Note: in the cause of simplicity, I am using the name ‘Lokomotive Leipzig’ here to refer to both the current incarnation of the club, and its predecessors Vfb Leipzig and SC Leipzig.
Today’s clash features 4th against 15th in the Regionalliga Nordost (4th tier).
The visiting team, Lokomotive Leipzig, are a once-great football name, fallen on difficult times. This is a common story in the old East Germany, as many football clubs found themselves in dire financial straits following re-unification. Lok were German champions in 1903, 1906 and 1913, also winning the DFB-Pokal in 1936. In the DDR-Oberliga era they were league runners-up three times, also winning the FDGB-Pokal (the DDR cup) four times.They also reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, losing to Tottenham (the eventual winners) over two legs.
In addition to this they reached the final of the Cup Winners Cup in 1987 (losing 1-0 to the Ajax of Van Basten, Rikjaard, Muhren and Bergkamp).
It seems sad to see such a great football name fallen so low, but the East-West inequality in Germany still runs deep. The state of the football teams (Union Berlin aside) is unfortunately reflective of this. Lok still managed a good away following today though, bringing a couple of hundred and easily outnumbering the negligible home support (see match pics below).
