Praying for a first cup final in Berlin, Arminia fans recall the run a decade ago – writes Alan Deamer
“Please, Berlin – just once in my life. Please!”
Third-tier Arminia Bielefeld currently stand just two games away from the German cup final – and an unprecedented trip to the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This Tuesday, February 25, they take on Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, reopening old wounds from a shattering semi-final disappointment of a decade ago.
Werder Bremen: 16 trophies, pushing for a European spot.
Arminia Bielefeld: Low-scoring, patchy form, coach under fire.
Despite this, optimism is in the air. Digital tickets vanished in minutes. Even as a season-ticket holder, this writer waited over an hour in a virtual queue to secure his.
It would be typical Arminia to pull off a cup shock. As lifelong fan Tim pleaded, with Berlin in mind: “Ein Mal nach Berlin, bitte… ein Mal!”
For years, Bielefeld was a laughing stock, literally. A satirical conspiracy theory, “Does Bielefeld Even Exist?”, born in 1990s’ Germany, claimed that the city was a fabrication. It started when student Achim Held joked about the city’s non-existence after a friend met someone “from Bielefeld” and quipped, “That doesn’t exist!” The gag snowballed into an internet phenomenon.
For Arminia Bielefeld fans, the joke often mirrored reality – a trophyless yo-yo team from a town few could place on a map. But in 2014-15, Arminia not only proved they existed, they captured the hearts of a nation with a DFB-Pokal cup run for the ages.
A decade later, as Bielefeld embark on another underdog journey, echoes of that unforgettable campaign are reverberating through the Alm, as the tenants of the SchücoArena are known.
Could they go a step further, all the way to Berlin?
In 2014, Arminia were also in the 3. Liga, recently relegated, their Bundesliga glory days a distant memory. Expectations for their DFB-Pokal campaign were low, especially among fans long accustomed to disappointment.
Yet, in a season built on defiance and belief, Arminia rewrote their story, transforming from also-rans into national darlings.
In the First Round, Arminia faced second-tier SV Sandhausen during an early dip in league form. The mood around the Alm was subdued, and only 7,000 fans showed up. But those who came were treated to a 4-1 victory and one of the greatest goals in Alm history.
In the 57th minute, Fabian Klos, captain and fans’ favourite Fußballgott, rifled a thunderous volley from the edge of the box. The ball kissed the underside of the bar into the net. No keeper was stopping that! Germany’s Goal of the Month would be forever etched in Arminia memories.
Next, Bundesliga side Hertha arrived at a SchücoArena buzzing with anticipation, as life-long fan Franca Sonnenberg remembers the mantra: “Play like we did against Sandhausen and we’ve got a chance”.
Under the floodlights, Arminia came out fighting, only to be denied time and again by Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft. At the other end, Solomon Kalou, Ronny and Sandro Wagner were kept at bay by a disciplined Arminia defence. 120 minutes ended goalless.
Then came the shoot-out, when Alexander Schwolow turned hero. The on-loan Arminia stopper saved two penalties, including Wagner’s, sealing a 4-2 victory. The stadium erupted. Horns honked. The city celebrated.
For many Arminia fans, this was as good as it gets. In the last 16, Bundesliga giants Werder Bremen arrived at the SchücoArena. “I was optimistic,” says Franca. “We always seemed to turn up against Bremen at home.”
Volker Bäckes fondly recalls “queuing six hours for my ticket” as cup fever took hold. The Alm was packed, the atmosphere electric and the tifo dazzling.
Another magic moment in the 57th minute saw Arminia go 2-0 up, only for Bremen to peg one back. Then, with six minutes left and Bielefeld on the ropes in the driving rain, David Ulm led a counter, setting up Manuel Junglas to seal a 3-1 win.
Flying high in the cup, topping the league table, Arminia were in dreamland – and into the quarter-finals, where they again assumed the underdog role in a home tie with Borussia Mönchengladbach.
“We hoped, but Gladbach were so strong. I expected us to lose,” says Franca. The pre-game tifo was spectacular – shiny foil Pokals and signs for Berlin. If we’re going out, we’re going out in style.
Lucien Favre’s star-studded Fohlen included international stars Yann Sommer, Granit Xhaka and Max Kruse. But Arminia weren’t intimidated, again taking the game to penalties. A spectacular Schwolow stop duly denied Traoré to send the Alm into euphoria. 5-4 on penalties. Another Bundesliga scalp.
“It was like Carnival!” recalls Franca. “The celebrations were so wild, local bosses declared the next day a holiday!”
The dream died in the semi. While Bayern and Dortmund met in the glamour tie, Arminia faced eventual winners Wolfsburg. Led by Kevin De Bruyne, the visitors ruthlessly ended the fairy tale with a 4-0 win. Not that you would have known it from the stands.
Franca reminisces: “The atmosphere was incredible, I’ve never known anything like it. Going behind early only made it louder. There were Mexican waves and a constant wall of Arminia noise, until well after the final whistle”.
As a neutral watching from Berlin puts it: “Everyone wanted Arminia to win”.
Arminia proved football’s magic isn’t just for the elite, and sometimes, glorious failure is enough to rewrite the script – and the map. They even won the 3. Liga.
Fast forward to today and the cup heroics of 2014-15 still resonate in Bielefeld. Battered and bruised, Arminia are fighting to rebuild, with survival the season’s only goal after narrowly avoiding a third straight relegation to the fourth tier in 2024.
Meanwhile, in the DFB-Pokal, the ghosts of a decade ago are stirring. A First Round clash with local rivals Hannover 96 showed that the German cup doesn’t bow to reputations. Final score: 2-0 Arminia.
Union Berlin followed, and despite their top-flight credentials, they were also shown the door. Another 2-0. Onwards.
Then came Freiburg, trekking up from the deep south for the last 16 tie, only to leave like routed Romans. 3-1.
Underdog fever has been in full swing. Do you remember 2014? The Klos goal? The parties? Whispers of Wir fahren nach Berlin!, Germany’s own Que Sera, are filling the air. For some, it’s hope. For others, a plea.
In reality, quarter-final opponents Werder Bremen have the upper hand, their Bundesliga status making them the clear favourites. But the Pokal has a way of defying logic.
As one fan puts it: “Arminia have been tough to watch for a few years now, but in the Pokal, form goes out the window. We’ve been underdogs before – just look at 2014-15. If Arminius could see off the Romans in the Teutoburger Wald, why can’t Arminia see off Bremen? Honestly, I’d rather get to Berlin than win promotion”.
Arminia Bielefeld v Werder Bremen, DFB-Pokal, SchücoArena. Tuesday, February 25, 8.45pm.
