League of Champions - Libuda to Ricken: Dortmund's Journey to the European Cup Finals
The highly anticipated Champions League final on Saturday (9:00 PM/ZDF and DAZN) marks the sixth time Borussia Dortmund, a German football club, has reached the European Cup pitch. Let's take a trip down memory lane and examine all the previous appearances of the Dortmunders:
1966: European Cup Winners' Cup, Borussia Dortmund - Liverpool FC 2:1 a.e.t.
Back in 1966, history was made when Borussia Dortmund became the first German club to win a European trophy. This momentous event took place in Hampden Park, Glasgow, where Dortmund emerged victorious over Liverpool in a thrilling extra time match. This success greatly boosted the club's reputation in the Ruhr region. Lothar Emmerich and Siggi Held, both BVB legends, were nicknamed "Terrible Twins" by the English press. Despite being instrumental in the tournament, Emmerich couldn't find the back of the net in the final match. On the other hand, Held managed to score with a powerful shot. After Liverpool tied the match, Reinhard "Stan" Libuda found the back of the net.
1993: UEFA Cup, Borussia Dortmund - Juventus Turin 1:3 and 0:3
This is where we see the beginning of the first golden era of Dortmund under the guidance of head coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. Just a year after finishing second, Hitzfeld led Dortmund to their second European final. In those days, the final was played over home and away legs. In the home game in Dortmund, Dortmund played exceptionally well, despite missing key players Matthias Sammer, Flemming Povlsen, Ned Zelic, Michael Schulz, and Günter Kutowski. One of Michael Rummenigge's quickest goals in history - after just 61 seconds - put Dortmund ahead. Despite their dominance, Juventus, featuring the future BVB players Andreas Möller, Jürgen Kohler, and Julio Cesar, was too strong. Baggio and Dino were unstoppable in both games. The money gained from the competition was invested back into the club to create a formidable team.
1997: Champions League, Borussia Dortmund - Juventus Turin 3:1
This is where Lars Ricken's name was written in the annals of history. Having scored critical goals in Auxerre and Manchester on their way to the Munich final, Ricken came on in the 70th minute and made an instant impact. Faced with a heavily favored Juve, Ricken scored a beautiful free kick over Angelo Peruzzi, earning Dortmund a well-deserved win. This was later named the "Goal of the Century" by the club.
2002: UEFA Cup, Borussia Dortmund - Feyenoord Rotterdam 2:3
Another memorable affair, this time around only the UEFA Cup featured a one-leg final. Two days before the match, the Rotterdam right-wing populist Pim Fortuyne was murdered. Despite this, both teams played in his hometown, with wreaths honoring the fallen hero. In his last professional game, Jürgen Kohler made a foul, earning a red card. Pierre van Hooijdonk doubled the Feyenoord lead with a penalty, and Dortmund scored a penalty of their own, while conceding a counterattack goal for 1:3. Dortmund fought back, with Jan Koller leveling the score.
In a shocking twist, a German team found themselves playing in a final in London's Wembley. Some may consider it a nightmare for English football fans, as Bayern had become the German champions with a 25-point lead over Dortmund. In the final, both teams were level. Mario Mandzukic scored first, only to have it answered by Ilkay Gündogan with a penalty kick. The game was heading for an extra time extension when Arjen Robben decided it differently.
Eleven years later, Dortmund is back in this prestigious competition. BVB's sports director Sebastian Kehl, who captained the team in 2013, shares the sentiment, "We have the feeling that we still have a score to settle. That we still have something good to do in this city, in this final."
