Arminia Bielefeld: How a fan experiences the greatest success of the club

Arminia Bielefeld? Give it over, you had almost forgotten this football club until recently. This association from East Westphalia, which always meanders between the first and second division and is now fighting to not disappear into the insignificance of third class.

But now, now Arminia Bielefeld is suddenly back on the big football stage. For the first time, the Arminia plays in the cup final, it is the greatest success in the club’s history for an association that has so far only has the Westphalia Cup in the showcase. For fans like me, the finals are a late satisfaction after hard years.

Briefly to the analytical: Bielefeld sensationally defeated Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals. And not even happy, but well deserved, with an almost perfect game. Efficiently on the offensive, concentrated on the defensive, enthusiastic, biting. Trainer Mitch Kniat has developed a match plan that obviously also works against the master and cup winner: with just one tip instead of in the league with three attackers, but not hidden, but attacked cheekily.

The Arminia, as the fourth third division club, brought this method to the final of the DFB Cup. But: As the first team from the third division, Bielefeld has cleared four Bundesliga teams on their way there. The only relevant record that Arminia had held so far was that most of the ascents to the Bundesliga – keyword elevator team.

But now to the emotional: I have spent countless afternoons on the south stands of the Alm (the stadium, which has long since no longer been called alp but everyone). Seen many a game in foreign stadiums. It rarely went well. Sure, there were highlights like victories against FC Bayern in the snow flower. But above all, low points such as a 0: 3 at Erzgebirge Aue are remembered at bitter -cold temperatures. Many traveling fans were so disappointed that they left the stadium well before the final whistle.

There are many such small and large disappointments in the history of Arminia Bielefeld, especially in recent years. From the Bundesliga it went straight to the lowlands of the third division. When descending, fan riots and shameful scenes occurred. The picture, as club icon Fabian Klos stands in front of the angry fans with tears in his eyes, burned down. This is one of the reasons why the balsam cup final is on the sore fan souls.

You don’t look for your football club, it is said – and who is a fan of Arminia Bielefeld, must be able to suffer. If FC Bayern follow the third winless game in a row or the BVB has to do without Champions League evenings for a year, I can only smile bitterly. Take a descent with you. And then another. And then constantly the jokes about the city that does not exist. In Bielefeld you will encounter this with self -irony. “We drive far, we drive a lot and we lose every game,” is a popular catch.

When there was something to celebrate, the promotion to the second division 2020, the party was only very subdued due to the Corona measures. So there is a lot of catching up to do.

Nevertheless, after the sensational victory against Bayer Leverkusen, the storm was typical East Westphalian. After the blessed fans ran on the lawn, the stadium spokesman immediately braked: the next important league game is coming up in one week – and the place should not look worse than it anyway. In Bielefeld you never trust happiness, the next setback could be lurking behind it. The East Westphalian itself, in football as in life, is a realist: an optimist with experience. Where the Rhineländer says “et still had Jot Jejange”, you know in East Westphalia-Lippe: “Everything can still go wrong.”

But you can just enjoy. And happy that another passage has come true: “The football world in Bielefeld is turned upside down: Arminia is back!” See you in Berlin!