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Mario Goetze © Action Images

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All eyes on Bayern-bound Goetze

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22 May 2013, 09:14

Mario Goetze will be hoping that he doesn't share the fate of Germany's record international Lothar Matthaeus when he plays for Borussia Dortmund a last time in the Champions League final against his future club Bayern Munich.

In the 1984 German cup final, Matthaeus missed from the penalty spot in a shoot-out in his last game for Moenchengladbach against eventual winners Munich, the club he joined a few weeks later.

The incident left a sour aftertaste at least in Moenchengladbach, but it did not derail the career of Matthaeus, who went on to win seven Bundesliga titles with Munich, one Serie A with Inter Milan, and captained Germany to their third World Cup title in 1990.

Goetze could face a similarly bright future as he is hailed as one of the brightest of Germany's large number of young talents.

Last month's news of his summer transfer to Munich, on the eve of Dortmund's semifinal with Real Madrid, sent shockwaves through the club's fanbase and drew angry reactions on social media platforms.

But Goetze got a warm welcome against Real and Dortmund fans will now be hoping that he can play at Wembley in the wake of a thigh-muscle injury, and help Dortmund to victory, even though he had quit training Tuesday and further medical examinations were scheduled.

Goetze has kept a low profile during the layoff, but vowed on the weekend via the Bild daily that he will give it all he has in the Wembley final where he will face huge attention.

"Victory in my last game for BVB (Dortmund) would be the greatest thing for me. I badly want to play in London and will give it all I have for Borussia that we can get the cup," Goetze said.

Munich coach Jupp Heynckes shrugged off suggestions that Goetze may have torn loyalties, saying "he wants to win," and Dortmund defender Mats Hummels agreed.

"We hope that he gets fit. The game is bigger than a player. It is not an issue that a player will be leaving," Hummels said.

Born in Bavaria, Goetze came to Dortmund as a child because his father, a professor, took up a job at a technical university in the western German city.

He joined Borussia as a nine-year-old and made his Bundesliga debut in 2009 at age 17 as the 1997 Champions League winners Dortmund had to rely on young local talent rather than expensive players four years after narrowly avoiding insolvency.

Dortmund went on to win the league 2011 and a first league and cup double in 2012. They reportedly snubbed Arsenal in 2011 despite a 40-million euros offer in 2011 but have now lost him to Munich who made use of a 37 million euros buyout clause in his latest contract that was valid until 2016.

Goetze can play on every midfield position or as a false striker, which has done lately for Germany in so far 22 caps with five goals. He has done well with Marco Reus for club and country and is a key player for Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp and Germany's Joachim Loew.

Matthias Sammer, a former Dortmund player and coach, Germany sports director and now Munich top official, has simply hailed Goetze as "one of the biggest talents Germany has ever had