German Cup: Bayern head to Jena

It has been several decades since supporters of Carl Zeiss-Jena could look forward to a really big night under the floodlights. However, Friday evening's clash with Bayern Munich will rekindle memories of a bygone era, when the former East German champions were at the forefront of European competition.

By the mid-1970s the club had become one of the dominant forces in the Oberliga, the top flight in the former East Germany. But the pinnacle of Jena's glory years was the 1980-81 season when they reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup, losing 2-1 to Dinamo Tbilisi in Düsseldorf.

En route to the final, Jena dispatched powerhouses Benfica, Valencia and Roma, whose side featured a certain Carlo Ancelotti in the heart of the midfield. After having taken a 3-0 first-leg lead in the first-round tie, the Italians capitulated in the former East Germany losing 4-3 on aggregate - a defeat that Ancelotti remembers not so fondly.

"I was in Jena in 1980, it wasn't good," the Italian told reporters at a press conference in Munich on Thursday. "The defeat is unforgettable. There are defeats in a career which linger and when I hear 'Jena' I remember everything. I'm looking forward to going back there after 36 years."

Demand is so high for Jena's Cup clash that the club have said they probably could have sold around 100,000 tickets. After Germany's football structures were harmonized following reunification in 1990, Jena, like many former East German clubs, were plagued by financial difficulties, and they now play in the regional fourth division.

Mark Zimmermann's side finished seventh in their division last season, and should play to a packed house of 18,500 on Friday.

"It's a special game because the opponents are special. This is the dream draw - an absolute highlight," the Jena coach said. "We must not be afraid of their world-class players; the guys have confidence in themselves."

Full strength Bayern

Ancelotti welcomed back Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller for their German Super Cup win over Borussia Dortmund last Sunday. The former AC Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid coach is still getting used to his team after taking over from Pep Guardiola's earlier this summer.

Ancelotti will travel to Jena with a weakened side after Kingsley Coman, the flying French winger sustained ankle-ligament damage in training this week. Ancelotti said he expected Coman to be back by mid-September. Renato Sanches, Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa, Xabi Alonso, Jerome Boateng and Thiago Alcantara also won't make the trip to Jena.

The 2-0 win at Dortmund will eventually be a footnote in Bayern's season given the general attitude towards the Super Cup, but Ancelotti's side were put to the test for 90 minutes, coming off the back of a pre-season trip to the United States.

"We need to be able to work even when things aren't like you want," Ancelotti said when asked about his style compared with Guardiola. "The defense ( against Dortmund) was good, and Manuel Neuer helped us a lot. We have to improve our play and continue to win."

Ancelotti ruled out further signings as his side prepares to kick off the Bundesliga season at home to Werder Bremen on August 26.

German Cup first-round matches featuring Bundesliga clubs:

Friday:

Lübeck vs. St. Pauli

Carl Zeiss-Jena vs. Bayern Munich

Ravensburg vs. Augsburg

Saturday:

Villingen vs. Schalke

BFC Preussen vs. Cologne

SV Drochtersen vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Babelsberg vs. Freiburg

Dynamo Dresden vs. RB Leipzig

FSV Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg

Sunday

Sport freunde Lotte vs. Werder Bremen

SC Hauenstein vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Germania Egestorf vs. Hoffenheim

1.FC Magdeburg vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

Unterhaching vs. Mainz

Erzgebirge Aue vs. Ingolstadt

Monday

Zwickau vs. Hamburg

Eintracht Trier vs. Borussia Dortmund