Conspiracies and babies in nightclubs - Arminia chase history

Residents of Bielefeld are sick of the internet joke that haunts their city.

The Bielefeld Conspiracy - referenced by everyone from politicians to social media influencers - proposes the city in North-Rhine-Westphalia doesn't actually exist, on the basis that nobody knows anyone who is from or has been there.

The same can no longer be said of the city's football club, Arminia Bielefeld.

After eliminating four Bundesliga clubs en route to a first DFB Pokal final in their history, the third division side will face top-flight VfB Stuttgart in the showpiece fixture at Berlin's Olympiastadion on 24 May.

Having knocked out last season's league and cup winners Bayer Leverkusen, supporters, club staff and the local media believe anything is possible.

"I've experienced it all at this club, all of the ups and downs, but this up is the most special one. It's very emotional for me."

That's Ulrich Swetz - a lifelong Arminia fan and football commentator at Radio Bielefeld who has covered the club since 1994.

Those ups and downs include eight promotions to the Bundesliga - accompanied by eight relegations - as well as four separate spells in the third tier.

The club's financial position was dire as recently as 15 years ago.

Arminia have only featured in 19 of the Bundesliga's 62 seasons, never finishing higher than eighth, and last played in the top flight in 2021-22, before suffering back-to-back relegations and narrowly avoiding a first drop to the fourth tier.

They clinched the third division title last Saturday after securing promotion a week earlier, but a cup run was the last thing on anyone's mind.

"Nobody really felt like this was possible, given where we came from and the team being relatively new," Arminia season ticket holder Eva-Lotta Bohle told BBC Sport.

Last summer, sporting director Michael Mutzel oversaw a squad overhaul that gave manager Michel Kniat, who has never managed above the 3. Liga, 13 new arrivals.

Arminia didn't really find their form in the league until February, but their cup journey began last August with a 2-0 defeat of second-tier Hanover 96.

Top-flight Union Berlin, Freiburg and Werder Bremen were all seen off inside 90 minutes at Arminia's Schuco Arena - then came the big one.

Arminia's home of 99 years is an old-school, English-style ground, with fans packed in close to the pitch creating a vociferous and intimidating atmosphere.

Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso even compared it to Liverpool's Anfield, such was the noise generated during the semi-final.

Arminia fell behind for the first time in their cup run when Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah bundled home after 17 minutes, but the underdogs were not fazed.

Marius Worl pounced on a loose ball and curled a shot into the bottom corner, and by half-time the hosts had turned it around through Maximilian Grosser - typifying their intensity and doggedness.

Arminia rode their luck at times after the break - Patrick Schick hit the post with a header, prompting goalkeeper Jonas Kersken to kiss the woodwork in gratitude - but the holders could not find a way through.

"When the game ended and I realised we'd beaten them, I felt like I was about to break down, I was so happy," says Ulrich.

For younger fans like Eva, this was not the Arminia they knew.

"We hugged and cried, everyone around us cried. We tried to stay in a place where we wouldn't fall down the terrace. I remember thinking, 'this can't be real'."

At the full-time whistle, substitutes, coaches and fans streamed onto the pitch to get the party started.

"One player was in the nightclub with his five-month-old baby because they had no one to watch over the kid at home," Arminia captain Mael Corboz told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I forgot to eat after the game, so I got drunk pretty quickly. That wasn't the smartest decision. We finished the night at the stadium. It was a good time, the city was on fire."

Defeat Stuttgart at Berlin's Olympiastadion, and Arminia will become the first third division side to win the Pokal.

"It's never going to sink in, maybe it only will when we're on the field in Berlin," said Corboz.

"In five, 10, 20 years, we'll look back and think, 'I can't believe we actually did that'.

"Reaching the final was an incredible moment, a moment we'll all be chasing for the rest of our lives."

After finishing just six points above the relegation zone last season, Arminia have become the first third division club to eliminate four Bundesliga sides in a single Pokal campaign.

"Every round after the Hannover game, we felt that we didn't have anything to fear," Mutzel told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes the league games were more difficult than the cup games. Every game we were the better team."

While Arminia are arguably the fittest team in the third tier and have several exciting young talents - they began the season as the third-youngest side in the division - a sense of unity and belief has helped them against the elite.

"Football is so much in the head, when you play against these teams you surpass your limits physically and technically," said Corboz.

"You know you have to try stuff you might not when playing against Hannover's reserve team [who play in the third division]. We go all in during these cup games - it's a different setting, a different style of football and a different mindset."

For Mutzel, head coach Kniat has made a huge impact since joining in 2023.

"Before each cup game he was so confident that we could win, and he transmitted that to the team," Mutzel said.

"He believes we can beat anyone. Normally we wouldn't have a chance, but we are sure that we can beat Stuttgart."

Arminia's ability to raise their performance against the top teams was best summed up by former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, who provided punditry on the semi-final for broadcaster ARD.

"I didn't see a two-league difference between the teams today," he said. "In fact, I didn't even see a single league difference."

"I'm unbelievably proud to captain a team like this, having a legendary season, it gives me so much pride," said Corboz.

According to Gegenpressing,, external Arminia's run to the final has earned the club at least 10.3m euros (£8.6m), and a share of ticket sales for the final - Arminia's 24,500 allocation sold out almost instantly - is split between the two teams competing.

If Arminia win, their total income from the competition this season would come to about £10m - an astronomical sum for a third division club.

Victory in Berlin would secure the club a place in next season's Europa League which, according to football finance publication the Swiss Ramble, external, would earn Arminia a further £10m approximately.

Such sums are eye-watering for Mutzel, but his primary concern is keeping a talented squad together for next season.

"Everyone in Germany has followed the cup games and of course the players - we have some really good young players," he said.

For Corboz - a Lyon fan born in the United States to French parents - playing in the Europa League is a dream he never thought might become reality.

"Playing against teams I used to watch as a fan would be unbelievable," he said. "It would be the pinnacle of my career.

"If the world stays normal then we lose the final, and that's OK. But hopefully we have another magical night and produce an upset that changes our lives."

Bielefeld is ready for the biggest cultural and sporting moment in the city's history.

Arminia's club shop has completely sold out of home shirts, while giant screens have been erected in Bielefeld's Jahnplatz.

It's expected at least 20,000 fans who missed out on tickets will travel to Berlin anyway, by any means necessary. Some have cycled and walked to raise money for charity.

"We have this one-in-a-lifetime chance of winning the cup, winning a lot of money and going to Europa League which would be incredible for the club and the city," said Ulrich.

"This is the highlight of my career, regardless of the result."

This final has been a long time coming - Arminia fans have sung about it for years.

"One day, the German Sport Club (DSC) will play in the final, the final in Berlin.

"Generations have died without having gone to this game.

"And if one day we die, our kids will sing this song about thousands of Arminia fans in the capital, and dream of this great victory."

In recent weeks the words 'one day is now' has been spotted graffitied across the city.

Arminia have celebrated their 120th anniversary in a way that was unthinkable less than a year ago. Now they are 90 minutes from immortality.