The German press compared Borussia Dortmund’s improbable 3-2 come-from-behind UEFA Champions League quarterfinal victory against Malaga in stoppage time on Tuesday to the competition’smemorable 1999 final – when Manchester United produced a similar comeback to stun Bayern Munich, 2-1. While most German papers were critical of the host’s performance, which was generallyconsidered its worst of the competition, Dortmund’s players were universally praised for their undying determination.
“1999 reloaded!!! BVB bring themselves back to life in 70seconds,” came the headline from German soccer magazine Kicker. “The sensational ending brought back memories of the 1999 Champions League, where Bayern lost a safe lead against ManchesterUnited in two minutes,” the report said.
“What could have been the final nail in the coffin was followed by total soccer madness,” Berlin’s Der Tagesspiegel said, referring tothe two goals scored by Marco Reus and Felipe Santana in stoppage time. “It was a historic occasion that generations to come will talk about.”
Germanweekly Die Zeit said, “The spectators reacted with a mix of euphoria and bewilderment. They had just witnessed something surreal. They had just witnessed a Borussia Dortmund XI puttingtheir name down into soccer history.” Der Spiegel added: “It is loud in Dortmund’s [Signal Iduna Park] most of the time. But it might never have been as loud as this.”