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„We call it our second home because we go there so often"
"When you come off the motorway and see the pylons, you know you've come home"
"It's really distinctive...like the people of Dortmund"
"It's like a feeling of freedom" "It's euphoria"
"Like being all loved-up" "The Westfalenstadion is real football"
"There's no greater stadium than Dortmund's - fact"
"It's simply the 'temple'" "A second home"
"Home at last -- that's what it feels like"
Jürgen Klopp, coach: "In a way, it's my home. And that's a beautiful feeling."
Norbert Dickel, stadium announcer: "I see it when I come off the motorway...and it's great"
Dr. Reinhard Rauball. President: "As you approach the stadium, you feel like you've arrived"
Michael Zorc, sporting director: "It's like a monument in Dortmund. The old Union brewery and the stadium pylons make a great skyline."
Hans-Joachim Watzke: "I've got a very intimate relationship with the stadium. If I'm feeling frustrated, I go and stand on the pitch in the stadium on my own. It's just a fantastic stadium."
Jürgen Klopp: "When you fly over Dortmund, the pilot says 'if you look to your right you'll see your stadium' and everyone looks out and says "wow". It's simply an impressive construction."
1971-1973 stadium construction
March 1973 Topping Out ceremony
Capacity 54,000
1995-1996 first extension phase
Capacity 68,600 2002-2004 Corners filled in
Capacity 83,200 (now 80,645)
Ulrich Drahtler, architect "With the most limited financial means, we created a space that provides an ideal atmosphere"
Jürgen Klopp: "It's been a great achievement to maintain that without changing anything. Plans were mooted to enlarge and extend the player's tunnel to make it more airy."
"And I did everything in my power to prevent that. It's how I imagine a birth to be. The birth canal is quite tight and once you get out you're confronted with bliss, joy and the big wide world. That's what it's like in our stadium."
Hans-Joachim Watzke, CEO: "There's something puristic about it. I'd much rather have a stadium made from concrete than one of these new-fangled multi-functional arenas."
Gerd Kolbe, BVB club historian: "It suits Borussia Dortmund perfectly. It fits Borussia Dortmund. And it is unique in Europe."
Michael Zorc: "When I show new players round the stadium, then old memories come back to the fore. And you notice straight away that it has left an impression on the new boy, even when it's empty."
02.04.1974 First friendly fixture
17.04.1974 First international Germany 5 Hungary 0
17.04.1974 First international Germany 5 Hungary 0
23.06.1976 Promotion to the Bundesliga
"It was pure ecstasy when Lothar Huber hammered the ball home and promotion was secured. Indescribable."
"It was right on full-time and it was a real buzz"
19.05.1986 Last-minute survival
Dr. Reinhard Rauball: "I must have looked like death warmed up. My hands were ice-cold"
Michael Zorc: "And then Jürgen Wegmann scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute to make it 3-1. And the stadium erupted. It was the last minute and I saw Dr Rauball"
Dr. Reinhard Rauball: And I rattled on the fence like Gerhard Schröder did when he wanted to become Chancellor."
Gerd Kolbe, BVB club historian: If we'd been relegated to the 2nd division, it would have
been a disaster in my opinion. I don't believe we would have experienced the later success
that was so important for BVB."
06.12.1994 Quarter-final secured in last second.
"No-one imagined it possible but then Lars Ricken popped up to score."
"We all hugged each other in celebration"
Lars Ricken: "Of course, I'm very proud to have caused such celebration"
16.06.1995 First league title at the stadium
16.05.2001 UEFA Cup Final
14.11.2001 World Cup play-off -- Germany 4-1 Ukraine
14.06.2006 World Cup group stage -- Germany 1-0 Poland
04.07.2006 World Cup semi-final -- Germany 0-2 Italy
30.04.2011 Champions after near-insolvency
09.04.2013 Semi-final spot secured in injury-time
Hans-Joachim Watzke: "I hardly dared to dream and then this goal was scored in injury-time."
Hans-Joachim Watzke: "A lot of captains of industry sit near me and they all jumped on my back and were cheering like little kids. I'd never seen so many people go so crazy and have never since."
Norbert Dickel: "I think the stadium and our fans know instinctively whether there's life in the game still. And that feeling is contagious...
And that spurs on the players on the pitch. And that's why - right to the final whistle - you should never, ever give up."
Lars Ricken, 301 appearances 1993-2007: The stadium and our fans have definitely won us a lot of points. You can tell that some opponents are intimidated when they enter the stadium before kick-off and see the Südtribune.
"The Süd is just amazing" "The Südtribune really has 'scored' plenty of goals."
Lothar Huber, 330 appearances 1974 to 1987: "I'm sure that some teams feel the pressure and lose control when they enter the stadium."
Nobby Dickel: "When you feel this incredible force, it has a real emotional effect on you."
Michael Zorc: "When you score in front of the Südtribune and see the effect it has on the whole stadium ... those are moments you take with you to the grave."
"It's simply the fans and the atmosphere. That's Dortmund"
Lothar Huber, 330 appearances 1974 to 1987: "It was always a fantastic feeling as a player to know you had the support of our fans, no matter what happened."
Jürgen Klopp: "We wouldn't be able to do what we do if there was just a pitch. You need to create a place where you're desperate to spend 90 minutes every 2 weeks."
Dr. Rauball: "The stadium is Dortmund's emotional landmark." 0:08:22.870,1193:02:47.295 "And we've got that. We've got the biggest in Germany and one of the most atmospheric in the world. And we're so lucky."
Nobby Dickel: "The stadium is vital for our international renown. That it's always filled with 80,000 people."
Gerd Kolbe: "The stadium is famous throughout the world. The Yellow Wall has become legendary."
Nobby Dickel: "It's the greatest stadium in the world."
Jürgen Klopp: "If you want to let something wonderful grow, you need the perfect place."
"And this is the ideal place to create perfect football experiences. And that's why we love it."