What the papers say: ‘The favourites could have been rocked’

The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel assesses the events at the Olympic Stadium as follows: “Lewandowski’s goal for 3-0 was the decider. Sven Bender pulled a goal back to make it 3-1 from the first corner for Leverkusen, Kai Havertz scored a penalty in added time for the final score of 4-2. But, in spite of further chances, the men from Munich had no real problems in settling matters. Bayern just refused to ease off even at the end of a long and strenuous season. The 4-2 win secured the 20th cup title in the club’s history – and the 13th league and cup double.”

The Sunday edition of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung draws the following conclusion: “The result appears more convincing than the second-half performance of Bayern actually was. Leverkusen were determined not to give up after going 3-0 down. Sven Bender scored a header that inspired the best period of the game for Leverkusen. They came close to scoring again to get back in the game, were producing the football they are capable of when playing well, and they caused serious problems for the favourites. Again and again, the Leverkusen wingers were brought into play and Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby gave the Bayern full backs Benjamin Pavard and Alphonso Davies a real headache. Kerem Demirbay, who came on for Julian Baumgartlinger, gave the Leverkusen game the rhythm that was missing before. The team created a number of chances, and if they had been a little more clinical, they could have rocked the favourites.”

The online edition of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger describes the key moments of the game: “The match was decided between 57 and 59 minutes by two major Leverkusen mistakes. With the score at 2-0, the half-time substitute Kevin Volland missed a huge chance to pull a goal back from a few metres out. Less than 120 seconds later, the Bayer keeper Hradecky made a no-less spectacular error to gift a goal to Lewandowski.” On the Leverkusen attacking play: “The moves mostly took a moment too long, particularly in the first half, so that the player receiving the final pass was usually offside. And in the few moves where Leverkusen had space to counter and the passes found their targets behind the back four, the attackers were unable to break through the Bayern defence. It only improved when the scoreline was 3-0 – but not long enough to cause Bayern serious problems.”

The online edition of the Rheinische Post looks at the best phase for the Werkself. “Shortly after it was 3-0, the Rhinelanders found the back of the net with Sven Bender’s header from a Demirbay corner Demirbay (64’). And who knows what would have happened if Volland had converted Diaby’s cross two minutes later (66’). And in spite of a period of storm and stress from the Werkself at 3-1. Lewandowski scored again in added time to make it 4-1. It was his seventh goal in a cup final – another historic record. Havertz’ goal from the penalty spot for the final score of 4-2 was of purely academic interest.”

The online report in the Bild-Zeitung reads: “At 23.30, the two team buses drew up at the team hotel, the Grand Hyatt. 15 Leverkusen fans held up a placard with ‘Heads up’ written on it, and applauded their players as they walked into the foyer. After the 4-2 cup defeat against FC Bayern, frustration was above all evident with the captain Lars Bender (31), who, along with his brother Sven (scored to make it 3-1), he gave all he could but was unable to prevent the defeat.”

The Cologne journal Express states: “After it was 3-0, Leverkusen went into full attack mode – and, after a powerful headed goal scored by Sven Bender from a corner, they suddenly rediscovered their courage (64’). However, following that, the Werkself missed their best goalscoring opportunities. That came back to haunt them: Substitute Ivan Perisic fed Lewandowski just before full time and the Pole lobbed the ball into the net to make it 4-1 (89’). ‘The fourth goal settled it for us,’ said FCB chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (64).”

The online report in the Kicker comes to the following conclusion: “FC Bayern Munich have now won the DFB Cup 20 times thanks to the 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. A truly one-sided first half was followed by a balanced second with the Werkself making life difficult for themselves - and they were only able to chase the game. (…) The Werkself faced a Herculean task after it was 3-0 but they accepted the challenge. Boateng just managed to clear a square ball from Havertz with Bailey poised to strike (63’), the ensuing corner saw Sven Bender make it 3-1 with a header (64’). Shortly after that, Volland failed to connect with a cross from the impressive Diaby (66’), Leverkusen outplayed FCB at times during this phase.”