The trophy is back in Berlin – and Borussia Dortmund would love to take it from Germany’s federal capital to Germany’s football capital. Twenty-three days before the DFB Cup final, holders FC Bayern returned the “Pott” - as it known across Germany - to the German Football Association. It will be on display at Berlin’s “Red City Hall” until the day of the final.

On Thursday, Berlin’s governing mayor Klaus Wowereit, DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach and general secretary Helmut Sandrock, Wolfgang Dremmler (a three times German cup winner, today in charge of Bayern’s youth set-up) and Diego Contento from holders Bayern as well as BVB’s Norbert Dickel and Neven Subotic  all met in the German capital.

“Borussia Dortmund versus Bayern Munich – this is THE dream final. It’s the final everyone could have hoped for,” said an enthused DFB president Niersback three weeks ahead of the big event. For the match, which will be screened live in over 200 countries around the globe, more than half a million ticket requests have been made, according to the German FA.

“Sixty, seventy, maybe even eighty thousand BVB fans are expected to travel to Berlin for the final. It’s nice to be back here,” said Norbert Dickel, Borussia’s 1989 cup hero (two goals in the 4-1 final win over Werder Bremen), on Thursday. In 2012, the last time BVB made the final, 50,000 Black n Yellow supporters went on a trip to the German capital. “BVB have more than 100,000 members and more than 50,000 season ticket holders – two reasons why so many fans will be travelling to Berlin. And not all of them have tickets,” acknowledged DFB president Niersbach. The big question now is what to do with those (ticket-less) fans.

What to do with the fans without a ticket

After a meeting with the German FA and various Berlin authorities in the run-up to the “Cup Handover”, BVB’s director of sales and marketing Carsten Cramer said: “We are working on a solution here and we are confident that we will be able to present a good alternative one to the Waldbühne at the start of next week.”

Dortmund, at any rate, will turn Berlin black and yellow once again. BVB defender Neven Subotic, who’s currently out injured, said he will gain some extra motivation from the May 17 final: “I plan to return at the start of the pre-season and will only be able to watch the final in Berlin from the sidelines. But a win from my team, coupled with a few beer showers, would provide a big motivation for more success with this team, hopefully next year.”

“The big guns are beatable – and BVB are there to prove it“

Nobby Dickel also left no doubt that BVB are in line to bring the cup back to Dortmund for the fourth time after 1965, 1989 and 2012. “After all, we are keeping a wonderful place for it at our very own Borusseum,” he said. But everyone knows, of course, that it will be anything but easy. “Bayern have played some phenomenal football,” said Subotic. “But the big guns are beatable, and BVB are there to prove it. We want to stand for attractive football and throw ourselves into every tackle.”