It’s definitely interesting, in regards to what you said. Given of the current situation at the moment here in my country (and where Ashiq is from too), we have the Bundesliga and matches to the German national team here only. Even before we have the Bundesliga here, it’s only matches in regards to the national team. Unless you also want to talk about German clubs which are in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup…

But even in regards to the German national team, it’s not all their matches being shown here actually Jan. Already last year, a handful of friendly matches were not on here. The one against England in November was definitely on here. Bearing in mind all along, we have a sentimental attachment to English football here partly in view of our historical ties to Britain (i.e., the colonial past) and the papers here do devote more columns to the Premier League and the on-goings with the England national team (but then at least whenever the international week comes around, there will be a handful of reports when it comes to the German national team).

But then again, our pay-TV network here (StarHub in this case, given they got the rights to the Bundesliga) have always got the rights to show international matches where the major footballing nations are concerned. That means like England, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and even Brazil too. Those national teams will normally get airtime here whenever the international week (World Cup qualifiers, friendlies) come around.

‘It’s a big ask though, they even don’t show the Copa Del Rey final.’
Yeah. Barcelona and Atletic Bilbao in the final. Already I read that the semi-final second-leg match between Bilbao and Mallorca, Bilbao actually overcame the deficit in the first-leg to go through to the final.

Anyhow, I agree with you Ashiq that it is a big ask for the DFB-Pokal final to be shown here. The German football bosses can talk about more countries are showing German football but, it is a very different story altogether when it comes to the DFB-Pokal. If there is the FA Cup from England, Italy’s Coppa Italia on our TV here, why no DFB-Pokal? It is only when the domestic cup competitions come around, I learn more of the clubs which are always not in the spotlight. Those outside the top-flight playing in the cup competition. It’s always exciting learning about those clubs and that is what I like to read about.

I had already knew about Mainz before they are through to the semi-finals thanks to Juergen Klopp (now at Borussia Dortmund) who was the coach there before, when Mainz was in the Bundesliga in the 2006/07 season (the first season I follow the Bundesliga at the same time). But it is this DFB-Pokal when I know about Wehen-Wiesbaden for the very first time. That is the beauty of cup competitions.

It’s really ironic especially in the case of Schalke and Bayern Munich’s exits, the crisis for both sides had just gotten a little more worse. Congrats to Mainz for their first semi-final of the DFB-Pokal. When I first learned Schalke had been knocked out, I was like ‘Gasp!’ (in regards to Schalke’s exit) before reading of what really happened and Mainz’s historic achievement.

Anyhow, this is puzzling. Bundesliga TV rights here, but not the DFB-Pokal included as well. I am one who does not demand much (considering when I looked back at the days where there’s no Bundesliga on the TV here to begin with). Even if the DFB-Pokal coverage begins from the quarter-final onwards, I don’t mind. I am not optimistic I will get to see any semi-final action here (or even delayed broadcasts for that matter).

I mean, I think it is since the quarter-final of the Coppa Italia, matches has been shown here (apart from the usual Serie A matches) actually.