One of the best Bundesliga seasons I can remember came to a disappointing end in Saturday’s DFB-Pokal final. 

While the league gave us two great stories with the rise and fall of Hoffenheim and the ultimate triumph of Wolfsburg, the Cup final was a damp affair.

In the two posts below, Erik Kirschbaum reflects on Werder Bremen’s victory in the frightened rabbit final, while Karolos Grohmann considers the record of Bayer ‘Neverkusen’.

Unless you happen to be a Werder Bremen fan, you’d probably agree with the rest of Germany that Werder’s 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday’s Cup final made for a deflating end to the season.

Germans have a term for it: “Angsthasen Fussball” (scared rabbit football) — an appropriate description for a fear-filled struggle between two of Germany’s biggest underachievers this year, doing everything they could to avoid one last defeat before the holidays.

That was a shame because Werder and Leverkusen are both capable of lighting up the scoreboard when they stay true to their attacking styles.

I’m an unabashed fan of the “DFB Pokal” (German Cup) and the atmosphere for the final each May in Berlin’s Olympiastadion in the company of 70-odd thousand fans is something I really look forward to. (It’s a wonderful stadium when it’s sold out, which rarely happens for Hertha Berlin.)

The final two years ago between Nuremberg and then-Bundesliga champions Stuttgart, won 3-2 by Nuremberg in extra time, was a classic Cup final — arguably the match of the season. But the 2009 final was a real dud.

“We’re all deeply relieved,” said Bremen sporting director Klaus Allofs, whose team were considered among the pre-season favourites for the Bundesliga but finished 10th. “There would have been a very bitter after taste if we had also lost the German Cup final after losing the UEFA Cup final.”

Bremen’s fears were understandable after the pain of their defeat by Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk in Istanbul and Bayer Leverkusen fans would have know just how they felt (see the post from Karolos below).

So Bremen fans got to chant “Bayer Vize-Kuzen” as they celebrated victory this was one occasion when it was really hard to say “the better team won”. More accurately, the better team managed not to lose.

AND THIS IS HOW THE WINNERS REACT: Werder keeper Tim Wiese celebrates his side’s German Cup final win over Bayer Leverkusen in Berlin, May 30, 2009. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz

When Bayer Leverkusen, 1-0 down in the German Cup final against Werder Bremen, desperately poured forward in search of a late equaliser, somehow you knew there was no way they would turn this round.

They ended up losing another final on the same day their former midfielder Michael Ballack, who has also missed or lost everything there is to lose in football, including World Cup, European Championship and Champions League finals, was lifting the FA Cup with Chelsea after beating Everton.

But for Leverkusen it was more of the same bitter story of the past 12 years.

In 2002 they famously let slip a “treble”, losing in the Champions League final to Real Madrid, choking over the final three matches of the league to end up second to Borussia Dortmund and losing the German Cup final against Schalke.

Since 1997 they’ve finished second in the Bundesliga four times, most painfully in 2000 when a Ballack own goal against Unterhaching cost them the title on the last day.

That’s why they are called “Vize-kusen”.

Hold on, some might say. They have been to two Cup finals, fought for the Bundesliga four times and almost won the Champions League. There are not many teams out there who can boast to have done all that in such a short period.

That is true. But do these seven near-misses count more than Borussia Dortmund’s one Champions League win? Are they more precious than Schalke’s solitary UEFA Cup win? Or newly-crowned Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg’s one and only trophy?

Whether fairly or not, no one apart from the Werkself fans themselves will remember Bayer’s almost-seven titles, nor will there be anything to display in the trophy cabinet.

Leverkusen keeper Rene Adler had a hard time fighting back the tears after the final whistle:

“It is difficult to say anything meaningful. Second place, you don’t get anything for that. Second place is the first loser. It’s terribly bitter. Vizekusen is just a word. It is a shame it was again confirmed tonight.”

PHOTO: Bayer Leverkusen’s Michael Ballack walks past the European Cup after his team lost the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Hampden Park. May 15, 2002. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

The way the UEFA Cup has been going, it was fitting, perhaps even inevitable, that Shakhtar Donetsk triumphed over Werder Bremen to win the competition’s final final before its rebranding as the Europa League.

As Sonia Oxley pointed out, Easter European teams have been the ones taking it seriously of late, and as Justin Palmer noted, the Brazilian influence on the competition has been getting ever stronger. Werder were missing Diego and it showed, as they searched in vain for inspiration after falling behind for a second time. Shakhtar, of course, have far the greater Brazilian contingent.

We’ll have more on this later but for now, click here for our full report, here for reaction and here for a great slideshow of photos.

And as someone who was based in Germany for a long time, I must just spare a thought for Tim Wiese, who had another European night to forget.

PHOTO: Shakhtar Donetsk celebrate with the UEFA Cup trophy after defeating Werder Bremen in final soccer match at Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

There will be a heavy Brazilian influence in Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final between Shakhtar Donetsk and Werder Bremen in Istanbul — despite the absence of Werder’s influential playmaker Diego through suspension.

Brazilian players have made a major impact in recent finals and with Ukraine’s Shakhtar boasting five in their ranks, and Naldo lining up for their German rivals, expect the boys from South America to take centre stage.

A quick look back at previous finals this decade shows the influence Brazilians have made.

In 2003, Porto became the first team to win the trophy on the now-defunct ’silver goal’ rule thanks to Brazilian Derlei’s strike in extra time against Celtic.

Two years later Brazilian playmaker Daniel Carvalho played a starring role for CSKA Moscow, setting up all three of the Russian side’s goals, including one for compatriot Vagner Love, in the 3-1 victory over Sporting in the Lisbon final.

In 2006, Sevilla cantered to their first UEFA Cup triumph as a goal from Brazilian Luis Fabiano set the Spaniards on their way to a one-sided 4-0 demolition of Middlesbrough in Eindhoven.

Sevilla did it again the following year in Glasgow, Adriano scoring their opening goal before fellow Brazilian Jonatas got Espanyol’s equaliser in extra time in the 2-2 draw.

Shakhtar’s policy of signing promising Brazilians in recent years has also paid off with the Ukraine team, owned by Russian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, one game away from their first European silverware.

Ilsinho scored a superb late winner in the semi-final second leg against Dynamo Kiev after compatriot Jadson had netted Shakhtar’s first. Fernandinho scored Shakhtar’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the first leg while Willian and Luiz Adriano have also played their part.

PHOTO: Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho controls the ball during a practice session at Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, May 19, 2009. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

What have the UEFA Cup and the Eurovision song contest got in common?

A) Some people don’t take them as seriously as they could.

B) They give lesser known participants the chance to appear on prime-time TV.

C) East European countries have started to dominate them

And the answer, I’m starting to think, is C … because of A and B.

This year will be the third year in the past six that an ex-Soviet team plays in the UEFA Cup final after victories by Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg last year and CSKA Moscow in 2005.

Watching Shakhtar Donetsk’s dramatic victory over fellow Ukrainian team Dynamo Kiev, I wondered why eastern European teams were enjoying such a love affair with a competition others have lost their passion for.

Then it struck me — it’s not the competition itself, it’s the winning. Winning anything … even the things no one else takes every seriously.

In a similar trend to Europe’s second-tier club competition, seven of the last 10 winners or runners-up in the continent’s bottom-rung singing competition have been east European.

While others plonked some Z-list no-hopers on the stage, Russia brought out Olympic figure skating champion Yevgeny Plushchenko to perform during their song and duly won last year’s edition.

While English sides like Aston Villa sent several reserve players on to the pitch, Russian and Ukrainian teams showcased their strongest sides, usually featuring several expensive Brazilian or African imports.

They really want to win it.

Before their defeat in the semi-final second leg Ukrainian league leaders Dynamo Kiev had a survey on their website asking fans which competition should be the club’s top priority.

When I last looked, 87 percent of more than 10, respondents had plumped for the UEFA Cup.

I can’t imagine if the same question was asked of Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur fans, the result would be the same — surely they would vote for the Premier League.

During several years spent in Moscow, I used to notice that when a Russian team or person won anything it was the government who was among the most excited — perhaps a throwback to Soviet times where sporting victories were a useful way of showing the country in a good light to the rest of the world.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has got in on the act this year.

“I am convinced that on May 20 in Istanbul in the UEFA Cup final Ukrainian club football will once again confirm its might, tactical talent and irrepressible striving for victory,” local media quoted him as saying.

Were it not for Dynamo drawing Metalist Kharkiv in the last-16, Ukrainian teams might have grabbed three of the last four places, as English ones did in the Champions League.

They have certainly not had an easy ride in the competition, having overcome teams like Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur, Sampdoria and Olympique Marseille.

But the question in my mind is are these ex-Soviet teams actually better than the rest or are they just winning because no one else can be bothered?

They certainly have much to gain with victory — foreign players may be even more tempted to join their leagues if they win European trophies, if they weren’t already convinced by the very attractive salaries the clubs’ wealthy owners can offer.

FOOTBALL PHOTO: Players of Shakhtar Donetsk react against Dynamo Kiev during their UEFA Cup semi-final in Donetsk, May 7, 2009. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

EUROVISION: Svetlana Loboda of Ukraine performs during rehearsals for the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

After watching a Bundesliga game in which all the goals are scored by Peruvians, it is hard to imagine that the South American country’s national team is in such a predicament.

Paolo Guerrero scored twice for Hamburg SV on Sunday in their 2-1 win over Schalke 04, whose consolation was scored by his compatriot Jefferson Farfan.

But neither of them will be on the field when Peru host arch-rivals Chile in a South American World Cup qualifier, nor will Claudio Pizarro who has scored 12 goals for Werder Bremen this season.

Once considered the third team in South America behind Brazil and Argentina, Peru lie bottom of the 10-team South American World Cup qualifying group with a paltry five points from 10 games. Their results have included a 5-1 defeat in Ecuador and 6-0 thrashing in Uruguay. They have scored five goals in 10 games yet feel they can afford the luxury of doing without their top players.

Farfan and Pizarro were both suspended for 18 months by the Peruvian federation for alleged acts of indiscipline at the team hotel following a World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2007.

The bans were later cut to three months and have long since ended by coach Jose del Solar has refused to recall the pair, nor defender Santiago Acasiete who was banned alongside them.

Guerrero, meanwhile, is serving a six-match suspended for his furious reaction to being sent off during the Uruguay match.

Pizarro, in particular, has repeatedly protested his innocence and accused the Peruvian federation of using the alleged incident — based on the evidence given by a television reporter — as a smokescreen to hide its own problems,

“He (Del Solar) knew perfectly well that I was not involved and told me personally, but never said anything in public,” Pizarro said in a newspaper interview with El Comercio last month. “That hurt me. He knows he let me down.”

Peru’s problems go far beyond alleged indiscipline by the players. Last year, the in-fighting amongst Peruvian officials reached such a point that FIFA briefly suspended the country.

The players also complain about the country’s notorious tabloid newspapers and reality television shows, often accusing them of turning a quiet beer with friends into stories of all-night debauchery.

Last year, television presenter Magaly Medina spent two months in prison after being found guilty of defaming Guerrero.

In the meantime, Peru flounder at the bottom of the table and Del Solar’s refusal to recall Pizarro and Farfan seems to be a well-aimed shot in his own foot.

PHOTO: Schalke 04’s Mladen Krstajic challenges Guerrero for a header in Gelsenkirchen, March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

Werder Bremen’s Weserstadion is not the most comfortable place to watch football, with its slightly rickety feel, but it must be one of the most exciting.

Saturday’s 5-4 victory over Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga made it 10 goals in the last two league games for Thomas Schaaf’s side, who have now shrugged off a bit of early-season lethargy to restate the case for being the most entertaining side in Germany, certainly, and quite possibly Europe as a whole.

What’s not to love about Werder Bremen? For a team with relatively modest resources (compared to Bayern Munich or the European bigwigs) they show a refreshing commitment to attacking football. (more…)

Werder Bremen have dashed the Olympic hopes of Brazil playmaker Diego, telling the 23-year-old they will not release him and thus depriving the Games of perhaps one of the world’s most exciting young players

Werder sporting director Klaus Allofs said there was no legal reason for clubs to release their players because, he said, the Olympics are not part of world soccer’s governing body FIFA.

“So I’m not expecting any reaction from FIFA,” Allofs said.

Just last week FIFA said that even though clubs are not obliged to release overage players they must release any players younger than 23. Diego turned 23 on Feb. 28 and he was nominated for Brazil’s Olympic team on July 8 by coach Dunga.

Diego got his first cap for Brazil in April 2003 as a 19-year-old so how are Werder getting away with this? Why will Diego be spending August training with his club on Germany’s North Sea island of Nordeney instead of playing for Brazil in China?

Werder released a statement from Diego that said: “The Olympics are my dream. But Werder don’t want to release me. I’ll respect that. I don’t want to cause any problems.”

But Bild newspaper reported on Tuesday that Diego has not given up yet. “I don’t know yet what I’ll do. I’ll wait to see what FIFA decides,” he was quoted as saying.

AC Milan have stopped Kaka from going and Barcelona said Brazilian compatriot Ronaldinho could not attend. Ronaldinho has just moved to Milan from Barca so all eyes are on what the Italian club decide. 

Is it time FIFA made a definitive ruling.

PHOTO: Diego scores for Werder against Bayern Munich, Feb 10. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach