FC Bayern Reaches DFB-Pokal Final After Run of Setbacks. For the first time in six years, FC Bayern has a chance to reclaim the DFB-Pokal. The club endured a series of unexpected defeats and eliminations by underdogs. The final against VfB Stuttgart will be a crucial test for the Munich side.
FC Bayern is one step away from its first DFB-Pokal trophy in six years. On Saturday, Vincent Kompany's team will play VfB Stuttgart in the final, carrying not only a confident Bundesliga victory, but also a complicated history in recent cup campaigns. Despite dominating the national championship—finishing 18 points ahead of their closest rivals and setting a goal-scoring record—cup success has eluded the club.
The last time FC Bayern lifted the DFB-Pokal was in the 2019/20 season, when they defeated Bayer Leverkusen as part of their triumphant treble. Since then, a string of failures has become an unexpected tradition for the club. In 2021, Bayern lost to Holstein Kiel in a penalty shootout in the second round. The next season brought a crushing 0:5 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the quarterfinals. In 2023, the team again exited at the quarterfinal stage, losing to SC Freiburg. But in 2024 came perhaps the most painful elimination: a defeat to third-division 1. FC Saarbrücken in the dying minutes—a first in the club’s history.
In 2025, FC Bayern again failed to reach the final, losing to Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16. Such cup failures have happened before for the Munich side: back in the 2000/2001 season under Ottmar Hitzfeld, the team was knocked out in the second round, losing on penalties to fourth-tier 1. FC Magdeburg. Similar early exits also occurred in the 1990/1991 and 1994/1995 seasons.
Nevertheless, FC Bayern remains the most decorated club in the history of the DFB-Pokal: 25 finals and 20 victories — a record no other German club can match. This season, the team approaches the decisive match in good form and with confidence, bolstered by a successful Champions League campaign. In their most recent encounter with VfB Stuttgart, who are also the current holders of the cup, the Munich side secured a 4-2 victory.
Interestingly, such periods of dominance and setbacks are not unique to German giants. For example, as an analysis of a decade of Manchester City's success under Pep Guardiola shows,, even the most consistent clubs face unexpected failures in cup competitions.
For reference: the DFB-Pokal is Germany's second most important football tournament after the Bundesliga. Winning it brings not only prestige but also a direct ticket to the Europa League. The final is traditionally held in Berlin and attracts the attention of the entire country. If FC Bayern succeeds, they can strengthen their status as Germany's most decorated club and break a prolonged run of setbacks in cup matches.
