While in Viersen, I was able to watch the DFB Pokal final. This is essentially the German championship when it comes to football, the only higher award is winning the league. The two teams playing against each other were Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. These two teams had spent the entire season in first and second place respectively. Dortmund had in fact had the best season they have ever had, and it still wasnt enough to take first place. This game, though, was highly anticipated. The captain for Dortmund, Mats Hummels, who I think is the best defender in the world, was playing his last game for this club, and would be playing for Bayern Munich next season.

I went to the main square in a bigger town next to Viersen, called Münchengladbach. Here there were many bars and restaurants, all packed together, all showing the big game. For the first half, I was out in the crowded seating area outside without a vey good view. But for the second half I moved inside one of the bars, and found a small room at the back that had many open places. I found the seat with the best view and ordered some food to complete the second half.

The game was amazing, there was no clear favorite, both teams had had their chances and opportunities, as well as their swings of momentum. Unfortunately in the 60th minute roughly, Hummels had to get subbed out with a hamstring injury. So now Dortmund had a new player, who wasn’t their captain, on the field. This was, though, a sign of things to come. Dortmund had picked up some new talent who would be joining in the offseason, and would also be parting ways with another one or two players.

In the end the game went into overtime, tied at zero, and then to penalty kicks. No matter how hard they had tried neither team was able to put one in the back of the net. So it came down to pk’s and Bayern won, damn I was rooting for Dortmund, and the German football season had come to an end.