The two biggest clubs in Germany clash in the final match of their season on Saturday. The DFB Pokal (German Cup) final in Berlin promises to be an absolute cracker, as it always is when Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund go head to head.
With the Bundesliga title already in Bayern's cabinet for another season, Dortmund will want to stop Pep Guardiola from having the perfect sendoff, as Thomas Tuchel's men look for a mini upset. While Borussia Dortmund are a team capable of beating any side in Europe, Bayern Munich will start as the favourites for this German Cup final.
"It's going to be very emotional," Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng told the club's official website. "It's between the two best teams in Germany. Both will fight for every centimetre, both want to win."
Of that there is no doubt, and while Bayern target giving Guardiola, who will join Manchester City next season, as good an exit as he could have hoped for, having been knocked out of the Champions League in the semifinals, Dortmund will be a little more desperate for the title, considering they have lost the last two cup finals, one of them to Bayern.
To beat Bayern, though, Borussia Dortmund will not only have to take all their chances when they present themselves, but defined out of their skins, and use that pressing effort to optimum use.
"We definitely wanted to get to the final again," Dortmund defender Marcel Schmelzer was quoted as saying by his club's official website. "The good thing in a final is that it does not matter how the teams lineup player for player. It is more important that we work together as a club.
"We know that it is possible to also beat the best team in Germany in this final, in this game. We can beat Bayern in this one game. We want to put our plan into action over 90 minutes and win the game.
"We intend to be successful against Bayern and to then fly home to Dortmund with the Cup on Sunday."
One of the key subplots in this final will be Mats Hummels, who will feature in his final match for Borussia Dortmund, before joining Bayern Munich next season. Having moved to the Westfalenstadion from Bayern many years ago, Hummels, controversially, decided to move back to his former club, with Dortmund, after Mario Gotze, who will miss this final with a fractured rib, and Robert Lewandowski, losing another major player to their Bundesliga rivals.
"A few weeks ago it was, but it isn't any more," Schmelzer said when asked about the Hummels transfer. "Mats has made his decision. And for the final we don't need to worry that he can't blend out the transfer for 90 minutes."
Where to Watch Live
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund -- Germany Cup final -- is scheduled for a 7.45 p.m. CET (11.15 p.m. IST, 6.45 p.m. BST, 1.45 p.m. ET) start.
India: TV: Ten 2 and Ten 1 HD. Live Streaming: Ten Sports Live.
Germany: TV: Sky, Teleclub, ARD. Live Streaming: Sky Go Germany.
UK: TV: BT Sport Europe. Live Streaming: Watch BT Sport.
USA: TV: ESPN Deportes (Spanish) and ESPN3. Live Streaming: Watch ESPN.
France, Spain, Australia, Middle East and North Africa: Bein Sports. Live Streaming: Bein Sports Connect.