Road to the Final
Flensburg will face Kiel on Sunday in the first leg of the Champions League final. This will be the first time that two German sides play for the trophy.
The teams, however, are not new in the CL finals. Kiel played against Barcelona in 2000, Flensburg against Celje in 2004, but both times the Germans lost the decisive games. The only German CL winner are Magdeburg so far.
Just a couple of days before the final, let us see once again the road that took Flensburg and Kiel this far…
The Road of Flensburg
Group D
The team of the German town close to the Danish border were drawn in Group D, where Russian Medvedi, Croatian Zagreb and the Macedonian Skopje were waiting for them. It was probably the strongest CL group, but Flensburg showed convincing performance.
Their only defeat came in the last round against a Chehovskie Medvedi - a team that gives the base of the Russian national team.
Celje Pivovarno Lasko
The draw was not quite lucky for the Germans after the group stage. The next opponent was Slovenian Celje that defeated Flensburg in the final of CL 2003/04. It was time for revenge, but qualification seemed to be impossible after the first leg. The Slovenians won by 10 goals at home .
“The difference between us and Celje was that they played like a team; we played individually, so the result says everything. But I know the atmosphere in our hall will be good and I can hope to make up the result,” said Lars Christiansen after the serious defeat.
The Danish left winger was the best of his team in the away game and he had great part in Flensburg’s qualification after a ten-goal home victory in the second leg. NB: Beutler saved a last-minute penalty and he 
was hero of the game. Flensburg went on with away goals.
FC Barcelona Cifec
The Champions League resumed with the quarterfinals after the World Championship where Germany won and Denmark came in third. The enthusiasm and confidence of the team and players was apparent against the Catalonians. Barcelona suffered one of the greatest defeats in their history at the first leg in the Flensburg Arena. Christiansen was unstoppable with 13 goals.
The return leg was not formality, but Barcelona were not able to come close. “We were not really in a crisis,” said Kent-Harry Andersson, coach of Flensburg. “When it was difficult at times, we were able to survive with our routine.”
CBM Valladolid
A Spanish team in great form, Valladolid came on the way to the final. The home supporters were sure in the victory, but the Gummersbach-beaters proved once again that they are on top European level. Gull and Muratovic performed very well in Flensburg and stayed within reach and the two-goal Flensburg lead was practically nothing for the second leg.