Der Klassiker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first match between the two clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Munich on 16 October 1965. On 5 May 1966, Dortmund won the 1966 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Liverpool in extra time, becoming the first German club to win a European title. Bayern Munich won the same competition the following season. In 1971, Bayern defeated Dortmund 11–1; this remains Bayern's biggest Bundesliga victory and Dortmund's second worst defeat. The highest scoring draw in a Bundesliga match between the two teams occurred on 21 May 1983, with a final scoreline of 4–4. The rivalry grew during the 1990s, as Dortmund's stature increased to challenge perennial title favourites Bayern, winning two Bundesliga titles in 1994–95 and 1995–96. In 1996, Bayern captain Lothar Matthäus accused Germany teammate Andreas Möller of being a 'crybaby', wiping imaginary tears from his face; Möller reacted by slapping Matthäus. At the end of that season, Dortmund won the 1997 UEFA Champions League final which happened to be played at the Olympiastadion, Bayern's home ground. The teams met in the quarter-finals of the next edition of the Champions League, and Dortmund prevailed over two legs. That summer, Bayern hired Dortmund's successful coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. Tempers flared twice during Bayern and Dortmund's second meeting in the 1998–99 Bundesliga, as Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn first attempted a flying kung-fu kick at Chapuisat, and later appeared to bite Heiko Herrlich's ear. In the early 2000s both clubs remained successful, as Bayern lost one Champions League final (1999) then won another (2001) in addition to more domestic success, while Dortmund won the 2001–02 Bundesliga and reached the UEFA Cup final the same year. An angry 2001 league meeting was notable for ten yellow cards and three red being shown (a Bundesliga record for indiscipline). However, Dortmund soon fell heavily into debt, and a €2m loan from Bayern in 2004 played a small role in saving them from bankruptcy. On 19 April 2008, the two sides clashed in the 2008 DFB-Pokal final for the first time that took place in Berlin; Bayern won 2–1 after extra time. By 2010, Dortmund had put together a strong squad, including Mats Hummels, Mario Götze, Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski, who led the club to the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga titles. Dortmund clinched the 2011–12 league championship in a home match where bananas we

In Their Own Story

Real Madrid's path to the final was marked by dramatic moments. In the round of 16, they were drawn against German club RB Leipzig. In the first leg held at the Red Bull Arena, a lone Brahim strike prevailed Madrid to a 1–0 away win. In the second leg, Madrid were held to a 1–1 draw, despite Willi Orbán scoring for his team, Vinícius's goal was enough for Madrid to advance 2–1 on aggregate. In the quarter-finals, Madrid were drawn against English champions and reigning UEFA Champions League winners Manchester City for the third consecutive season. The first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu ended in an intense 3–3 draw, in which goals from Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Joško Gvardiol were denied by replies from a Rúben Dias own goal, Rodrygo, and Federico Valverde. The second leg at the City of Manchester Stadium also ended in a draw, as Rodrygo's early goal was cancelled out by a Kevin De Bruyne equaliser. The match ended 1–1 after extra time and went into the penalty shootout to decide the winner after a 4–4 aggregate draw. It was Madrid's first Champions League shootout since the 2016 final. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin saved two crucial penalties from Silva and Mateo Kovačić, with only Luka Modrić missing his spot kick for the visitors, while Antonio Rüdiger scored the decisive final penalty to send his team to the semi-finals.

Reader's Guide

As of 22 August 2026, the overall match statistics show Bayern Munich with 48 higher finishes in the Bundesliga head-to-head ranking, and Borussia Dortmund with 9. The biggest win for Bayern Munich is 11–1 (27 November 1971), and for Borussia Dortmund is 4–0 (6 March 1967).

Did You Know?

• The first match between the two clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Munich on 16 October 1965.
• Bayern's 11–1 victory in 1971 remains Bayern's biggest Bundesliga win and Dortmund's second worst defeat.
• The highest scoring draw between the teams was 4–4 on 21 May 1983.
• The term 'German Clasico' was first used around the 2013 UEFA Champions League final, based on El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
• A €2m loan from Bayern in 2004 helped save Dortmund from bankruptcy.