BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund showed Chelsea how to win the Champions League next Saturday when they ripped apart Bayern Munich 5-2 in the German cup final in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Borussia thus won the double for the first time after underlining their superiority over the European finalists.

Bayern, beaten by Borussia four times in  succession in the Bundesliga, were the better team in the first half but paid for a string of defensive lapses after the interval. Even Germany’s Euro 2012 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had a bad night of it. Coach Jupp Heynckes admitted: “That was a disastrous defensive performance.”

Three goals from Poland star Robert Lewandowski, one from Premier League target Shinji Kagawa and a penalty by Mats Hummels won the day for Dortmund. Bayern were briefly on terms at 1-1 through Arjen Robben and had one further goal from France forward Franck Ribery as vain consolation. Hummels said afterwards: “That was probably the best day any of us have ever had in our entire careers.”

Ten members of the Euro 2012 squad selected by national coach Joachim Low – watching in the VIP box – featured in the game.

A blunder by Brazilian Gustavo Luiz, after only three minutes, gifted the opening Dortmund goal to Kagawa in two mintes 30 seconds; it was the fastest goal in the history of the German cup final.

Dortmund were unsettled shortly afterwards when goalkeeper Roman  Weidenfeller was shaked in a collision with Bayern striker Mario Gomez. Quarter of an hour later Weidenfeller brought down Gomez, breaking into the penalty box, and Robben equalised from the spot.

Philipp Lahm had a shot blocked on the goal-line by Hummels and Dortmund were placed further under pressure when a ribs injury forced the substitution of Weidenfeller by  Australian Mitchell Langerak, who had played only four games previously for the German champions.

Instead, it was Bayern who cracked. Hummels converted a penalty and then the impressive Kagawa – being watched by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson – laid on No3  for Lewandowski in first-half stoppage time.

“I just don’t have the words for this,” said thrilled Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

Bayern have a week in which to put the pieces back together before they take on Chelsea in the Champions League Final.

In Spain a last-minute goal from Seydou Keita saved Pep Guardiola from defeat in his last league match as coach of Barcelona. The outgoing Spanish champions, reduced to 10 men after an early red card for Dani Alves, scraped a 2-2 draw away to Betis in Seville.

Barcelona finished league runners-up to Real Madrid with Valencia third despite a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad. This match marked another departure as it was Unai Emery’s last game as boss of Valencia.

 

 

# # # #