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The two teams made their way through to the German cup final after beating Werder Bremen and Holstein Kiel. They have a rare opportunity to finish their season with silverware, given that Bayern Munich has already won the league.
When RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund met last weekend, a Jadon Sancho goal secured the victory for the latter. Now, coincidentally, the two teams will play for the second time in the space of seven days, albeit the stakes will be much higher.
Leipzig are up against Dortmund in the German Cup final, one of the rare occasions when Bayern Munich are not present when a domestic trophy is at stake. The Bavarians were knocked out of the competition in the second round by the second division side and eventual semi-finalists, Holstein Kiel.
Julian Naglesmann’s side, on the other hand, had a relatively straightforward run to the final. They did not concede a goal until the semi-final, winning their first four matches with a combined scoreline of 12-0. Werder Bremen put up a challenge in the penultimate match but, in the end, were no match for Die Roten Bullen.
Dortmund’s run to the final was slightly more complicated. After two comfortable wins in the first and second round, they faced 2. Bundesliga outfit, SC Paderborn. A 3-2 win, but only after extra time had been played, set up a quarter-final clash with Borussia Monchengladbach, which they narrowly won. Holstein Kiel met Dortmund in the semis but were blown away thanks to the German giants scoring five before half-time.
This will be Dortmund’s tenth appearance in the DFB Pokal final. They have won the cup on four previous occasions. In comparison, Leipzig have only ever been to one cup final, which was in 2019 – a match they ultimately lost to (surprise, surprise!) Bayern Munich.
Key Players
Timo Werner’s departure, and the current Leipzig forwards’ inability to adequately fill the gap, has put pressure on the entire team to share goal-scoring responsibilities. Emil Forsberg has certainly contributed positively to the time. The Swede has scored seven times this season and is their joint-top scorer in the league. He also has had a hand in five assists.
Dani Olmo has enjoyed a good season with the German club, and is currently the team’s highest goal contributor. He has scored just five times this season, although he has provided his teammates with ten assists – the most in the squad. In comparison, the next most assist provider for Leipzig is Christopher Nkunku, with six. Leipzig will be relying on the Spaniard’s creative talents to unlock the Dortmund defence in the cup final.
While Dortmund are firm in their belief that Erling Haaland will remain at the club for another season, there is the chance that these are his final weeks in Gelsenkirchen. If so, Haaland will hope to bow out in style by winning his club the German Cup. Unsurprisingly, Haaland is Dortmund’s top scorer this season with 37 goals across all competitions. He has also provided 11 assists this season, bringing his total contribution to 48 in 38 matches.
Jadon Sancho has had his injury troubles this season, meaning that he has only played in 24 league matches. His total goal contribution in the league is still impressive, with 19 in total. Meanwhile, he is registered double digits in both the goals and assists columns overall. The Englishman has scored 14 times this season and has 18 assists to his name. He is expected to leave in summer, and if so, what better way to do so than by winning a trophy and bowing out on the top.
Prediction
RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund have exchanged the tag of being Germany’s second-best team in recent years. For them, Bayern Munich still reigns supreme, unfortunately. With the Bavarians dominating football so effectively in Germany, the chances of winning a trophy or two are slim. However, the two Bundesliga clubs have been given such an opportunity this year with a German Cup up for grabs.
Psychologically, Dortmund should have the advantage over Leipzig, given that they beat them 3-2 in their last league match. Edin Terzic’s side did surrender a two-goal lead in that match but was saved by a late Jadon Sancho goal. That win was extremely important for Dortmund, who were able to get back into a Champions League spot, courtesy of it.
Inversely, revenge will be on Leipzig’s mind when the two teams meet on Thursday. Furthermore, the prospect of lifting their first major trophy could also push the team past their limits. Leipzig have the squad depth and talent to secure a win from this match. They have had a better season too! But given their history and recent results, they will start the match on Thursday as the second favorites.
