Two of the Bundesliga's most in-form teams go head-to-head in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal when Union Berlin host Wolfsburg on Tuesday evening.
Union Berlin have never won Germany's primary domestic cup, while Wolfsburg's only triumph in the competition came in the 2014-15 season.
Match preview
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Having only achieved promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history in 2019, it is perhaps no surprise that the club have never prevailed in the DFB-Pokal.
However, Die Eisernen did remarkably reach the final as a third tier side in the 2000-01 season, when they were beaten 2-0 by Schalke 04.
How the tables have turned in the following two decades since: while Schalke are sitting rock-bottom of the Bundesliga, Union Berlin continue to fly high under Urs Fischer's tutelage, with their fifth consecutive derby win against Hertha Berlin on Saturday moving them within one point of league leaders Bayern Munich.
With a Europa League last-32 tie against Ajax awaiting them in February, Fischer may be torn about adding another competition to the mix after missing out on Champions League qualification by a single point last season.
However, they were also one match away from reaching only their second ever DFB-Pokal final, so the 56-year-old will surely be determined to see his team capitalise on their excellent form and progress deep into the competition once again.
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Despite losing 2-1 to Werder Bremen at the weekend, Wolfsburg are likely to take some stopping at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Tuesday.
The defeat ended the Wolves' unbeaten run of 10 league matches, which has turned around a slow start under Niko Kovac to put them firmly in contention to secure a European qualification place come the end of the campaign should they continue their recent form.
Having been thrown out of the DFB-Pokal last season for using too many substitutes during their 3-1 win against fourth division outfit Preussen Munster, Kovac may sense an opportunity to secure a permanent legacy at his new home with a deep run in the cup.
Moreover, unlike their forthcoming opponents, Wolfsburg do not have the distraction of European football to contend with this season, so there is no reason at all for Kovac and his players not to throw everything at Tuesday's tie.
Team News
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Union Berlin will be without midfielders Morten Thorsby and Andras Schafer due to abdominal and ankle injuries respectively, but otherwise the club's legendary manager has a fully fit squad to utilise.
Jordan Siebatcheu has been named among the substitutes in each of his side's recent two victories after enduring a goalscoring drought in recent times, but the USA international should earn an opportunity from the start on Tuesday.
Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will travel without Lukas Nmecha and Felix Nmecha due to knee and thigh injuries respectively, which are keeping the two brothers sidelined at present.
Kovac is unlikely to make too many changes despite tasting defeat for the first time in over four months against Bremen at the weekend, but Maxence Lacroix and Joshua Guilavogui are two players likely to be called upon from the start in the capital.
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Grill; Jaeckel, Knoche, Leite; Juranovic, Haraguchi, Khedira, Haberer, Griesselmann; Siebatcheu, Michel
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Baku, Bornauw, Lacroix, Otavio; Paredes, Arnold, Guilavogui, Gerhardt, Marmoush; Wind
We say: Union Berlin 1-2 Wolfsburg
With Union Berlin challenging for the Champions League spots and still remaining in the hunt for the Europa League, we can envisage Wolfsburg possessing a little more appetite to win this match.
As such, Kovac may make fewer changes to his strongest XI than Fischer, with the Wolves potentially biting back after seeing their impressive unbeaten run come to an end at the weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Brett Curtis
