DFB Cup | Arminia vs. VfB: The greatest fairytale

Arminia Bielefeld wants to write the greatest fairytale in German cup history, while VfB Stuttgart wants to salvage and crown their season. "For them, it's the game of their lives, and for us too," says Stuttgart striker and rising star Nick Woltemade, summing up the significance of the DFB Cup final.

If Arminia wins on Saturday at Berlin's Olympiastadion (8 p.m., ZDF and Sky), Bielefeld would be the first cup winners from the 3rd division. And for the first time in 14 years, two teams will meet in the final, neither of which is ranked in the European Bundesliga.

Gigantic ticket demand

Bielefeld hasn't won a major title yet, while VfB fans have been waiting for a major trophy since the 2007 German championship. Fans of both clubs have never experienced anything bigger than this cup final, or haven't experienced one for a very long time.

Anticipation, wanderlust, and euphoria are correspondingly high. The chance to win the cup has been a major topic of conversation in both cities for weeks. In the Teutoburg Forest, the Hermannsdenkmal monument bears a giant Arminia jersey; in Berlin, posters with Arminia slogans and minor digs at Stuttgart hang. Even the day before the final, supporters of both clubs celebrate fan festivals in the capital.

According to the DFB, there were 1.66 million requests for public ticket sales for the Olympic Stadium alone. In addition, tickets sold through the clubs were sold. Here, too, not all requests could be fulfilled.

Kniat: "We will not stand guard for Stuttgart"

From a sporting perspective, the starting position is clear: Bundesliga club Stuttgart is the clear favorite, while Arminia is a clear underdog. They were already that way in the previous five rounds, though – and yet they still knocked out double winner Bayer Leverkusen, three other first-division teams, and one second-division team.

"Our chances were pretty hopeless in all of our games, and yet we still managed to advance," coach Mitch Kniat told the German Press Agency. "We don't have any chances, and we have to take advantage of them. We won't be lining up for Stuttgart. If you're playing in a final, you want to win it." The 39-year-old exemplifies his belief in his own strength. Kniat not only has his team combative and defensively solid, even against big favorites, but also play courageously. This has been evident at VfB Stuttgart, too.

Woltemade: "This is going to be disgusting"

"The boys can play football. We have to be prepared for something," says Woltemade, who was called up to the senior national team for the first time by national coach Julian Nagelsmann shortly before the final. "It's going to be disgusting."

Arminia hasn't lost a competitive match in two and a half months, recently celebrating promotion to the 2. Bundesliga and shortly thereafter, the third division championship. VfB, on the other hand, is looking back on a mixed league season, but managed to shake off their slump in time with three consecutive wins in the final spurt.

If they fail to secure the fourth cup win in the club's history, "it would be a shitty season," says national player Deniz Undav. With the win, VfB, coached by Sebastian Hoeneß, could "make up for a lot" after beginning the second half of the season in a Champions League spot and finishing ninth. The cup triumph would also mean Europa League participation for both clubs.

Cult footballer Brinkmann optimistic

"If you imagine we win the DFB Cup, and then top clubs with players like Erling Haaland and the like would play in Bielefeld – that would be unbelievable," says Bielefeld's former cult footballer Ansgar Brinkmann, referring to Manchester City and its Norwegian star striker. The 55-year-old is in the capital himself as a fan and full of hope: "We Bielefelders know how to beat better-staffed teams. We've proven that now. And why shouldn't that happen again?" dpa/nd