second round, Frankfurt were drawn away againstfourth-division sideSchweinfurt 05. Haller opened the scoring for Frankfurt in the 14th minute, before completing a brace with a 58th minute strike.Marius Wolf extended the lead five minutes later, beforeDanny Blum sealed the 4–0 win for Frankfurt in the 85th minute.[29]
Frankfurt were drawn away to1. FC Heidenheim in the round of 16. After a goalless 90 minutes, Gaćinović put Frankfurt ahead in the 95th minute of extra time. However,Marc Schnatterer equalised for the hosts a minute later. In the 109th minute, Haller restored Frankfurt's lead, with the 2–1 win enough to see Frankfurt advance.[30] In the quarter-finals, Eintracht were drawn at home againstMainz 05.Ante Rebić put Frankfurt ahead after 17 minutes, before an own goal fromAlexander Hack saw the lead double for the hosts.Omar Mascarell increased Frankfurt's lead with a 62nd-minute goal, securing the 3–0 win.[31]
In the semi-finals, Frankfurt were drawn away toSchalke 04. After a goalless first half, Frankfurt took the lead in the 75th minute via a backheel fromLuka Jović. Despite a red card fromGelson Fernandes in the 81st minute, Frankfurt managed to hold on for the 1–0 win and spot in the final.[32]
Robert Lewandowski came close to putting Bayern ahead after eight minutes, with his free kick hitting the underside of the crossbar. Three minutes later,Ante Rebić dispossessedJames Rodríguez, and put the ball pastSven Ulreich after a one-two withKevin-Prince Boateng to give Frankfurt the lead going into half-time. Eight minutes into the second half, Lewandowski equalised for Bayern, finishing the cut-back fromJoshua Kimmich, which took a slight deflection offOmar Mascarell. Eintracht regained the lead in the 82nd minute after Rebić completed his brace, getting pastMats Hummels andNiklas Süle to lift the ball over Ulreich. In the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time,Mijat Gaćinović sealed the victory for Eintracht, putting the ball into an empty net after Ulreich had come forward for a corner in the final moments.[33][34]
          Bayern Munich[1] |     Eintracht Frankfurt[1] |
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[2] | Match rules[35]
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| Statistic[36] | Bayern Munich | Eintracht Frankfurt |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 1 | 3 |
| Total shots | 22 | 8 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 5 |
| Saves | 2 | 4 |
| Ball possession | 77% | 23% |
| Corner kicks | 8 | 6 |
| Fouls committed | 9 | 21 |
| Offsides | 3 | 1 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 4 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
