Chapter 33 The Five Miracles of Last-Round Title Wins

After the thirty-third round of the league, the Munich media began to hype up the topic of "The Five Miracles of Last-Round Title Wins in the Bundesliga."

They had their reasons for doing so, because Bayern Munich had created two of the five miracles. So, in reality, they were paving the way for Bayern Munich to create a third miracle.

In fact, the most classic comeback miracle in the Bundesliga was the last round of the 2000-2001 season, but that wasn't really a last-round comeback.

Because Bayern Munich had been the league leaders all along.

Before the last round, Bayern Munich had 62 points, and Schalke 04 had 59 points, ranking second. Schalke 04 only had a theoretical chance of a comeback, which was similar to the current situation.

In the last round, Schalke 04 played Unterhaching at home, and Bayern Munich challenged Hamburg away. The Schalke 04 game had long been decided, with a 5-3 victory over Unterhaching. The score on Bayern Munich's side was still 0-0 when their game was about to end. But Bayern Munich could accept the draw. With a draw, everyone would have the same points, but Bayern Munich had an advantage in goal difference, so they could still win the title.

But in the eighty-ninth minute, Hamburg's Barbarez scored a goal, giving them a 1-0 lead over Bayern Munich.

At that time, Schalke 04 was cheering, all expecting a miracle to happen.

Then, in the last second of injury time, Bayern Munich defender Andersson's indirect free kick helped Bayern Munich equalize the score 1-1.

Bayern Munich was naturally ecstatic, while the Schalke 04 stadium was silent.

In the end, Bayern Munich won the league title that season with 63 points thanks to Andersson's goal, while Schalke 04 had to settle for second place.

This is the origin of Schalke 04's famous "four-minute Bundesliga title."

That was also the closest Schalke 04 had been to the Bundesliga title since the beginning of the new century.

The Munich media didn't help everyone recall this comeback because it was unlucky for Bayern Munich now—that time, the league leader eventually won the title with a scare, and the second-place team saw the dawn of a miracle, but still failed in the end, only being the league champion for four minutes.

In the current situation, the league leader is not Bayern Munich, but Borussia Dortmund. Bayern Munich has become the unlucky second-place team.

If they relive that game, doesn't that mean Bayern Munich will at most be the league champion for four minutes, and in the end, they will still be snatched away by the league leader Borussia Dortmund?

Therefore, the Munich media automatically ignored this most classic title drama.

However, the first last-round comeback miracle in Bundesliga history was also related to Bayern Munich, but they played the role of the loser at that time.

In the 1970-1971 season, Bayern Munich was still the league leader in the thirty-third round, but they only had one more goal difference than Borussia Mönchengladbach, who had the same points. In the last round, Bayern Munich challenged Duisburg away and lost 0-2. At the same time, Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated Frankfurt 4-1, completing the comeback in the last round and becoming the league champion. And Bayern Munich also began their "humiliating history" of being suppressed by Borussia Mönchengladbach in the seventies.

The second time was in the 1985-1986 season, which was still related to Bayern Munich, but this time Bayern Munich was no longer a tragic character. In the thirty-third round of the league, Werder Bremen was still leading Bayern Munich by two points, but the situation changed dramatically in the last round. Werder Bremen lost 1-2 to Stuttgart, while Bayern Munich beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-0, reversing the situation as they wished and reaching the top. Werder Bremen missed their second league title.

The third time was in the 1991-1992 season. At that time, due to the addition of several East German teams, the Bundesliga was expanded to twenty teams, and the league was increased to thirty-eight rounds. In the thirty-seventh round, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Borussia Dortmund had the same points. Frankfurt occupied the top spot with a goal difference advantage. In the last round, Frankfurt lost to Rostock, giving up the top spot in the league. At the same time, Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund defeated Leverkusen and Duisburg, respectively, and both were victorious. Stuttgart relied on the advantage of goal difference to beat Borussia Dortmund and win the league title.

The fourth time happened in 1995. This time, Bayern Munich participated, but Bayern Munich was not a contender for the title, but a spoiler. In the 1994-1995 season, after the thirty-third round of the league, Werder Bremen led Borussia Dortmund by one point, ranking first. In the last round, Werder Bremen challenged Bayern Munich away, and Borussia Dortmund faced Hamburg at home. Bayern Munich had already missed the league title, but they defeated Werder Bremen 3-1 at their home stadium. Borussia Dortmund defeated Hamburg 2-0 at home. With the help of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund surpassed Werder Bremen and won the league title.

The fifth time was in the 1999-2000 season. Leverkusen was at its peak, and their goal was the league title. After thirty-three rounds of the league, Leverkusen led Bayern Munich by three points, ranking at the top. Their opponent in the last round was the underdog Unterhaching. Bayern Munich's hope of reversing the title was only theoretical.

As a result, in this almost certain... no, absolutely certain game, Leverkusen's midfield core Ballack actually scored an own goal, which eventually led to the team losing 0-2. At the same time, in the Munich Olympic Stadium, less than a few kilometers away from Unterhaching's home stadium, Bayern Munich defeated Werder Bremen 3-1, tied Leverkusen's points, and won the title with an advantage of seven goal differences over their opponent.

In the five great comebacks, Bayern Munich participated in direct competition three times, laughing to the end twice.

The Munich media hoped to use historical achievements to encourage Bayern Munich.

At the same time, the Munich media was also encouraging Hertha Berlin, hoping that they could uphold the spirit of fair play and go all out in this game.

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At the routine press conference in the middle of the week with Klopp, Zhou Yi showed a strong confidence: "I noticed the reports from the Munich media. Of course, they can do that, to cheer for their team. But we are not Schalke 04 in history, nor are we Werder Bremen. We will not give up the title that is in our hands. Bayern Munich did win twice in these five comebacks, but this time the league title will not have Bayern Munich's name on it."

He spoke with confidence, even a bit "arrogant."

But no one felt disgusted by him because of this. Because he has the strength.

Arrogant words from someone with strength are called confidence, but arrogant words from someone without strength are truly "arrogant words."

Klopp also expressed his confidence: "Although it is an away game, we will not take it lightly. We will also go all out to respect our opponents."

A reporter stood up and asked Klopp if he regretted giving up the German Cup now. If the German Cup had also reached the final, Borussia Dortmund would have had the hope of winning the first treble in Bundesliga history.

Klopp was very open about this: "But if we don't give up a competition, then maybe we will achieve nothing by now. I don't really care about the 'treble'..."

Zhou Yi also felt that with Borussia Dortmund's situation this season, it would be very good to have the opportunity to win a double crown. There was really no need for a treble.

"...We have a saying in China, called 'Do as much as you can.' It's good the way it is now."

On the other side, at Bayern Munich's routine press conference, Guardiola and captain Lahm both expressed Bayern Munich's confidence.

"...Now is not the time to say give up," Guardiola said to a group of media cameras and microphones. "Anything can happen before the last second of the last round of the league. And all we have to do is do our best and then look at others."

"The situation is difficult, but the more difficult it is, the more it can reflect the value of our efforts. All of our players will fight side by side to the last moment," said team captain Lahm.

A reporter asked the two if they were disappointed that they were reversed by Borussia Dortmund after leading for eighty percent of the season.

There was a brief and embarrassing silence at the scene.

Lahm and Guardiola looked at each other, and finally Guardiola touched his bald head and said, "Of course, there is some disappointment. But that is something that will be summarized at the end of the season. At least there is still one round of the league left. I will not comment on something that has not ended."

After speaking, he indicated that the routine press conference could be over.

No matter how many questions the reporters had, he would not answer them.

He was also very annoyed by these media in Munich.

When he was doing well before, they praised him to the sky. What about now? Some people have already begun to criticize him for being unsuited to Munich.

Of course, he knew that as a head coach, he had to bear a lot of pressure and become the focus of everyone's attention. But in Barcelona, the overall atmosphere was still harmonious. After all, he was a Catalan himself, one of their own. The Catalan media always had to show some affection for their own people.

But after he came to Bayern Munich, he became an "outsider." In addition, in the entire Bundesliga, no club's size could compare with Bayern Munich, so it naturally gathered the attention of the entire Germany. The pressure and attention he had to bear were much greater than when he was in Barcelona. You must know that in La Liga, Real Madrid at least helped Barcelona share some of the attention.

Here, he truly realized why Bayern Munich was called "Hollywood of the Bundesliga." Sometimes this place didn't seem like a football club, but more like a fame and fortune field...

You can quickly become famous here, be sought after by thousands of people; you can also fall quickly here, and be criticized by thousands of people.