Christian Pulisic's title quest requires win over Bayern on Wednesday

By Mike Woitalla

For Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga title is beyond reach and it’s out of the UEFA Champions League, leaving the German Cup as the last chance for BVB andits American teenager Christian Pulisic to lift a title this season. Its German Cup semifinal opponent Bayern Munich on Wednesday also has extra incentive.

BAYERNMUNICH-BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Wednesday, April 26
2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes

Runaway Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich can clinch the league title thisweekend, in its fourth to last game of the season. That gives Bayern a record fifth straight Bundesliga title. But it too exited in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. And winning just onetitle simply isn’t good for Bayern Munich, which has won three of the last four German Cups.

“If this is a good or a very good season hinges on the German Cup,” said Bayerncaptain Philipp Lahm, who’s retiring after this season.

Borussia Dortmund, which last won the German Cup in 2012 — alsothe last time it won the Bundesliga — was German Cup runner-up to Bayern in 2013 and 2016, and to Wolfsburg in 2015.

Bayern and BVB have met in the last five German Cups. All five games wentinto overtime, with Bayern winning three times.

Pulisic has played in two German Cup games for BVB this season.

CHRISTIAN PULISIC (2016-17)
Bundesliga
26 games, 3 goals, 7 assists
Champions League
10 games, 1 goal, 3 assists
German Cup
2 games, 1 goal, 1assist
Total
38 games, 5 goals, 11 assists

Pulisic was a halftime sub in the round of 16 clash with Hertha Berlin and assisted on MarcoReus’ equalizer in the 1-1 tie that BVB won in a penalty-kick shootout. (Pulisic had his spot kick attempt saved goalkeeper Rune Jarstein.)

Pulisic started inthe quarterfinal against third division Sportfreunde Lotte and opened the scoring of a 3-0 win.

So far, the Pennsylvania product has played twice against Bayern Munich, both this season. He came on as an 88th minute sub in a 1-0 BVB home win in November and went thefull 90 in a 4-1 loss in Munich on April 8.

BVB coach Thomas Tuchel claims he isn’t fazed by that result.

“We had six players who never played in Munich beforein the last game,” Tuchel said. “It’s a pressure that you cannot feel in a video session. … Two weeks ago we had no chance. Now we feel ready for a big performance.”