There is a saying in Germany that the Cup has its own rules. It means that the underdog has the chance to beat the favourite if the latter have a bad day at the office. Looking at the Cup Final results from Europe one can but note that this rule has somehow been made obsolete. In Germany, Bayern won a long battle against Dortmund only after penalties. Paris Saint German beat Olympique Marseille 4-2 with two parting gifts from Zlatan. In Italy Juve have long established a dominance that could turn out to be problematic for the league. Yesterday they beat Milan 1-0 after extra-time in the Coppa Italia. Today will see Barcelona face Sevilla in the Copa del Rey in Spain. Sevilla could add another trophy to their third consecutive Europa League title. In England, where the FA Cup is the oldest established football competition in Europe, Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1. It was a traditional London vs. the North East encounter. There is some bitter aftertaste as Louis van Gaal, the United manager will be relieved of his duty as manager of the Red Devils.

However, not all hope is lost. The Scottish Cup final saw Hibernians take on Rangers. Normally, a win for the latter would be nothing but expected. After years of playing in the lower leagues of Scottish football, Rangers are no longer the powerhouse they once were. The game ended 3-2 for Hibs. It is their first Cup in 114 years! Accordingly, the fans celebrated in style.