Ansgar, the semi-final of the DFB Pokal sees your former club take on the holders. What memories does this fixture hold for you?
Brinkmann: Without doubt the craziest encounter was my last one. We were battling relegation with Bielefeld – so were Leverkusen. Before the game, Dimitar Berbatov and I had a bit of a to-do in the media. As soon as the game started, we both went looking for each other on the pitch and found each other [laughs]. I got a yellow card in the first half but also scored the opening goal. Leverkusen equalised and after an hour I unfortunately got a second yellow – quite unusual for me. Lucio scored two great goals from free-kicks. We lost 3-1 and ended up getting relegated at the end of the season. But yeah, it was a wild game I won’t forget any time soon.
That team had reached the Champions League final just a year before. The current side won the double without defeat last season. Can you draw comparisons between Leverkusen’s sides from then and now?
Brinkmann: First of all, it needs to be pointed out that Bayer 04 have always had good players in the past decades. But the current team can’t be compared to any other. What players like Wirtz, Xhaka, Boniface or Frimpong have done last season and this is unique. The team, the coach and the transfers have all been excellent.
When you were at Bielefeld, these were Bundesliga fixtures. This time Arminia host the DFB Pokal holders and Bundesliga champions as a 3. Liga club. What were your thoughts after the draw?
Brinkmann: First of all, this semi-final is already a huge success for the club. Leverkusen are also a different calibre compared to the previous rounds. At the moment I can’t quite imagine how my Arminia will beat this Leverkusen side. I would’ve preferred the other two teams [laughs]. But if they manage to take the joy of playing away from these top players and can strike on the break or at set pieces, then there’s something in it for them. It’s a home game, and I’m sure the team and the fans will give their all. Anything can happen in Bielefeld.
Speaking of Bielefeld’s home, to what extent can the atmosphere have an impact on this semi-final?
Brinkmann: I don’t really think it matters much for Leverkusen. They’ve played in cauldrons all around Europe. But the support can be huge for the home team. And I know from experience the sort of impact the crowd in Bielefeld can have. The whole city generally gets behind the club. Everyone in Bielefeld will be cheering them on for this game. I believe if they can achieve this miracle that it’ll be the greatest success in the club’s history.
About Ansgar Brinkmann:
Brinkmann is from Vechta, around an hour from Bielefeld. For around six months now, however, he’s been living in the Rhineland – for love. And it's not just his living room view of the Bayer cross that gives him a connection to Bayer 04. Brinkmann works for premium partner Tipwin as a football expert and sponsor club partner NRG24 as a brand ambassador.
Before retiring in the mid-2000s, Bundesliga 2 was his home. The former midfielder played over 300 games in the second division, most of them for Osnabrück. Brinkmann made a total of 59 Bundesliga appearances for Bielefeld (30) and Eintracht Frankfurt (29), and also won the Bundesliga 2 title with Eintracht in 1997/98. Other clubs he has played for include Mainz, Tennis Borussia Berlin and Dynamo Dresden.
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