Alexander Nollenberger has described 1. FC Magdeburg’s DFB-Pokal tie against Bayern München as a "kleiner Kindheitstraum" and admits the 2. Runde clash is also a "Monsteraufgabe". For the 29-year-old, Wednesday night at 20.45 Uhr in the Allianz Arena is a rare chance to step into the kind of setting he once imagined as a boy.
The Magdeburg defender grew up in the Allgäu and was an early Bayern fan, which makes this meeting in München feel especially personal. He has said that as a child he would picture himself in big stadiums while playing in his home village, and now he gets to experience it for real against the Rekordsieger.
A boyhood dream, and a very big test
Nollenberger made the emotional side of the occasion clear when he said: "Mit acht, neun oder zehn Jahren habe ich noch in meinem Heimatdorf Fußball gespielt und mich – zusammen mit meinen Kumpels – in große Arenen teleportiert. Und jetzt, einige Jahre später, darf ich es wirklich selbst erleben. Deswegen ist es schon Wahnsinn."
He also called Bayern "eine der besten Mannschaften der Welt" and added: "Okay, das wird eine Monsteraufgabe." That is the right reading of the task in front of FCM, a Zweitligist visiting one of the biggest stages in German football.
There is still a clear sense of excitement, though, rather than fear. Nollenberger said: "Ein solches Spiel, Flutlicht, 20.45 Uhr in der Allianz Arena in München, ist vor allem für mich als Bayer etwas ganz Besonderes."
From Bayern fan to Bayern opponent
The personal connection runs deep. Nollenberger recalled that family and childhood shaped his attachment to the club, saying: "Der Junge wird Bayern-Fan." He even remembered being given "ein Bayern-Schnuller" when he was very young.
His own football education also took place within the Bayern environment. He joined Bayern München in 2018 and played for the second team until 2020, before moving on to establish himself elsewhere. He has not hidden how influential that period was, saying that training and playing alongside his former idols Ribéry and Robben was "das Größte" for him at the time.
That is why the evening in the Allianz Arena carries more weight than a normal cup tie. Nollenberger said the whole setting is "einfach sehr beeindruckend", and while he admitted there have been many nice experiences along the way, this one clearly stands apart.
Magdeburg believe there is a chance
For all the emotion around the occasion, the football still matters most. Bayern are the favourites, as they so often are in the DFB-Pokal, but Magdeburg are not turning up simply to enjoy the occasion.
Nollenberger summed up that spirit neatly: "Es gibt eine Chance, und wir glauben an sie."
That is the right tone for a cup tie of this kind. The dream is real, but so is the challenge. On Mittwoch at 20.45 Uhr, over 60.000 Zuschauern will see whether Magdeburg can turn a personal story into a competitive night against Bayern München.
