German Cup holders Bayer Leverkusen suffered a stunning 2-1 defeat against third-division Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-finals on Tuesday, ending their hopes of back-to-back titles.
Xabi Alonso’s side, overwhelming favourites to reach a second consecutive final, were outplayed by their lower-league opponents, who have now eliminated four top-tier clubs on their fairytale run.
Jonathan Tah put Leverkusen ahead in the 17th minute, but Bielefeld responded almost immediately through Marius Woerl. Maximilian Grosser then struck in first-half stoppage time to seal a famous victory, sending Bielefeld to their first-ever German Cup final.
Bielefeld’s dream season now sees them on the verge of European football—if they win the final in Berlin in May against either RB Leipzig or Stuttgart, they will secure a Europa League spot for next season.
Bielefeld became just the fourth third-division side in history to reach the German Cup final, and coach Michel Kniat was full of pride.
Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich admitted his side were well beaten: “It was by far our worst game of the season. Bielefeld deserved the win, which means we did plenty of things wrong.”
Alonso, who had never lost in 10 previous matches in the competition, was just one win away from surpassing Louis van Gaal’s all-time record for most consecutive German Cup victories as a manager.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan when Tah tapped in unmarked at the far post to give Leverkusen an early lead.
However, Bielefeld hit back just three minutes later, capitalising on a defensive mistake. Woerl punished Piero Hincapie’s poor clearance with a superb curling effort to level the match.
The underdogs continued to frustrate their Bundesliga opponents with rapid counter-attacks and relentless energy. Their persistence paid off moments before halftime when Grosser hammered in Louis Oppie’s free-kick from close range to put Bielefeld in front.
Despite dominating possession, Leverkusen struggled to create clear chances. The best opportunity fell to Patrick Schick in the 81st minute, but the striker—often Leverkusen’s saviour—saw his header hit the post.
This season’s German Cup has been full of surprises, with giants Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Eintracht Frankfurt all suffering early exits.
The second semi-final on Wednesday will see RB Leipzig take on Stuttgart, with Leipzig led by interim coach Zsolt Löw after Marco Rose’s recent dismissal. Leipzig, winners of two of the past three German Cups, will now look to avoid the same fate as Leverkusen in this unpredictable tournament.
