Photos: Han Balk
Words: Tom Reed
We could be about to hear a ping at Arminia Bielefeld, one of Germany's "Fahrstuhlmannschaft" – or elevator teams.
Die Arminen have been promoted and relegated eight times, never staying in the Bundesliga for more than five consecutive years.
But Arminia are on the rise once more, having been crowned 3. Liga Champions and reaching the German Cup Final thanks to an incredible giant-killing run.
The SchücoArena club beat holders Bayer Leverkusen in a memorable semi-final but also put the likes of Werder Bremen, Freiburg and Union Berlin to the sword on the road to Berlin.
Mitch Kniat's team is on a superb 13-match win streak, meaning they will approach the clash with Stuttgart with absolute confidence.
It's a far cry from the sorry times of a few years ago when Arminia suffered back-to-back relegations, dropping as low as the third tier and flirting with the fourth.
The fans on the Bielefelder Südtribunehe have pressed the buttons for the higher floors, and promise to create a fantastic atmosphere at the Olympiastadion.
