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After SC Freiburg reached the final for the first time, the DFB Cup semi-final between RB Leipzig and Union Berlin is still on the agenda: who will Christian Streich and Co. meet? The facts about the second semi-final duel.
In the game between RB Leipzig and Union Berlin (Wednesday, 8.45 p.m.), the last team for the final in the DFB Cup is being sought. What you need to know in the final spurt of the 2021/22 cup season:
Statistics speak for Leipzig, but recently two Union victories
RB Leipzig and Union Berlin have met nine times in the Bundesliga and the second division. Five duels went to the Saxons, three to the “Iron”, only one draw was separated. However, the two most recent games were won by the Berliners – each with 2:1. Incidentally, both teams will see each other again in the Bundesliga on Saturday – again in Leipzig. The two clubs have not yet met in the DFB Cup.
Both teams recently victorious
The people of Leipzig can appear with a broad chest. RB won the chasing duel at Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 last weekend and climbed to third place in the Bundesliga. Coach Domenico Tedesco’s side are unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions.
But Union is also in a good mood at the moment. The Köpenickers have recently won the league three times and climbed to sixth place. At the weekend there was a 2-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt.
No success in the cup yet
Both clubs know what it’s like to be in the DFB Cup final in Berlin – but they haven’t won the cup yet. 1. FC Union reached the final in 2001 as a regional league team, but lost 2-0 to FC Schalke. Leipzig was in the final in 2019 and 2021, but lost there significantly – 0: 3 against FC Bayern and 1: 4 against Borussia Dortmund.
A home game in the cup final, that’s the big dream of 1. FC Union. “We’ll do everything in our power to get through the next round and reach the final.”says Grischa Prömel: “The whole Union family deserves that.” For Leipzig, a victory in the DFB Cup would be the first major success in the club’s young history.
Record setting in Leipzig
A record is certain even before the game starts. The Leipzig stadium will be sold out for the first time after the renovation with more than 47,000 spectators – there have never been so many at an RB home game.
Fischer sees Union as an outsider and allows penalties to be practiced
For coach Urs Fischer, Union Berlin is an outsider in the semi-finals. “We need an optimal game to cause an upset”, said Fischer, who also wants to train with his team for a possible penalty shoot-out. According to Fischer, it would be possible to advance against the extremely strong Saxons “a small sensation”.
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Expected Lineups
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi – Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol – Henrichs, Laimer, Adams, Angelino – Olmo, Nkunku – Silva
1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow – Jaeckel, Knoche, Baumgartl – Trimmel, Khedira, Gießelmann – Haraguchi, Prömel – Awoniyi, Becker
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