00:54UK: German fans amped up and ready for Champions League final
UK: German fans amped up and ready for Champions League final
Around 50,000 fans travelled to the much awaited Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Fans were chanting and singing, and spirits were high as they made their way on the London Underground. A further 100,000 fans are estimated to have travelled from Germany, with little prospect of actually getting into Wembley.
Before 1990, there was little bad blood between the two finalists, while Bayern were clearly the dominant and Dortmund too feeble. This changed in 1995 when Ottmar Hitzfeld led Dortmund to their first ever Bundesliga title. A clear message was sent to Munich: Dortmund had arrived.
In 1997, the Champions League title was taken by Dortmund in Bayern's own backyard, the Munich Olympic Stadium. This was Dortmund's first European title. In 1998, just one year after leading BVB to their biggest title to date, Hitzfeld decided to take over at Bayern Munich, where he continued to sweep up championships for his old rivals.
Dortmund broke Bayern's championship streak in 2002 with their first Bundesliga title since 1996, but after going public on the German stock market in 2000, poor financial management led to heavy debt, causing the selling of their stadium, and near bankruptcy in 2005.
Now, the derby is brought to England, and with it comes the largest influx of Germans since the fifth-century Adventus Saxonum (the arrival of the Saxons). Yellow Dortmund shirts were dominating the north London streets around Wembley, and football fans were drinking beer during a low-key security operation.
00:54none
UK: German fans amped up and ready for Champions League final
Around 50,000 fans travelled to the much awaited Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Fans were chanting and singing, and spirits were high as they made their way on the London Underground. A further 100,000 fans are estimated to have travelled from Germany, with little prospect of actually getting into Wembley.
Before 1990, there was little bad blood between the two finalists, while Bayern were clearly the dominant and Dortmund too feeble. This changed in 1995 when Ottmar Hitzfeld led Dortmund to their first ever Bundesliga title. A clear message was sent to Munich: Dortmund had arrived.
In 1997, the Champions League title was taken by Dortmund in Bayern's own backyard, the Munich Olympic Stadium. This was Dortmund's first European title. In 1998, just one year after leading BVB to their biggest title to date, Hitzfeld decided to take over at Bayern Munich, where he continued to sweep up championships for his old rivals.
Dortmund broke Bayern's championship streak in 2002 with their first Bundesliga title since 1996, but after going public on the German stock market in 2000, poor financial management led to heavy debt, causing the selling of their stadium, and near bankruptcy in 2005.
Now, the derby is brought to England, and with it comes the largest influx of Germans since the fifth-century Adventus Saxonum (the arrival of the Saxons). Yellow Dortmund shirts were dominating the north London streets around Wembley, and football fans were drinking beer during a low-key security operation.