The 2021-22 DFB-Pokal quarter-finals are coming up this midweek, and all eight teams have high hopes of lifting the cup with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund already knocked out.
RB Leipzig are the team that looks to be in the best position to capitalise on the absence of Bayern and BVB, and the Red Bulls will head into their quarter-final tie in red-hot form.
Meanwhile, FC St. Pauli – who defied the DFB-Pokal 2022 odds by dumping Dortmund out of the competition in the last round – have a potentially significant injury problem to deal with.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews the four DFB-Pokal quarter-final matches.
Union Berlin vs FC St. Pauli: St. Pauli could be missing key playmaker
Bundesliga 2 side St. Pauli pulled off a massive shock by beating defending DFB-Pokal champions Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the round of 16. And they prepared for their quarter-final tie with Union Berlin by beating Ingolstadt 3-1 away this weekend.
However, that win came at a cost as full-back Leart Paqarada went off injured with an apparent ankle injury, and the latest DFB-Pokal 2022 updates have him questionable to play against Union.
Paqarada’s absence would be a huge blow for St. Pauli. The Kosovan has been crucial to the team’s attack this season as he has contributed two goals and seven assists – second-most on the team – from the full-back position. His crosses have also been crucial for Guido Burgstaller, who leads Bundesliga 2 with 17 goals and has 19 goals overall this season.
Missing Paqarada would make it that much harder for St. Pauli to break down a tough Union Berlin defence that has been one of the most resolute in the Bundesliga. Union have conceded just 32 goals in 24 games this season, tied for the fifth-fewest in the Bundesliga.
Union finally broke out of their recent three-game losing slump by thumping Mainz 3-1 this weekend. Taiwo Awoniyi got his 10th goal of the season and his first for Union since early December.
Hannover 96 vs RB Leipzig: Red Bulls still in red-hot form
RB Leipzig will head into their quarter-final tie against Hannover 96 in red-hot form. The Red Bulls have won eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions under new manager Domenico Tedesco. After winning away to Real Sociedad 3-1 to book their place in the Europa League round of 16, they beat Bochum 1-0 on the weekend to extend their winning run in the Bundesliga to three straight games.
Christopher Nkunku, who come on as a substitute to score the winning goal against Bochum, has been in fantastic goalscoring form, netting six times in his last six games. The promising French forward now has 23 goals and 8 assists this season.
Leipzig are the favourites to win the competition with both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund already knocked out. The Red Bulls have reached the DFB-Pokal final in two of the last three seasons, but were beaten by Bayern 3-0 in 2019 and 4-1 by BVB last year.
But Leipzig must still be wary of Hannover, who have picked up back-to-back wins over St. Pauli (0-3) and Holstein Kiel (2-0) in recent matches and have yet to concede a single goal through three rounds in the DFB-Pokal. They thrashed Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0 in the previous round thanks to a brace by Maximilian Beier.
Hamburger SV vs Karlsruher: Battle of two multiple-time winners
Hamburger SV vs Karlsruher is a battle between two Bundesliga 2 sides who have great history in the DFB-Pokal. Karlsruhe won in back-to-back years in 1955 and 1956, while Hamburg are three-time winners, in 1963, 1976, and 1976.
Hamburg are currently fourth in Bundesliga 2 while Karlsruher are ninth, eight points behind. However, Hamburg will not head into the quarter-finals in the best of form. After drawing with Sandhausen, they lost 3-2 at home to leaders Werder Bremen.
But even with that loss, Hamburg still have the best defensive record in the league, conceding just 24 goals in 24 games. They also have the dangerous Robert Glatzel, who scored his 17th goal this season in the loss.
They will meet Karlsruher, who are unbeaten in their last three games with two wins and a draw against Schalke last time out. Philipp Hofmann is the danger man for Karlsruher with 13 goals in 27 games this season.
VfL Bochum vs SC Freiburg: Freiburg in fine form
Freiburg have never won a major German cup competition in their 118-year history, but they have as good a shot as ever this year.
Christian Streich’s side is still flying high in fifth in the Bundesliga after another impressive 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin this weekend. That was Freiburg’s fourth win in their last six matches, a run which began with a 4-1 hammering of Hoffenheim in the previous round of the DFB-Pokal.
Freiburg face Bochum, who shocked all of Germany with their 4-2 win over Bayern Munich in mid-February. But that is their only win in their last six league matches as they continue to struggle scoring too many goals. They have scored just 25 goals, tied for the third-fewest in the Bundesliga.
Meanwhile, Freiburg are tied with Bayern for the best defensive record in the German top-flight, with just 26 goals conceded in 24 games. Although, Bochum beat Freiburg 2-1 in their first Bundesliga meeting this season at the Vonovia Rurhstadion.
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