The two games in the semi-finals of the 2022/23 DFB Cup season have been drawn. In Breisgau there will be a repeat of last year’s final.
Last year’s finalists SC Freiburg and RB Leipzig meet in the semi-finals this season.
IMAGO/Revierfoto
The semi-final pairings in the DFB Cup have been drawn – and in the semi-finals there will be a repeat of last year’s final between SC Freiburg and RB Leipzig, which won 4-2 on penalties in 2022. Now the Breisgauers, who surprisingly knocked out FC Bayern in Munich (2-1) during the week, have the chance to take revenge.
On paper, however, the Saxons are likely to be the favorites for the title – and club representative Perry Brautigam “happily accepts the role of favorites. “We are the defending champions and have to bring the trophy to Berlin a few days beforehand. It would be all the nicer if the team followed suit and played the fourth cup final in the fifth year and got the opportunity to defend the title.”
The 60-year-old didn’t like the fact that RB had to go away, but “you have to take it as it is.” He has great respect for Christian Streich and the performance of the SC, but that can also serve as a role model for the people of Leipzig. “Freiburg won against Bayern in Munich, why shouldn’t we beat Freiburg in Freiburg?”
The second semi-final is contested by VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt. “It is supposedly the easiest opponent we could get, so I’m satisfied,” said Uli Stein (276 games for the SBU from 1987 to 1994), who was present at the draw in the “Sportschau”. The 68-year-old also emphasized that he would have preferred a home game.
Hitzlsperger disagrees with Stein
Ex-Stuttgarter Thomas Hitzlsperger (172 games and 30 goals for VfB), who was present as DFB draw manager, contradicted: “Home game, semi-finals, DFB Cup, the hut is on fire – they will throw everything in, that’s the big one Opportunity par excellence. It’s not an easy draw.”
The Swabians have also seen an upward trend since new coach Sebastian Hoeneß took office. The arduous 1-0 cup win in Nuremberg was followed by a 3-2 win in the cellar cracker in Bochum on Sunday – it was Stuttgart’s first away win in 485 days.
The semi-finals will take place on 2./3. May, the exact dates of the pairings are not yet known. The final will take place on June 3rd in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
