FCBARCELONA.CAT

15.08.2007 11:40

More than a friendly

Marc Guillén

Barça’s meeting with Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening is special for two reasons. Not only is it set to be the first ever Franz Beckenbauer Cup game, but it will also be used as a testimonial for club legend Mehmet Scholl.

Frank Rijkaard’s side are the first team to be invited to play in the trophy event that is named after the Bundesliga club’s president and former player. Beckenbauer was without doubt one of the best players in the history of Bavarian club and German football and Bayern have honoured him by naming this annual game after him.

Homage to Mehmet Scholl

Also, the match will serve as a testimonial for Scholl, who has played for Bayern for the last 15 years. The 36-year-old was a talismanic figure in midfield for both club and country and was renowneed for his creative ability and effectiveness at set pieces. Unfortunately, in recent seasons, Scholl suffered with several injuries, but still played 36 games for Germany and made 463 appearances for Bayern, scoring 116 goals.

In 15 years as a member of the Bayern first team and three with his first club, Karlsruher, Scholl won the Champions League, the UEFA Cup, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, eight Bundesliga titles, five German Cups and five German League Cups.

To celebrate his time at the club, Bayern have dedicated the match against Barça to him. From 2pm until kick off at 6pm, there will many activities to keep the crowd entertained in and around the impressive Allianz Arena.