DFB Cup final live on TV and stream: Kaiserslautern against Leverkusen

The DFB Cup final kicks off at 8 p.m. this Saturday in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium: For 1. FC Kaiserslautern, the final means the opportunity to win a title after a mixed season and relegation in the second Bundesliga. A feeling that the once so successful traditional club from the Palatinate has not known for decades. And Bayer Leverkusen can at least win the double after missing out on the triple. A triumph that the Werkself will be longing for, after suffering their first defeat in a sensational season in the Europa League final against Atalanta Bergamo.

Note: The match will be broadcast live on free TV and streamed on ARD () and on the pay channel Sky

Coaches pay respect to each other before the DFB Cup final

The match is also a meeting of two very interesting coaches from different generations: When Friedhelm Funkel, now 70, first reached the DFB Cup final as a player in May 1981, Xabi Alonso was not even born yet. The Basque, now 42, was only born six months later, and now they meet as coaches of 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Bayer Leverkusen.

Both are very different in terms of their character and career trajectory. As a player, Funkel was a hard-working and goal-scoring offensive player, while Alonso was a real midfield strategist. Funkel won just one title in his professional career – the first cup final after the permanent move to Berlin in 1985 with the big outsider Bayer Uerdingen against FC Bayern. As a coach, he is still titleless, but he has already been promoted to the Bundesliga six times. Alonso won 18 trophies as a player, including becoming world champion and twice European champion and Champions League winner. As a coach, he brought the first championship to Leverkusen in his first full season.

Although – or perhaps because – they are so different, the respect between the two is very great. For me it is always a great honour to play against a coach with a great history in football, said Alonso: “I admire these great personalities and have the chance to learn from them.”

Funkel also left no doubt that he values ​​his colleague not only because of his great playing career, but also as a football coach. “He is very authentic, he is simply a good coach. His experience, his charisma – it is simply outstanding, the way he deals with people is simply fantastic,” said Funkel, who had already committed to Leverkusen as champions in December. “At that time I was still a pensioner,” he said with a smile. “I was able to visit the BayArena very often in the first half of the season, and it was simply impressive how this team played football.”