Rivals take to European stage

The duel which has dominated German women's football bursts on to the European stage over the next two Saturdays as 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and 1. FFC Frankfurt meet in the UEFA Women's Cup final - the first time one nation has provided both finalists in the five-year-old competition.

Rivals
Frankfurt have dominated since their foundation in 1999, winning the inaugural European title in 2002 and reaching the final in 2004. They returned to this competition this season as German champions for the fifth time in their seven-year history, although Potsdam wrested back the title in midweek and are also defending the UEFA Women's Cup.

Potsdam force
Potsdam were one of the early forces in the Democratic Republic, claiming six titles between 1981 and 1989, although they did not reach the unified top-flight until 1994. Across the country, FSV Frankfurt were their city's most esteemed women's team, winning two titles in the 1990s despite being challenged by rivals SG Praunheim - the club who would go on to eclipse FSV's achivement's after becoming 1. FFC Frankfurt on 1 January 1999.

Frankfurt dominance
They won the league that year, and under club manager Siggi Dietrich and coach Monika Staab set new financial and organisational standards in this sport. They went on to win three championships on the trot between 2001 and 2003, the middle season seeing them take the first European title. They also won the German Cup every season between 1999 and 2003.

New champions
But in 2003 they needed a draw against Potsdam on the final day to hold on to their crown. Potsdam coach Bernd Schröder had built a strong team with a thriving youth scheme, developing the likes of Conny Pohlers. They were rivalling Frankfurt not just in the league, but also in producing players for the all-conquering German national team. In 2003/04, when Frankfurt reached their second European final, Potsdam won the Bundesliga, defeating their rivals 7-2 on the final day with a Pohlers hat-trick. A fortnight earlier they also defeated the holders 3-0 in the German Cup final in Berlin.

Tritschoks succeeds Staab
Those setbacks brought changes for Frankfurt and Staab stepped down as coach to concentrate on her position on the board. She was succeeded by Dr Hans-Jürgen Tritschoks, a sport scientist from Cologne, and Frankfurt regained the league title. But Potsdam won the German Cup that season and cruised to victory in their debut European campaign, beating Sweden's Djurgården/Älvsjö 5-1 on aggregate in the final.

Zwanziger impressed
Potsdam remained dominant this season, seeing off challenges from both Frankfurt and MSV Duisburg to win the league for the second time, having already completed a German Cup hat-trick with a 2-0 win against Frankfurt. Impressed German Football Association president Theo Zwanziger told uefa.com: "These final wins made me a fan of Potsdam."

New era?
But if they want to emulate Frankfurt's treble of 2001/02, they must beat their old rivals - as they also did in both league encounters - in the European decider, starting with their home first leg on Saturday. It could even mark a decisive shift in the balance of power, with Frankfurt's team built around the experience of Steffi Jones and Birgit Prinz, while Potsdam continue to bring through the youthful likes of 18-year-old Isabel Kerschowski. "We have three or four players of her class at our disposal," Schröder explained. "Our team will be young and fast." But he can be sure that Prinz and co, with so many honours to their name, are in no mood to give up their lofty status quite yet.