1997–98 1. FC Kaiserslautern season

1. FC Kaiserslautern
1997–98 season
Manager	Otto Rehhagel
Bundesliga	1st
DFB-Pokal	Round of 16
Top goalscorer	League: Olaf Marschall (21); All: Olaf Marschall (23)
	← 1996–97 1998–99 →

Season summary

Kaiserslautern started their season with a shock 1–0 win at reigning champions Bayern Munich,^[1] and followed this with a 1–0 victory against Hertha BSC that left them top of the table. From the fourth matchday onwards Kaiserslautern would not relinquish first place. By the beginning of the second half of the season Kaiserslautern were four points clear of Bayern, a lead increased to seven points after completing the double over the Bavarians.^[2]^[3] Bayern continued to falter and Kaiserslautern confirmed their second-ever Bundesliga title with a 4–0 victory over Wolfsburg in the penultimate round.^[4] This is the only time in Bundesliga history that a newly promoted side has won the title - the closest any team has come to repeating this feat was RB Leipzig's second place in 2016–17.

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[5]^[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	GER	Andreas Reinke
3	MF	GER	Michael Ballack
4	DF	GER	Axel Roos
5	DF	CZE	Miroslav Kadlec
6	DF	GER	Andreas Brehme
7	MF	BUL	Marian Hristov
8	MF	GER	Martin Wagner
9	FW	CZE	Pavel Kuka
10	MF	SUI	Ciriaco Sforza
11	FW	GER	Olaf Marschall
12	MF	GER	Stefan Ertl
13	DF	GER	Roger Lutz


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
15	DF	HUN	János Hrutka
16	DF	DEN	Michael Schjønberg
17	MF	BRA	Ratinho
18	FW	GER	Jürgen Rische
19	DF	GER	Oliver Schäfer
22	MF	GER	Andreas Buck
23	MF	GER	Thomas Riedl
24	DF	GER	Harry Koch
25	GK	HUN	Lajos Szűcs
26	MF	NGA	Pascal Ojigwe
27	MF	GER	Marco Reich
30	MF	GER	Thomas Franck
—	MF	GER	Dietmar Hamann

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
2	DF	GER	Frank Greiner (to Wolfsburg)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
30	GK	CZE	Petr Kouba (to Viktoria Žižkov)

Competitions

Win Draw Loss Postponed

Bundesliga

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	1. FC Kaiserslautern (C)	34	19	11	4	63	39	+24	68	Qualification to Champions League group stage
2	Bayern Munich	34	19	9	6	69	37	+32	66	Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
3	Bayer Leverkusen	34	14	13	7	66	39	+27	55	Qualification to UEFA Cup first round
4	VfB Stuttgart	34	14	10	10	55	49	+6	52
5	Schalke 04	34	13	13	8	38	32	+6	52

Source: www.dfb.de
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

Aug 2, 1997 1	Bayern Munich	0-1	Kaiserslautern	Munich
15:30			Schjönberg 80'	Stadium: Munich Olympic Stadium Attendance: 63,000 Referee: Lutz-Michael Fröhlich

Aug 6, 1997 2	Kaiserslautern	1-0	Hertha BSC	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Marschall 75'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Jürgen Jansen

Aug 9, 1997 3	Köln	0-0	Kaiserslautern	Cologne
15:30				Stadium: Müngersdorfer Stadion Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Winfried Buchhart

Aug 23, 1997 4	Kaiserslautern	3-0	Schalke 04	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Marschall 32', 63' Sforza 40'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Hermann Albrecht

Aug 29, 1997 5	VfL Bochum	1-3	Kaiserslautern	Bochum
20:00	Stickroth 68' (pen)		Kuka 19', 90' Marschall 72'	Stadium: Ruhrstadion Attendance: 28,600 Referee: Wolfgang Stark

Sep 14, 1997 6	Kaiserslautern	4-3	VfB Stuttgart	Kaiserslautern
18:00	Marschall 20', 58', 80' Ratinho 55'		Bobic 14' Akpoborie 36' Raducioiu 90'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Jürgen Aust

Sep 19, 1997 7	Karlsruher SC	2-4	Kaiserslautern	Karlsruhe
20:00	Häßler 50' Keller 57'		Ratinho 17' Wagner 23' (pen) Kuka 52' Reich 90'	Stadium: Wildparkstadion Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Hellmut Krug

Sep 27, 1997 8	Kaiserslautern	1-3	Werder Bremen	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Marschall 6'		Labbadia 56' Flo 85' Frey 89'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Bernhard Zerr

Oct 3, 1997 9	1860 Munich	1-3	Kaiserslautern	Munich
20:00	Winkler 14'		Marschall 22', 84' Sforza 34'	Stadium: Munich Olympic Stadium Attendance: 62,000 Referee: Hartmut Strampe

Oct 15, 1997 10	Kaiserslautern	3-1	Arminia Bielefeld	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Rische 18', 66' Kadlec 32'		Kuntz 38'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Lutz Wagner

Oct 18, 1997 11	Bayer Leverkusen	1-1	Kaiserslautern	Leverkusen
15:30	Happe 72'		Rische 86'	Stadium: BayArena Attendance: 22,500 Referee: Hermann Albrecht

Oct 24, 1997 12	Kaiserslautern	1-0	MSV Duisburg	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Marschall 21'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Lutz-Michael Fröhlich

Oct 31, 1997 13	Borussia Dortmund	2-2	Kaiserslautern	Dortmund
20:00	Freund 1' Heinrich 30'		Marschall 41', 76'	Stadium: Westfalenstadion Attendance: 55,000 Referee: Bernd Heynemann

Nov 7, 1997 14	Kaiserslautern	4-3	Hansa Rostock	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Sforza 2' Rische 38', 83' Schjönberg 47'		Barbarez 8' Dowe 18' Neuville 67'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Georg Dardenne

Nov 19, 1997 15	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1-3	1. FC Kaiserslautern	Mönchengladbach
20:00	Andersson 65'		Buck 29' Kuka 49' Rische 76'	Stadium: Bökelbergstadion Attendance: 26,300 Referee: Wolfgang Stark

Nov 22, 1997 16	VfL Wolfsburg	2-1	Kaiserslautern	Wolfsburg
15:30	Spies 25' Keller 81'		Wagner 65'	Stadium: VfL-Stadion am Elsterweg Attendance: 20,112 Referee: Hellmut Krug

Nov 29, 1997 17	Kaiserslautern	2-1	Hamburger SV	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Ratinho 75' Hristov 90'		Salihamidžić 58'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Winfried Buchhart

Dec 5, 1997 18	Kaiserslautern	2-0	Bayern Munich	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Hamann 44' Hristov 85'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Lutz-Michael Fröhlich

Dec 12, 1997 19	Hertha BSC	2-0	Kaiserslautern	Berlin
20:00	Karl 2' Preetz 72'			Stadium: Berlin Olympic Stadium Attendance: 61,445 Referee: Markus Weber

Dec 20, 1997 20	Kaiserslautern	3-2	Köln	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Hristov 24' Riedl 59' Schjönberg 82'		Munteanu 45' Polster 75'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Bernd Heynemann

Jan 31, 1998 21	Schalke 04	1-1	Kaiserslautern	Gelsenkirchen
15:30	van Hoogdalem 58'		Hristov 9'	Stadium: Parkstadion Attendance: 51,600 Referee: Winfried Buchhart

Feb 6, 1998 22	Kaiserslautern	3-0	VfL Bochum	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Wagner 32' Rische 45', 82'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Uwe Kemmling

Feb 14, 1998 23	VfB Stuttgart	0-1	Kaiserslautern	Stuttgart
15:30			Hristov 81'	Stadium: Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Hermann Albrecht

Feb 27, 1998 24	Kaiserslautern	0-0	Karlsruher SC	Kaiserslautern
20:00				Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Georg Dardenne

Mar 8, 1997 25	Werder Bremen	1-1	Kaiserslautern	Bremen
20:00	Pfeifenberger 14'		Schjönberg 35' (pen)	Stadium: Weserstadion Attendance: 34,804 Referee: Markus Weber

Mar 14, 1998 26	Kaiserslautern	1-0	1860 Munich	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Ratinho 45'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Hartmut Strampe

Apr 29, 1998 27	Arminia Bielefeld	2-2	Kaiserslautern	Bielefeld
20:00	Daei 35', 64'		Marschall 24' Rische 87'	Stadium: Stadion Alm Attendance: 22,512 Referee: Jörg Keßler

Mar 28, 1998 28	Kaiserslautern	0-3	Bayer Leverkusen	Kaiserslautern
15:30			Beinlich 61' Rink 78' Kirsten 90'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Bernhard Zerr

Apr 3, 1998 29	MSV Duisburg	1-1	Kaiserslautern	Duisburg
20:00	Hajto 65'		Marschall 40'	Stadium: Wedaustadion Attendance: 19,941 Referee: Torsten Koop

Apr 9, 1998 30	Kaiserslautern	1-1	Borussia Dortmund	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Kuka 80'		Freund 69'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Wolfgang Stark

Apr 18, 1998 31	Hansa Rostock	2-2	Hamburger SV	Rostock
15:30	Barbarez 1' Dowe 46'		Rische 20' Gansauge 69' (o.g.)	Stadium: Ostseestadion Attendance: 24,500 Referee: Jürgen Aust

Apr 24, 1998 32	Kaiserslautern	3-2	Borussia Mönchengladbach	Kaiserslautern
20:00	Marschall 45', 61', 90+1'		Hausweiler 16' Pettersson 43'	Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Bernd Heynemann

May 2, 1998 33	Kaiserslautern	4-0	VfL Wolfsburg	Kaiserslautern
15:30	Marschall 24', 55' Wagner 52' Rische 88'			Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Jürgen Jansen

May 9, 1998 34	Hamburger SV	1-1	Kaiserslautern	Hamburg
15:30	Dembiński 50'		Marschall 88' (pen)	Stadium: Volksparkstadion Attendance: 58,000 Referee: Hellmut Krug

DFB-Pokal

Aug 16, 1997 First round	Kaiserslautern II	0-5	Kaiserslautern	Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern
15:30			Marschall 17' Rische 31' Kuka 73', 81' Ratinho 78'	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Stephan Kammerer

Sep 24, 1997 Second round	1. FC Saarbrücken	0-4	Kaiserslautern	Ludwigsparkstadion, Saarbrücken
19:30			Marschall 2' Trautmann 7' (o.g.) Reich 52' Rische 61'	Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Hans-Jürgen Weber

Oct 28, 1997 Round of 16	Kaiserslautern	1-2	Bayern Munich	Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern
20:30	Sforza 25'		Nerlinger 3' Jancker 75'	Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Jürgen Jansen

References

^ "Remember Kaiserslautern 1998 | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
^ "Kaiserslautern defy Bayern Munich and the odds to win 1997-98 Bundesliga | DW | 28.03.2020". DW.COM.
^ "Bundesliga 1997-98: Newly-promoted Kaiserslautern shock German football". www.footballcritic.com.
^ "The German Leicester... how Kaiserslautern shocked the Bundesliga in 1998". Sky Sports.
^ "FootballSquads - 1.FC Kaiserslautern - 1997/98". www.footballsquads.co.uk.
^ "1. FC Kaiserslautern - Squad 1997/1998". worldfootball.net.

[1] "Remember Kaiserslautern 1998 | Goal.com". www.goal.com.

[2] "Kaiserslautern defy Bayern Munich and the odds to win 1997-98 Bundesliga | DW | 28.03.2020". DW.COM.

[3] "Bundesliga 1997-98: Newly-promoted Kaiserslautern shock German football". www.footballcritic.com.

[4] "The German Leicester... how Kaiserslautern shocked the Bundesliga in 1998". Sky Sports.

[5] "FootballSquads - 1.FC Kaiserslautern - 1997/98". www.footballsquads.co.uk.

[6] "1. FC Kaiserslautern - Squad 1997/1998". worldfootball.net.

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