Sunday 31 October 2021
96 receives Bavaria’s nightmare
Berlin derby in the cup, BVB has to go to Hamburg
The second round of the DFB Cup offers a lot of highlights: outsider victories and a historic Bayern bankruptcy. The next spectacular games await in the round of 16: A city derby, only three Bundesliga duels and the defending champion has to join the top team in the second division.
Cup winners Borussia Dortmund and Bayern conqueror Borussia Mönchengladbach have to compete with traditional clubs from the 2nd division, but the top duel in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup will rise in Berlin. Hertha BSC and 1. FC Union are in the round on 18./19. January in the capital derby opposite, as the draw in the ARD “Sportschau” revealed. “A dreamless and a holiday for Berlin,” said Hertha coach Pal Dardai. Sports director Arne Friedrich called the game “a great lot for our city”.
Defending champion BVB is facing an unpleasant but manageable task at second division leaders FC St. Pauli. “We are of course happy about a home game and an incredibly attractive opponent. However, Borussia Dortmund is also one of the hardest possible draws,” said St. Pauli’s sports director Andreas Bornemann. After beating record cup winners FC Bayern Munich 5-0 in the second round at Hannover 96, Gladbach is the clear favorite. “At home under floodlights against Bayern conquerors – everyone can look forward to that,” said Hanover coach Jan Zimmermann.
“A duel full of power and intense football”
The only remaining third division club TSV 1860 Munich has home rights against Karlsruher SC. “We’re blatant outsiders, but we’re still in,” said striker Sascha Mölders in the “Sportschau”. “It’s a good draw, we will see a match at eye level. We definitely have a chance of going one round.” The Karlsruhe team prevailed in the second round at Bayer Leverkusen.
The lots were drawn by President Peter Zimmermann from SG Ahrtal, which had lost its sports grounds in the flood disaster this July. Ex-world champion Benedikt Höwedes was there as the draw manager. In addition to the explosive Berlin derby, Zimmermann lost two other Bundesliga duels: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim receives SC Freiburg in the derby in Baden, while the newly promoted VfL Bochum has home rights against FSV Mainz 05.
Last year’s finalist RB Leipzig receives Hansa Rostock, who had prevailed against Jahn Regensburg. “They will bring enthusiastic fans and have shown in the first two rounds that they know how cupfighting works,” said RB coach Jesse Marsch. 1. FC Köln plays host to Hamburger SV. “I’m happy that we have a home game – and for HSV, which for me actually belongs in the Bundesliga,” said coach Steffen Baumgart. HSV coach Tim Walter predicted “a duel full of power and intense football”.
The games at a glance:
TSG Hoffenheim – SC Freiburg
FC St. Pauli – Borussia Dortmund
1860 Munich – Karlsruher SC
Hannover 96 – Borussia Mönchengladbach
Hertha BSC – 1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Cologne – Hamburger SV
RB Leipzig – Hansa Rostock
VfL Bochum – 1. FSV Mainz 05