Schalke vs. Dortmund
February 25, 2010
Never in need of dynamite to make it an explosive affair, the match between Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund at the AufSchalke Arena on Friday is likely to get an injection of TNT due to the animosity that's been building since the sides played off earlier this season.
An alleged elbowing incident by Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and claims the keeper celebrated the 1-0 away win in September in front of enraged Dortmund fans have led to both clubs issuing statements and calls for peace between fans who harbor deep resentments.
However, Neuer fanned the flames when he himself brought up the incident from the first meeting and accused BVB players of damaging his reputation.
"All the television pictures have shown what happened and what didn't," he told the weekly magazine Sportbild. "Some of the Dortmund players have damaged my reputation. Their comments were absurd and not nice."
Neuer also said that Dortmund fans had abused him. "I had cups of beer thrown at me and was spat at," he said. "But the same people complained that, after the final whistle, I simply raised my arms in front of them."
The history of Schalke and Dortmund - clubs barely 30 kilometers (19 miles) apart as the crow flies - is one of the most passionate and fiercely contested in Germany. Both clubs were established in former industrial heartland communities where soccer teams are a huge part of local identity. Both cities live and breathe for their clubs, and in turn, the teams provide a powerful beating heart.
First blood
Schalke took first blood in a rivalry which has been burning for over 80 years, beating BVB 4-2 in the first-ever match between the teams on May 3, 1925. That may not have been enough to instill an immediate dislike of the Royal Blues in Dortmund, but the following dismal run of 16 defeats to Schalke in their first 17 meetings must surely have contributed. BVB finally got the taste of victory on November 14, 1943 with a 1-0 win.
The shoe was on the other foot after that, with BVB assuming the status of the biggest club in the region after winning three championship triumphs in the regional Oberliga West, one of the Bundesliga's regional forerunners and the highest level of competition at the time. This change in the power structure - Schalke had previously been top dogs with seven titles and eight finishes as runners-up - gave the Royal Blues their own reason to harbor resentment.
Eras of dominance over each other have alternated every 10 years or so. BVB were one of the most successful clubs in Germany in the 1960s and 1990s, while Schalke had their noses in front in the 1970s and in more recent times.
'My win's bigger than yours'
Both teams enjoyed great success in 1997. Schalke claimed the UEFA Cup, beating Inter Milan 4-1 on penalties, before BVB triumphed over tournament favorites Juventus 3-1 to win the UEFA Champions League seven days later. A joint celebration of Ruhr triumph was painfully lacking. If anything, Dortmund took the opportunity to crow over the prestige of their cup victory and belittle the UEFA Cup win of their rivals.
In more recent times - BVB's 2002 Bundesliga triumph aside - neither club has had much to hold over the other in terms of silverware, but in such a rivalry, points can be scored in many ways. Dortmund fans still find pleasure in reliving the 2-0 victory over Schalke on the penultimate match day of the 2006/07 season - even though it meant nothing in terms of their own league position. The loss meant Schalke missed out on their first title win since 1958.
Animosity remains strong
The years that have passed since then have not mellowed fans' feelings about the encounter, as a certain September 2008 clash testified. Six goals, two penalties and two sendings-off made the 3-3 draw one of the most fraught of recent years. Schalke blew a 3-0 lead in Dortmund's stadium with 25 minutes to go and were denied the full set of points by a last minute leveler.
When the two teams meet on Friday, third-placed Schalke, who have 45 points from 23 games, will be concerned about keeping pace with the Bundesliga leaders. But they will surely be as preoccupied with extending their lead and regional advantage over fifth-placed Dortmund. A win against the old foes will probably mean more than the three points on offer.
As Schalke legend Andreas Muller once said: "It's extremely difficult to make amends for losing to Dortmund, because the fans don't forget this kind of disaster in a hurry."
That goes for both sides.
Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Nancy Isenson