It's all unfolding according to plan. Similarly to previous years, tens of thousands of BVB fans could be seen celebrating peacefully at Breitscheidplatz in the centre of Berlin on Saturday as they got into the mood for the evening's Cup final.

From the late morning onwards, Borussia fans were more or less an ever-present feature on the streets of Berlin. And when there were no blacks and yellow fans in sight, a black and yellow bus operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, the main public transport company in the German capital, could be seen driving around. The epicentre of activity, though, was undoubtedly at Breitscheidplatz.

"Unbelievable" wrote Norbert Dickel on Facebook as he stood on the stage constructed next to the Memorial Church looking out at the throng of BVB fans. It was all black and yellow. "It's almost like being in another city today," explained a woman from Berlin, clearly stunned that BVB had transformed the capital into a sea of black and yellow once again..

According to police estimates, almost 10,000 fans were at Breitscheidplatz at around 15:00 CET, with the law enforcement authorities drawing a positive preliminary conclusion in the late afternoon. Until that point, BVB fans were celebrating peacefully and the cooperation with club officials had worked well. Police did have to intervene occasionally, however, in an attempt to remove pyrotechnics from the crowd.

But not all Borussia fans were gathered at Breitscheidplatz, with some using the occasion to go on a classic Berlin sightseeing tour. The Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, the German Parliament and the Victory Column also proved to be popular destinations for fans.

The black and yellow party bus sponsored by MAN, which drove from Breitscheidplatz to the Brandenburg Gate, also proved to be hugely popular, as did the boat on the Spree sponsored by WILO, which departed from the northern harbour to go on a water tour. Meanwhile, others chose to be driven through Berlin on Puma rickshaws. (fu)