On May 17, 1974, FC Bayern Munich won the European Cup for the first time. This was made possible two days earlier by a goal from a defender who was not expected to score in the star ensemble of Beckenbauer, Müller and Maier.
Not noble libero Franz Beckenbauer, not striker Uli Hoeneß and not the “bomber of the nation” Gerd Müller: On May 15, 1974, instead, the stopper Hans-Georg “Katsche” Schwarzenbeck made history at Bayern Munich – and with his goal immortalized against Atlético Madrid. He, who otherwise never made a big appearance, was called “the emperor’s cleaner” because he had Franz Beckenbauer’s back, was now the celebrated hero.
“Katsche” Schwarzenbeck opens the door again
In the final of the 1973/74 European Cup, the Spanish champions took a 1-0 lead through Luis Aragonés in the 114th minute of the game. A shock for FC Bayern, because only one goal from Munich could avert the impending defeat: “At that moment we had nothing left to lose,” says Schwarzenbeck, looking back on the final phase in an exclusive conversation with BR24Sport. “Everyone except Maier Sepp was in the other half.”
And then suddenly “everything went right” for Schwarzenbeck when he shot from a long distance in the 120th minute of the game and actually scored the redeeming goal to make it 1-1. “When do you, as a defender, score a goal in the last minute?” he says today in disbelief. In doing so, he secured FC Bayern’s replay against Atlético Madrid two days later – because there were no penalty shoot-outs at that time.
Hoeneß pays tribute to Schwarzenbeck – furious Bayern sweep away Atlético 4-0
“Without his incredible goal in extra time in the first game on Wednesday, we wouldn’t have won,” says Uli Hoeneß in an interview with BR24Sport. So Bayern saved themselves in another duel against the Madrilenians. This time, the Munich team, who were on average younger, flexed their muscles against the more experienced Madrilenians and won clearly 4-0 in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. “The two goals from me and Gerd (Müller) were a dream – all four,” Hoeneß enthuses, even decades later.
The triumph in Brussels was perfect. For the first time in its history, FC Bayern Munich won the European Cup, the forerunner of today’s Champions League. In the following two years, 1975 and 1976, Bayern would once again secure Europe’s crown. Schwarzenbeck, like Sepp Maier, Franz “Bulle” Roth, Beckenbauer, Müller, Hoeneß and Jupp Kapellmann, played in every final game. “The Emperor’s Putzer” was one of the main protagonists of the first high phase of the Munich club.
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Source: BR24Sport on the radio May 15, 2024 – 9:55 a.m
