BVB were drawn against a second-tier side for the second round in a row, as they will face Union Berlin in the second round after playing Greuther Fürth in the first round. Bayern, on the other hand, will face the second amateur team running when they come up against Rödinghausen, a team from the fourth division. At first glimpse, it appears as though Bayern have got lucky in the DFB Pokal draws but taking a look back at the last ten years, it is clear to see that Bayern have consistently played against teams in a higher division than BVB’s opponents. The last time FC Bayern München played against a fourth-tier team in the second round was almost 17 years ago, on the 21st December 2001 against VfL Osnabrück.
FC Bayern met third-tier SC Paderborn in 2018 in the quarter finals.
Bayern faced second-division outfit Eintracht Braunschweig in the last eight in 2015
The statistics show that Bayern don’t always have the luck of the draw.
FC Bayern always get the luck of the draw? Definitely not!
The headline of the Kicker magazine read “Bayern get luck of the draw” after the DFB Pokal second round draw. FC Bayern München will face a team from the fourth tier, just as they did in the first round. Is there any favouritism towards the record champions? DFB.de take a look at the past ten years of the DFB Pokal.
Last season, FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund faced each other on Bayern’s way to the final. Bayern have won the Pokal four times in the last ten years, with BVB winning it twice in the same time period. The other winners are Werder Bremen, Schalke 04, VfL Wolfsburg and the current holders, Eintracht Frankfurt.
FCB have faced BVB at some stage of the DFB Pokal in every season since the 2011/12 campaign. Since 2008, either one of Bayern or Dortmund have reached the final a total of eleven times, with Bayern managing it six times and Dortmund five. This is a enough reason to make a direct comparison between Bayern and their biggest rival as we take a look at who have the two teams faced in the DFB Pokal since 2008?
FC Bayern have faced league rivals in four of the past five round of 16 ties
The draw for the first round was chosen from two different pots. The first pot has teams from the Bundesliga and the fourteen best-placed teams from the second division. The second pot contains 24 amateur teams, the teams in the bottom four of the second division and the top four of the 3. Liga. It is therefore quite likely for a Bundesliga team to face an amateur team in the first round. BVB have been drawn in the first round four times in the past ten years against a team from the 3. Liga, but the other six years they have faced amateur clubs. On two occasions, Bayern have played a team from the second tier, three times against a 3. Liga club and the rest against amateur teams.
In the second round, FCB have only faced teams from the top two tiers, with four of them being from the second division. However, BVB have played teams from the top three leagues.
In the last eight, Bayern have faced teams from the same league in 80 percent of the games in the past ten years, with the rest being against 2. Bundesliga teams. BVB have managed to qualify for round of 16 nine times in the past ten years and in these games, they have faced five teams from the Bundesliga, one from the 2. Bundesliga and three from the 3. Liga.
Bayern last faced a fourth division team in the second round 17 years ago
FC Bayern have faced sides from higher divisions than Dortmund in the quarter finals, too. Bayern have played against Bundesliga opponents in six of the past ten quarter finals, with three of the opponents being 2. Bundesliga sides and last February’s tie against third-tier SC Paderborn. Borussia Dortmund have reached the quarter finals six times in the past ten years and have played four Bundesliga teams, one 3. Liga team and even a fourth-tier side.
There is little difference between the teams when it comes round to the semi finals and final. Both teams have faced a second division team in the semi finals and only faced Bundesliga outfits in the final. Dortmund have reached the semi final five times in the past ten years and have gone on to reach the final on each occasion. Bayern have reached the semi final nine times in the same time period and have go on to the final on six of those occasions.
Fact check in detail
BVB were drawn against a second-tier side for the second round in a row, as they will face Union Berlin in the second round after playing Greuther Fürth in the first round. Bayern, on the other hand, will face the second amateur team running when they come up against Rödinghausen, a team from the fourth division. At first glimpse, it appears as though Bayern have got lucky in the DFB Pokal draws but taking a look back at the last ten years, it is clear to see that Bayern have consistently played against teams in a higher division than BVB’s opponents. The last time FC Bayern München played against a fourth-tier team in the second round was almost 17 years ago, on the 21st December 2001 against VfL Osnabrück.