DFB-Pokal Second Round Set for Wednesday Evening
The DFB-Pokal second round features two intriguing clashes on Wednesday evening, as Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg host in-form teams from the 2.Bundesliga. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 20:45 CET, promising competitive encounters as clubs vie for a place in the next stage of Germany’s premier cup competition.
Leverkusen Host High-Flying Nürnberg
Bayer Leverkusen will be looking to bounce back from a recent Bundesliga setback when they welcome 1.FC Nürnberg to the BayArena. Leverkusen suffered a 3-0 defeat to TSG Hoffenheim in their last league outing, a match that also saw key players Moussa Diaby and Loïc Bade sidelined with injuries. They join Martin Terrier and Christian Kofane on the injury list.
Despite these challenges, Leverkusen will be confident, having secured a comfortable 4-0 victory against Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round. However, they face a formidable opponent in 1.FC Nürnberg, who currently sit second in the 2.Bundesliga. Miroslav Klose’s side also experienced a recent league defeat, a 1-0 loss to 1.FC Kaiserslautern, marking their first of the campaign. Nürnberg’s journey to this stage was more arduous, requiring penalties to overcome Viktoria Köln 5-4 after a 1-1 draw in the first round.
Freiburg Take on Wolfsburg at Home
SC Freiburg will host VfL Wolfsburg in another compelling DFB-Pokal fixture. Julian Schuster’s Freiburg side will be eager to put their recent 3-1 Bundesliga loss to Bayern Munich behind them. Despite that result, Freiburg remain strong in the top flight, occupying third place with 13 points.
Freiburg demonstrated their cup prowess in the first round, sweeping aside Fortuna Düsseldorf with a dominant 5-1 victory. Their squad is largely fit, with only Yannick Engelhardt listed as a doubt for the Wednesday night clash.
VfL Wolfsburg arrive as another strong contender from the 2.Bundesliga, currently placed fourth in their league. Tobias Strobel’s team has proven difficult to beat, with four wins, four draws, and just one defeat this season. However, recent history is not on Wolfsburg’s side against Freiburg, having lost their last four meetings. Wolfsburg also had a tougher first-round tie, needing penalties to advance past Altglienicke. They will be without the injured Matthias Svanberg for this encounter.