The 1991/92 season ends dramatically – and with a surprising German champion. On the finish line, VfB Stuttgart still beats the competition from Dortmund and Frankfurt. And then there is the magazine from Austria, which tempted some Bundesliga coaches to make bad statements.
“Maybe I’ve become a bit immortal today,” said Guido Buchwald, who scored the decisive goal for the new German champions VfB Stuttgart. In the last game of the season at Bayer Leverkusen, he scored with a header a few minutes before the end. While the VfB fans cheered, there was a hangover in Frankfurt and Dortmund. Only the goal difference allowed BVB to remain in second place despite a simultaneous win in Duisburg, while Eintracht quarreled with the referee after the 2-1 defeat in Rostock. Quite rightly, as he later admitted.
After watching the controversial scene on TV, Alfons Berg said: “It was a clear penalty. I feel sorry for Eintracht.” The next day on the balcony of the Römerberg, the disappointment that the players were at a disadvantage had not yet evaporated. Representing everyone, goalkeeper Uli Stein said: “It wasn’t just our fault that it didn’t go through. Unfortunately, there are also three black men who are part of it.”
A preliminary decision against a German champion Borussia Dortmund was already made on the 31st matchday. Nuremberg striker Wück flew so elegantly through the Dortmund penalty area that referee Kasper didn’t hesitate and pointed to the penalty spot. Sergio Zarate converted the penalty safely in the 12th minute. In the end, BVB lost the club 2-1, and Dortmund’s defender Günter Kutowski was furious: “An absolute king of swallows, this Wück. I’ll go crazy if this left thing costs us the championship.” But the “flying Nürnberger” Wück didn’t want to put on this shoe: “I don’t decide the championship, but the clubs themselves.” He was right, of course, but in the end BVB was missing exactly this one point on VfB Stuttgart.
Thomas Gottschalk at Bayern Munich
In the meantime, Borussia Dortmund was able to regain hope in the fight for the title on the penultimate matchday after beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-1. The interim results from Stuttgart (1:1 against Wattenscheid) and Frankfurt were followed with great interest. When Bremen made it 2-1 there, the entire Westfalenstadion screamed “Werder, Werder”. Coach Hitzfeld admitted: “It sent chills down my spine!” In Frankfurt, after the 2-2 draw against Bremen, the missed chances were mourned. The encouraging words of guest coach Otto Rehhagel didn’t help much: “If Eintracht wins the championship, that would be a triumph for football!”
At the beginning of the season, the last champion of the GDR, Hansa Rostock, stirred up the Bundesliga. Up to the seventh day of the game, Hansa was in first place five times. Credit also goes to coach Uwe Reinders, who first had to do development work at the beginning of his time in the east of the republic: “If someone saved the ball earlier, that was the end of the matter for them. Then they just picked their nose.” In the end, Rostock got more and more into a tailspin and descended.
TV show host Thomas Gottschalk redeemed a lost bet in the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen in Munich’s Olympic Stadium in November and sat on the Bayern bench before the game between Lerby and Hoeneß. In a traditional jacket and with a red and white bobble hat on his head, he not only impressed the Munich officials. In the VIP area, the “Wetten, dass…?” moderator finally signed a membership application – but without paying. However, President Fritz Scherer was merciful: “We will give the Lord credit!”
Bundesliga falls for journalists
FC Schalke 04 also needed money. And they actually had an idea of where to find it. It was an idea that was as simple as it was promising: they wanted to set up their own betting shop in the Park Stadium before the games, together with the Northwest Lotto. And she was enthusiastic, as her spokesman explained: “When you see what is being gambled away in Schalke in the stands alone, you can become jealous as a lottery company.” The profit per game was estimated at 75,000 marks. As usual, fans should be able to bet on a variety of options until just before the start of the game. And realize any winnings immediately after the game.
A magazine from Austria presented the Bundesliga. Journalists from the “Wiener”, disguised as representatives of a sports agency, contacted various coaches with a bogus offer. KSC coach Winfried Schäfer was very interested and made it clear that there were no problems at all with Karlsruhe because his club was in breach of contract anyway: “I have a contract in which six points are fixed. At least four of them are not fulfilled.” Schäfer is said to have spoken just as freely about the usual entertainment for the men in black: “For example, when referee D. whistles at the Lauterer Betzenberg, then two girls are sitting next to him at the hotel bar in the evening. Well-run clubs know exactly who is into which type, whether blonde or brunette. And whether there should be one or two pillows on the bed.”
Gladbach’s Gerd vom Bruch is also said to have fallen for the journalists. He was quoted as saying about world champion Lothar Matthäus: “Lothar is not a professional. He drinks too much and eats too much. He has no stamina, is past his zenith.” Lothar reacts sourly, but also calmly: “I could never have achieved so much if I had only drunk and eaten.”
2023-07-22 18:32:34
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