Bayern seek German Cup title to avoid sour end to strong season

BERLIN: Bayern Munich go into Saturday's German Cup final against holders Stuttgart aiming to ensure a season of major domestic success does not end on a disappointing note.

The Bavarian side had looked on course for an exceptional campaign only weeks ago after beating Real Madrid for the first time in more than a decade in the Champions League quarter-finals and keeping alive hopes of a treble. But despite pushing defending champions Paris Saint-Germain across two semi-final matches in an intense contest, Bayern were knocked out after finishing one goal behind on aggregate.

Even so, Bayern's domestic numbers underline the scale of their season. They lost only three times in all competitions and finished 16 points clear of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Their 122 goals in 34 league matches broke the previous single-season scoring mark of 101, making them the first team in Bundesliga history to average more than three goals per game.

Bayern's financial strength has made league success a regular expectation, with the club winning 13 of the last 14 Bundesliga titles. Yet the German Cup has proved harder to reclaim in recent years. Bayern have won the competition a record 20 times, 14 more than Werder Bremen, but have not lifted the trophy since 2020. That is their longest gap between cup triumphs this century.

Cup drought in focus

During that run, Bayern were twice eliminated by lower-division opposition and reached the quarter-finals only once. In the 2021-22 season, they suffered a 5-0 loss to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the second round, described as their heaviest defeat in any competition since the mid-1970s.

Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said the club is determined to end that wait.

"We really want to win that again because it's painful for us that we haven't won the cup for six years," Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said on Sunday.

England captain Harry Kane, who won the first team trophy of his career when Bayern secured the Bundesliga title last season, also said defeat in the final would alter the way the campaign is viewed.

"If we don't win, it will leave a bitter taste in our mouths," Kane said of the clash with Stuttgart at Bayern's Bundesliga title celebrations in Munich on Sunday.

A win on Saturday would give Bayern the domestic double for the 14th time. No other German club has achieved the feat more than once.

Stuttgart embrace underdog role

Bayern have already beaten Stuttgart three times this season, scoring 11 goals and conceding three across those matches. Still, the final presents Stuttgart with a chance to close the campaign with another major statement.

The season began with Bayern and Stuttgart meeting in the newly renamed Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, contested by the league and cup holders. The same pairing in the final reflects Stuttgart's progress under coach Sebastian Hoeness, nephew of Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeness.

Hoeness took charge in 2023 when Stuttgart were in relegation danger and guided them to two Champions League qualifications as well as their first silverware in 28 years.

Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav said Bayern would carry the burden of expectation, while his side could approach the match with little pressure.

"It's a bonus game. We've got nothing to lose -- we're the complete underdog," the Germany striker said, adding "there's one clear favourite and that's Bayern".

For Bayern, the final offers a chance to cap one of their most productive seasons in recent memory with another trophy. For Stuttgart, it is an opportunity to upset the Bundesliga champions and underline the progress they have made under Hoeness.