In November 2000, 1. FC Magdeburg pulled off a true cup shock against FC Bayern – much to the regret of Giovane Elber. The ex-FCB striker recalls that night at the Ernst-Grube-Stadion and explains why the defeat also had a positive effect on the Munich side for the rest of the season.
Interview with Giovane Elber
Giovane, FC Bayern host 1. FC Magdeburg in the second round of the DFB Cup on Wednesday. What goes through your mind when you hear that name? “Our cup game in 2000, of course. We went to Magdeburg at that time and thought, we’ll certainly get through somehow or other, we’ll get the job done. But we weren’t prepared for how aggressively and well Magdeburg played. It was 1-1 after 90 minutes, then came extra time and ultimately penalties.”
You were brought on in the second half and had to step up in the shootout. “I came on for Alexander Zickler. I was never the best from the penalty spot, but Ottmar Hitzfeld asked me: ‘Giovane, are you prepared?’ I said: ‘Yes, coach, I’ll do it.’ But I just didn’t strike the ball correctly. Jens Jeremies had already missed before me, and then we were out.”
As cup holders, you were knocked out by a fourth-division team. Did you take Magdeburg lightly? “I would say we were too confident. We thought we’d go through with ease but the DFB Cup does, after all, have its own rules. With tremendous desire and commitment, Magdeburg showed what can be achieved when you leave your heart on the pitch.”
What was it like in the aftermath? “It was very awkward immediately after the final whistle. We sat in the changing room and just thought: how have we managed to be knocked out here with this team? It took two or three days to process, but it was an important lesson for us: you can’t underestimate any opponents.”
You quickly dusted yourselves down after the defeat and beat Dortmund 6-2 in the Bundesliga three days later – you scored one goal and set up another. “That’s just how it is at FC Bayern. You can never hang your head after a defeat – you have to pick yourself up immediately. We were given a painful reminder in Magdeburg that you have to give your all on the pitch to be successful. We delivered that again against Dortmund and showed how we can play football.”
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Despite the early exit from the cup, the season ended well for you and you won the Champions League in Milan in May. Did the defeat at Magdeburg maybe even bind you closer together as a team? “The lessons we took from that match were very important for the whole season. After that we were focused and knew how painful a defeat can be. That helped us to achieve our other goals and to end up as champions and Champions League winners.”
Back to the present day: unlike you did back then, Bayern have home advantage against Magdeburg this time. How do you see the game going? “Magdeburg play in Bundesliga 2 now, where the standard of football is good. They have a good team and also a good striker in Emmanuel Iyoha, who’s already scored six goals this season. Bayern are obviously superior in terms of individual quality, but they also have to be up for the fight – our game back then showed that. But I fully expect the team to be capable of that and Bayern to progress.”