Treble was the plan, but... Bayern face Stuttgart in the cup final chasing a domestic double

German football’s grand finale takes center stage on Saturday night as Bayern Munich and Stuttgart meet at Berlin’s Olympiastadion in the DFB-Pokal final.

For Bayern, the task is crystal clear — seal another domestic double and lift the DFB-Pokal for the first time since 2020. Stuttgart, meanwhile, are chasing a milestone of their own. Sebastian Hoeness’s side are aiming to retain the trophy and secure consecutive cup triumphs for the first time in the club’s history. Even so, Bayern travel to the capital as clear favorites.

Vincent Kompany’s debut full campaign at the helm has gone almost perfectly on the domestic front. Bayern once again dominated the Bundesliga landscape, collecting 28 wins from 34 league matches while smashing in an incredible 122 goals, a reflection of their relentless attacking power throughout the season.

The Bavarians signed off their league campaign in emphatic style last weekend by thrashing FC Köln 5-1 at the Allianz Arena. Now they return to the DFB-Pokal final for the first time in five years, continuing to stand alone as the competition’s undisputed kings. Bayern’s 20 cup trophies remain the highest tally in Germany, comfortably ahead of every other club.

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Unsurprisingly, Harry Kane once again headlines the storylines surrounding Bayern. The England captain is producing the most devastating goalscoring season of his career, registering a remarkable 58 goals in all competitions. After years of falling agonizingly short of silverware earlier in his career, Kane now has another opportunity to add to the growing collection of trophies he has built since moving to Munich.

Still, Stuttgart arrive in Berlin believing they can make history themselves. Under Sebastian Hoeness, the Swabians have enjoyed another outstanding season, securing a return to the Champions League places while simultaneously reaching a second straight DFB-Pokal final.

Their dramatic 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend confirmed a top-four Bundesliga finish and capped another excellent domestic campaign. Now they have the chance to transform a great season into a legendary one. Last year, Stuttgart embraced the role of spoilers by ending Arminia Bielefeld’s dream run in the final. This time, however, they enter the showpiece as underdogs attempting to topple the biggest giant in German football.

Recent history heavily favors Bayern. The Munich side have won seven of the last eight meetings between the clubs, while Stuttgart have managed just a single victory over Bayern since 2018.

Nevertheless, Stuttgart possess enough attacking quality to remain a genuine threat. Players such as Deniz Undav, Chris Fuhrich and Serhou Guirassy have repeatedly demonstrated throughout the campaign that Stuttgart can explode forward quickly and punish opponents in transition.

Tactically, Bayern are expected to dominate possession, push high up the pitch and attempt to suffocate Stuttgart through constant attacking pressure. Hoeness’s men will likely stay compact, absorb pressure and look to strike rapidly through counterattacks and vertical transitions. Much could depend on whether Stuttgart can withstand Bayern’s offensive intensity long enough to create dangerous openings of their own.

Mentally, the pressure weighs far more heavily on Bayern. After such a commanding domestic season, anything other than lifting the trophy would be viewed as a major failure. Stuttgart, on the other hand, arrive with freedom, momentum and the sense that they have already surpassed expectations.

Ahead of the final, Bayern are dealing with several important injury concerns. Manuel Neuer is expected to miss the match because of a lingering calf issue, while Alphonso Davies is also unlikely to recover in time after missing the club’s last two matches with a hamstring injury. Serge Gnabry remains sidelined as well, continuing his recovery from an adductor problem that has kept him out since April.

Stuttgart, by contrast, head into the final in far better condition on the fitness front, with Sebastian Hoeness expected to have almost his entire squad available for the clash in Berlin.

DFB POKAL FINAL

Saturday

21:00 (1.35) Bayern (6.25) Stuttgart (7.75)

***odds are subject to change***