Cup tournaments follow a drummer of their own, yet the 1982 final left little to imagination: Bayern vs 1. FC Nurnberg. The difference of class was quite obvious and a miracle was hardly possible. It was an old rivalry, yes, but already fading away. At least in the Bayern’s camp the derby was no longer quite a derby, but success was another matter. At the end, Nurnberg fought as best as they were able and the result shows it: Nurnberg – 2, Bayern – 4.
What was there to say? 1. FC Nurnberg tried hard, but it was a squad merely trying to escape relegation trying to outdo still one of the best teams in the world. One on one, Bayern outclassed the Nurnberg players by far and there was no chance. Bayern responded with 2 goals to each Nurnberg goal and that was that: a good effort, nothing else.
Bayern was the happy winner. It was important victory, for there was no title and a trophy was good to collect even as a compensation. Bayern never shied away from trophies and the cup was a trophy they were short of – it their 6th, but after a long, long time. Interestingly, Bayern won the Cup in 1970-71 for the last time – during all their great 1970s they never won it. So, at last. And unlike the championship or even the European tournaments, it was new experience for practically everybody: only Breitner played at this old last cup success. Rummenigge, Durnberger, Horsmann, and Kraus, who played a part in the glory years, all came along after 1971. That was the current vintage and although strong, it was a team in need of strong additions. But they won the cup and good thing too, for they lost the championship and the European Champions Cup final.