RWE are currently competing in the fourth tier of German football, having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, with Leverkusen hoping to use the match as an opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Match preview

Bayer Leverkusen's Lucas Alario reacts on January 23, 2021 © Reuters

RWE do have history in this competition, having won it in 1953 before winning the German championship in 1955 (before it was rebranded to the Bundesliga eight years later).

The club competed in the Bundesliga in the 1960s and 1970s, but have since been in the second tier at best. RWE share historic rivalries with Schalke 04 and Fortuna Dusseldorf, with the 3-2 win over Dusseldorf in the last round of this competition undoubtedly delighting their fanbase.

Currently managed by Christian Neidhart, the 52-year-old looks to have a good chance of guiding RWE back into the third tier, with the Rhine-based club impressively remaining unbeaten after 22 league games this season.

Indeed, while they are only one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund's reserve team, third-placed SC Fortuna Koln are a further ten points behind, so there is every chance RWE will have an excellent chance of returning to a level more befitting of their historic status. Producing an upset over Leverkusen on Tuesday would be the perfect way to prove that.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz before the match on January 23, 2021 © Reuters

RWE would certainly have feared facing Leverkusen more six weeks ago than they will now, with Peter Bosz's side taking only four points from their last seven league games to slip to fourth in the Bundesliga.

Levekusen's outside hopes of winning the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history are now long gone, with the four teams directly below them in the table all within three points of their tally.

The cup, then, may provide a welcome distraction to their current league troubles, with the 4-1 win over in-form Eintracht Frankfurt in last round earlier this month particularly impressive.

Lucas Alario and Moussa Diaby were both on the score sheet in that match, so Bosz will be hoping his front line fires once again after blanking in the last two matches.

Rot-Weiss Essen DFB-Pokal form: WW
Rot-Weiss Essen form (all competitions): WWWWDW

Bayer Leverkusen DFB-Pokal form: WW
Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions): DWLWLL

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Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah pictured in September 2019 © Reuters

Simon Engelmann scored his 18th and 19th goals of the season in the 2-0 win over Bonner SC last weekend, so will be relishing the prospect of testing himself against the likes of Edmond Tapsoba in Leverkusen's defence.

The 31-year-old scored in both of the previous rounds against Arminia Bielefeld and Dusseldorf, so it would not be a huge surprise to see his name on the score sheet once again.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, will be without Nadiem Amiri, Lars Bender, Sven Bender, Mitchell Weiser, Julian Baumgartlinger, Paulinho and Santiago Arias for the trip to Essen, while Jonathan Tah is suspended after being sent off in the previous round.

Bosz utilised Alario and Patrik Schick from the substitutes' bench in the weekend's defeat to RB Leipzig, so one of the two strikers are primed to start this one, with Schick perhaps preferred to recover some match fitness after a recent minor injury.

Rot-Weiss Essen possible starting lineup:
Davari; Pelchaty, Heber, Hahn, Herzenbruch; Young, Kehl-Gomez, Grote, Conde, Endres; Engelmann

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Fosu-Mensah, Dragovic, Tapsoba, Wendell; Aranguiz, Demirbay; Bellarabi, Wirtz, Bailey; Schick

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We say: Rot-Weiss Essen 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen

Leverkusen should have too much for their hosts, who compete three tiers below the Bundesliga outfit.

However, RWE would likely be satisfied with registering a goal, with Engelmann in particular needing to be closely watched by the visitors' defence.

Top betting tip

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