Lower league side Koblenz are set to take on Bundesliga team Wolfsburg at the Stadion Oberwerth on Monday in the first round of the 2024-25 DFB Pokal.
The hosts are already two games into their 2024-25 campaign, winning one and losing one in the Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar, the fifth tier of German football, while this matchup will be the first of the season for the visitors.
Match preview
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Since suffering back-to-back relegations from the 2.Bundesliga and 3.Liga between 2009 and 2011, Koblenz have found themselves competing in the Amateur divisions of German football.
They were part of the fourth division from 2011-12 until their relegation at the end of the 2014-15 season but were promoted straight back into the fourth tier as champions a year later.
Koblenz survived back in the Regionalliga Sudwest for just a season before being relegated in 2017-18, returning to the Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar.
They placed fourth in their first two campaigns in the fifth division, followed by fifth and sixth-placed finishes in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
The 2022-23 season saw Koblenz promoted after finishing in second place, but they suffered instant relegation after a dismal 2023-24, amassing just 18 points from 34 matches to place at the foot of the fourth tier.
Michael Stahl, who has been in charge since 2021, guided the side to a comfortable 3-0 victory in their opening game of this term, but they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home last time out.
Since finishing in the European places of the Bundesliga between 2018 and 2021, Wolfsburg have faced plenty of difficulties in the top division.
After impressively placing fourth in 2020-21, Wolfsburg dropped to a disappointing 12th-placed finish in the Bundesliga in the following campaign.
However, they were able to recover in 2022-23 as they climbed back up the table, finishing eighth in the league and narrowly missing out on the European places by a point.
The Wolves dropped down the standings once again last year, finishing in 12th place and just four points above the drop zone.
Wolfsburg will be extremely disappointed with that result after such a positive start to the season, competing for the top eight places by matchday 15.
Nico Kovac's side followed that start by going winless in their next 11 league matches, resulting in the hiring of Ralph Hasenhuttl as the new boss.
Hasenhuttl had an instant impact on the team, winning his first game in charge, and went on to win three more in the next seven games of the campaign, lifting the side to 12th.
The visitors endured a challenging pre-season ahead of the new term, winning just one of their five friendly fixtures, but Hasenhuttl will be hopeful of kicking their season off with a win here.
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Team News
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The hosts could name a similar side to the one that has started the 2024-25 Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar season, with Stahl aiming to cause a shock upset here.
Striking duo Dominik Kaiser and Dylan Akpess Esmel both hit the target in the opening game of their league campaign, and both are expected to keep their place in the team in this one.
The visitors will be without the services of Rogerio, who has been dealing with an injury since May and is not expected to return to the side until September.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg could name a strong side as Hasenhuttl aims to kickstart the new term with a victory after a disappointing campaign in 2023-24.
Koblenz possible starting lineup:
Zadach; Yaman, Von der Bracke, Grgic, Zeghli; Hysenaj, Wingender, Yeboah, Tuchscherer; Kaiser, Esmel
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Bornauw, Lacroix, Zesiger; Wimmer, Gerhardt, Arnold, Kaminski; Majer, Paredes; Behrens
We say: Koblenz 1-3 Wolfsburg
The hosts may have the advantage of their competitive season already being underway, but the visitors play their football at a much higher level and should comfortably win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
