As Schalke and BVB Europe rocked

First the "Miracle of Milan", then the "Coup of Munich" - May 1997 went down in the history of German football.

• Schalke wins penalty drama
• BVB shocked Juventus

With final victories in the UEFA Cup and in the Champions League within a week, FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund caused more self-esteem and helped the region, which are battered by the structural change. At least for a short time, the competition between the two arch-rivals gave way to a proud feeling of being.

Fired from the battle of the miners at the time for their jobs, "Ruhrpott" calls through the stadiums in the west.

The look back all participants in a high mood 25 years later. "Whenever I see this scene, a pleasant shower comes over my back," said Lars Ricken of the "German Press Agency" with regard to his lifter that has now been chosen by the BVB fans for the 3-1 of the Dortmund on 28 May 1997 in the royal class final of Munich about the high favorite Juventus Turin.

FC Schalke provided an even bigger surprise seven days earlier. A football fairy tale became not only for the fans, but also for the then coach Huub Stevens: "That was a sensation. Especially in the final we were the absolute outsiders against Inter Milan, this troop with loud top stars was actually a size too big for us."

Schalke wins penalty drama

The round anniversaries after the happy ending in the penalty drama are now holidays at Schalke. The party gave the current team that the Bundesliga return made perfect when the team was reunited on the 25th anniversary almost two weeks ago in Gelsenkirchen with the 3-2 over St. Pauli.

To the delight of Stevens, many of the former standing ability as in the magical night of Milan proved: "It was a super beautiful day, and the frame with the climb could not have been better. But I also had to think of Rudi Assauer who had to think so much for Schalke did and unfortunately is no longer among us. "

Schalke's triumphal march, which was carried out by irrepressible use, brought them the name "Eurofighter" through the competition. Even the then traded Milanese failed in the Giuseppe-Mazza stadium on the royal blue team spirit and documents in the final second leg with 1: 4 in a penalty shootout.

Olaf Thon mainly remembers the subsequent ecstasy of the fans. "Seeing so many men was really breathtaking," the then captain told the "kicker".

BVB shocked Juventus

Similar to the UEFA Cup final, the Champions League showdown between Borussia Dortmund and Juventus Turin amazed the experts.

When the Italians in the Munich Olympic Stadium urged the BVB attacker Karl-Heinz Riedle and the connection goal by Alessandro Del Piero to compensate, the Ricken, which had just been substituted, made the preliminary decision with a lifter.

Since then, the current director of the BVB youth performance center has enjoyed cult status at the Dortmund fans. The glorification of his hit continues unabated. "Funny, one meter is added almost every year," commented Ricken with a smile. "Many people tell me how you cut the ball from just behind the center line was great. It was only 25 meters."