Unwrapping the DFB Cup Round of 16 Draw
In an exhilarating turn of events, German powerhouses Borussia Dortmund are set to lock horns with rivals VfB Stuttgart in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup. This thrilling encounter was a result of the recent draw held at the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
Besides the Borussia Dortmund vs. VfB Stuttgart matchup, the DFB Cup draw also threw up some intriguing encounters. Bayern conqueror 1. FC Saarbrücken from the third tier league will face last year's finalists Eintracht Frankfurt. Another all-Bundesliga showdown will take place on December 5 or 6 between Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg.
Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen will go head-to-head with second-division side SC Paderborn, while second-division clubs Hertha BSC and Hamburger SV will square off against each other. The only remaining fourth-division team, FC 08 Homburg, will receive a daunting home assignment against FC St. Pauli. 1. FC Magdeburg will face Fortuna Düsseldorf, and 1. FC Kaiserslautern will play host to 1. FC Nürnberg. The draw mastermind was para-cyclist Denise Schindler.
The round of 16 matches are scheduled for early December, with the first quarter-finals set to unfold at the end of January. The action will culminate at Berlin's Olympic Stadium with the final slated for May 25. Defending champions RB Leipzig and record winners FC Bayern Munich were among the early casualties, bowing out in the second round. For the first time in more than 30 years, only six clubs from the Bundesliga have made the round of 16. The last time this happened was in the 1992/93 season.
What sets this year's DFB Cup apart is the much-anticipated clash between Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart. These two Bundesliga rivals will trade blows in Stuttgart. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga's current table-toppers, are up against second-division side SC Paderborn.
