Professionals, 23. May 2025
Record against Bielefeld: Flawless in the cup
VfB have won 20, drawn 12 and lost 12 of their 44 meetings with Arminia in all competitions, scoring 75 goals and conceding 53. The lads from Cannstatt have won both encounters in the DFB Cup, triumphing 2-0 in 2009 and 6-0 in 2023.
Friends reunitedPascal Stenzel represented Arminia at various youth levels between 2006 and 2011 before joining VfL Osnabrück’s U17 side. VfB general manager Günther Schäfer also wore the black, white and blue of Bielefeld towards the end of his career, from 1996 to 1998.
Cup final appearances: 7-1 to VfB
VfB are playing in their seventh DFB Cup final – and their first in 12 years – having previously reached the showpiece in 1954, 1958, 1986, 1997, 2007 and 2013. They triumphed in three of their first four finals (in 1954, 1958 and 1997) but were beaten 3-2 on both their last two appearances (aet against Nürnberg in 2007 and against Bayern in 2013).
Bielefeld, by contrast, have reached the final for the first time in their history, becoming the fourth third-division side to contest the fixture after Hertha BSC II in 1993 (0-1 against Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Energie Cottbus in 1997 (0-2 against VfB, with Giovane Elber scoring twice) and Union Berlin in 2001 (0-2 against Schalke). They are looking to become the first 3. Liga outfit to win the trophy.
Road to Berlin: Arminia turn heads
Arminia have beaten four Bundesliga sides in the cup so far this season: Union, SC Freiburg, Werder Bremen and Leverkusen. VfB, meanwhile, have overcome three second-tier sides (Preußen Münster, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Jahn Regensburg) and two of their Bundesliga rivals (FC Augsburg and RB Leipzig).
In Nick Woltemade, who has four goals and one assist in the DFB Cup so far, one of the competition’s three joint top scorers will take to the pitch in Berlin (the other two are Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick). Woltemade has scored once in all four of his cup appearances this term.
Attendance: East stand turns white and red
The Olympiastadion is completely sold out for the 82nd DFB Cup final. No tickets will be available on the night. VfB fans will be cheering on Sebastian Hoeneß’s side from the stadium’s east stand.
