Munich – It's the matchup fans have been patiently awaiting ever since the draw was made on 19 December. When Bundesliga leaders FC Bayern Munich host holders Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday evening's DFB Cup quarter-final, an entire country will be watching (kick-off 20.30 CET).
With two second-tier sides still left in the competition, many are suggesting the result of this game could ultimately determine which team lifts the trophy come May. And as if that were not motivation enough, Bayern also have revenge on their minds after last season's crushing 5-1 final defeat.
The season may be only two thirds complete, but already it seems destined to go down as one of the most memorable in Bayern's history - certainly as far as the Bundesliga goes. The record champions have amassed a staggering 17-point lead at the top of the standings, breaking a string of records in the process. With their UEFA Champions League challenge also going strong, the Bavarians look all but certain to bring their two-season trophy drought to an end.
That said, Dortmund remain, in the words of their coach Jürgen Klopp, "one of the few sides on the planet capable of beating Bayern". The league title may be as good as gone for BVB, but the prospect of beating their biggest rivals for the sixth time in three seasons remains an adequate incentive.
"Dortmund are the league and cup winners, but we've been the dominant force this season," said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes ahead of the game, acknowledging it would be a "tight encounter". Understandably, the Bavarians are determined to remove the biggest obstacle to their securing a 16th DFB Cup triumph and, according to Thomas Müller: "We're playing them at the right time."
The last occasion the two sides met was in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw in Munich at the start of December. This time around, instant progression is at stake rather than points. Meetings between Bayern and Dortmund these days conform well to the old analogy of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. In the cup, though, something has to give.
Bayern: Neuer - Lahm, van Buyten, Dante, Alaba - Javi Martinez, Schweinsteiger - T. Müller, Kroos, Robben - Mandzukic
Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Blaszczykowski, S. Bender, Gündogan - M. Götze, Reus - Lewandowski
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