Leipzig to battle Dortmund in German cup quarterfinal

Reigning champions of the DFB Pokal, RB Leipzig, are set to lock horns with Borussia Dortmund, who won the title in 2021, in the quarterfinal of the DFB Pokal after the draws were made today. 

RB Leipzig defeated Hansa Rostock, Hannover 96, Union Berlin, and Freiburg to win the DFB Pokal last season in a run that many would have termed easy given the strengths of the teams at the time, but Die Roten Bullen are certainly having to defend their title the hard way this season. 

RB Leipzig reached the quarterfinal after defeating Hoffenheim in the round of 16, and their quarterfinal fixture with Dortmund means that they will now have to face two Bundesliga teams in a row. Something they did not do last season until the semifinal. 

Despite the daunting draw, RB Leipzig will certainly back themselves against Dortmund’s might after beating them in all of their last four encounters. Including a DFB Pokal encounter in 2021. 

In addition to the mouthwatering tie between RB Leipzig and Dortmund, the DFB Pokal serves up some head-turning clashes because as many as seven of the eight teams in the quarterfinals are from the country’s top league for the first time since the 2017/2018 season. 

Nurnberg, the only team that does not play in the Bundesliga, host Stuttgart, while the Bundesliga’s surprise package this season, Union Berlin travel to Frankfurt for their quarterfinal encounter. 

Bayern Munich, the league leaders, will host last season's DFB Pokal losing finalists Freiburg. 

The fixtures will take place from the 4th to the 5th of April and they promise to be as breathtaking as the Bundesliga race has been this season.