The highly anticipated DFB-Pokal final between Kaiserslautern and Bayer Leverkusen is set to take place at the Olympiastadion in Berlin this Saturday.
Fans are eager to see if Bayer Leverkusen can redeem their season after a recent setback in the Europa League final, or if underdogs Kaiserslautern can claim a historic victory.
Team Form and Recent Performances
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern, once a dominant force in German football, have experienced a resurgence this season.
Despite a lacklustre 13th-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga, they have shown remarkable prowess in the DFB-Pokal, eliminating top-flight Koln and third-tier giant-killers Saarbrucken.
Their attack has been prolific, scoring in 12 consecutive matches across all competitions, and they come into the final on the back of a 5-0 thrashing of
Eintracht Braunschweig.
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen’s journey to the final has been characterised by dominant performances, with 23 goals scored in their five DFB-Pokal matches.
However, their record-breaking unbeaten run was shattered by Atalanta in the Europa League final.
Despite this, Leverkusen clinched the Bundesliga title without a single defeat, demonstrating their strength and depth.
Team News
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern will be relieved to have defender Almamy Toure available despite his league suspension.
However, they face injury concerns with top scorer Ragnar Ache (Achilles) and Jan Elvedi (calf) both doubtful.
Long-term absentees Ben Zolinski, Hendrick Zuck, and Julian Niehues remain sidelined.
Coach Friedhelm Funkel will rely on Marlon Ritter, who scored a hat-trick in their last match, to lead the attack.
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen’s squad is in good shape with no significant injuries reported post-Europa League final.
Manager Xabi Alonso has the luxury of rotating his squad, with players like Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick pushing for starting roles.
Florian Wirtz, who played a significant part in their European campaign, is fit and ready to…
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Author : editors@footballcritic.com (Jake Skudder)
Publish date : 2024-05-25 06:00:00
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