Kaiserslautern vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 German DFB-Pokal | Final
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2. Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern are aiming to produce one of the biggest shocks in DFB-Pokal history by beating newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who were defeated for the first time this season in the Europa League final in midweek.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 25th May 2024, UK – 19:00 / US EST – 14:00 / US PST – 11:00
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports On Demand Schedule / US – ESPN+
KAISERSLAUTERN PREVIEW: CAN SECOND TIER SIDE AND FORMER GERMAN GIANTS UPSET THE ODDS?
Kaiserslautern are the first team since Duisburg back in 2011 to reach the DFB-Pokal final whilst playing outside the Bundesliga. Whilst they’ve struggled in the league, just managing to stay up, the two-time German Cup champions ended the season strongly and come into this final with no pressure on their shoulders.
Of course, facing a team of Bayer Leverkusen’s class will take a defensive effort like no other and they’ll need to be clinical should their chance come to score. But with a brilliant set of supporters behind them and the belief of having come this far that something special could happen, you can’t write Kaiserslautern off.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREVIEW: UNBEATEN TREBLE DREAM OVER BUT DOMESTIC DOUBLE STILL ON THE TABLE
It’s officially 51 and out for Bayer Leverkusen as their long unbeaten campaign finally came to an end at the 52nd attempt in the week. Unfortunately for the new Bundesliga winners, it was a painful ending at that, Xabi Alonso’s side having been put to the sword by Italian side Atalanta in the Europa League final.
Ademola Lookman with one of the finest individual performances to be seen in a European final, scored a magnificent hat-trick to seal a 3-0 win for ‘La Dea’ in Dublin, with Leverkusen for once having no answer to their opponents. However, they can’t mope about with another huge cup final on the horizon here and another massive day in their history with a chance to seal a league and cup double.
KAISERSLAUTERN TEAM NEWS: NIEHUES AND ZUCK OUT WHILST ACHE, ELVEDI AND ZOLINSKI ARE DOUBTFUL
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Krahl; Toure, Kraus, Tomiak; Zimmer, Kaloc, Raschl, Puchacz; Ritter, Hanslik, Redondo
UNAVAILABLE: Niehues (Injured), Zuck (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Ache (Injured), Elvedi (Injured), Zolinski (Injured)
BAYER LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS: ALONSO TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CUP KEEPER KOVAR AND CLUB CAPTAIN HRADECKY IN GOAL
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Kovar; Stanisic, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Boniface, Wirtz
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
KAISERSLAUTERN VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREDICTION
The key to this match will be whether Bayer Leverkusen have gotten over their Europa League final defeat, or whether they are still nursing a hangover from that painful loss in Dublin. You have to imagine that they’ll have put it behind them, with the tantalising prospect of more silverware still on the table and only 2. Bundesliga opposition standing in their way.
Of course, Kaiserslautern will give it all they’ve got but the reality is that if Leverkusen turn up and play to the standard in which we’ve seen from them through most of the season, then Xabi Alonso’s men will simply have too much for them. Back Bayer Leverkusen to come through with a win by at least two clear goals.
KAISERSLAUTERN VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN TIP: BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO WIN WITH -1 HANDICAP
