Leipzig-Borussia Dortmund is a German Cup quarter-final match played on Wednesday at 20:45: predictions
The quarter-final between Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund is another important one, as the Bundesliga’s fifth and second-placed teams face each other. Needless to say, for both of them, the German Cup represents a chance to lift at least one trophy, especially after Bayern Munich’s resounding elimination via Freiburg.
A discourse that mainly concerns Leipzig, the team holding the trophy, which is now out of the title fight and also risks not qualifying for the next Champions League. Yes, because what the Roten Bullen are going through is a real crisis, and not even the coach himself says so in a whisper anymore. After the memorable drubbing in the cup with the big ears by Manchester City, who humiliated them in the return match of the round of 16 with a discouraging 7-0, Werner and his team-mates are struggling to recover. In the league came two worrying defeats in a row against far from irresistible teams such as Bochum and Mainz, two matches in which Leipzig conceded a total of four goals and did not score a single one. Fourth place, occupied by Freiburg, remains just two points away, but from now on Marco Rose’s team can’t slip up if they don’t want to jeopardise their minimum target.
A month ago the last confrontation
The red and white coach meets his former team a month after the Bundesliga clash, which ended 2-1 to the Gialloneri. The game was played on opposite pitches, but for what Leipzig showed on the pitch they deserved at least a draw.
Terzic
Borussia Dortmund will also use the cup to turn over a new leaf after their umpteenth defeat against rivals Bayern Munich, who, in a direct clash at the Allianz Arena, re-established the hierarchy and pushed Edin Terzic’s team to the top of the table, and now they are once again forced to chase. It was a match in which the superiority of the Bavarians appeared clear-cut, considering that after half-time the reigning German champions were already ahead by four goals. For Borussia Dortmund it was the first setback of 2023 in the league, the second after the one in the Champions League against Chelsea. Both Terzic and Rose will have to do without several elements in this cup challenge. Schlager, Nkunku, Poulsen and Gulacsi are absent in Leipzig, but Dani Olmo will return. In Borussia, centre-forward Haller is in doubt, while neither Adeyemi nor the disqualified Schlotterbeck will be present. Duranville and Morey are also absent from the Gialloneri.
The Prediction
Leipzig need to react and this looks like the right opportunity to do so, taking advantage of a Borussia Dortmund side still stunned by the clear defeat in Bavaria. The Roten Bullen’s greater motivation is likely to make the difference in a match that will be balanced and with at least one goal on each side.
Leipzig-Borussia Dortmund likely line-ups
- LIPSIA (4-2-2): Blaswich; Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol, Raum; Laimer, Haidara; Szoboszlai, Dani Olmo; André Silva, Werner.
- BORUSSIA DORTMUND (4-3-3): Meyer; Morey, Sule, Hummels, Guerreiro; Ozcan, Emre Can, Bellingham; Brandt, Moukoko, Malen.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
