The DFB Cup trophy is back in Berlin! At 13:15 CEST on Monday afternoon, Perry Bräutigam, representing current cup holders Leipzig, brought the trophy to the Red City Hall in Berlin.
“Leipzig have one of the best teams in the Bundesliga,” said four-time cup winner Karl-Heinz Körbel at the official Cup Handover. “But if anyone’s capable of beating them, it’s Eintracht Frankfurt. I’m here as a Cup ambassador – and I’d like to bring the trophy back here next year.”
With 13 days to go ahead of the 80th DFB Cup final, the level of respect for the competition itself was as tangible as the respect between the teams themselves. “I appreciate Frankfurt from my playing days,” said Körbel’s counterpart, Bräutigam. “Eintracht have played in more finals than Leipzig; they’re a tough opponent.”
Anything is possible in this shirt.
Captain Sebastian Rode
In addition to the two club legends, current mayor Kai Wegner and DFB president Bernd Neuendorf, the captains and sporting representatives of both teams were also present: Markus Krösche and Sebastian Rode for Eintracht, and Max Eberl and Péter Gulácsi for Leipzig.
Eintracht used the opportunity to have Körbel and Rode present the team’s special-edition jersey for the DFB Cup final. “It looks really good,” said Rode. “I like that it has the dates of previous successes. Anything is possible in this shirt.”
“Our fans will make the final special,” said board member for sport Markus Krösche. “They are always very imaginative and eager to travel. I'm sure lots of them will come to Berlin and try to turn it into a home game.”
He is equally certain that “the club thrives on knockout games like these. That's what makes Eintracht Frankfurt so successful. Our aim is to bring the cup back to Frankfurt for the sixth time and to have another special day.”
