Footbal contest renewal, rematch, broadcasted freely, altered regulations, this encompasses the initial phase of the DFB Cupcompetition.
2021-2022 DFB-Pokal Kicks Off This Weekend
The first round of the 2021-2022 DFB Cup (DFB-Pokal) is set to begin this Friday, promising an exciting mix of matches involving clubs from various tiers of German football. Spread over several days, the fixtures will see lower-tier clubs visiting professional sides, with some notable encounters scheduled.
The action gets underway on Friday, featuring three games including a rematch of last season's quarter-final DFB Cup match: Werder Bremen vs Arminia Bielefeld. Arminia, a third-tier club, made it to the final of the DFB Cup last season, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this encounter.
Saturday sees the duel between St. Pauli and Norderstedt at the Millerntor Stadium, marking the start of the competition. Hamburg SV will play at the Pfalz Oberliga club FK Pirmasens on Saturday as well. Notable fixtures continue on Sunday, with 11 ties including Bundesliga clubs like Borussia Mönchengladbach against SV Atlas Delmenhorst.
On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be two games at 1 pm, six at 3:30 pm, and three at 6 pm each day. Three games will also be played at 6 pm on the opening day and Monday, with one more at 8:45 pm.
Broadcasting details for DFB-Pokal matches are typically via Sky and DAZN, with selected games possibly available free-to-air on German TV networks such as Sat.1 or ZDF, depending on the specific broadcasting rights and scheduling. Four matches will be shown on free TV this season: Arminia Bielefeld vs Werder Bremen on Friday, Rot-Weiss Essen vs Borussia Dortmund on Monday, VfB Stuttgart vs Eintracht Braunschweig on August 26, and Bayern Munich vs SV Wehen Wiesbaden on August 27.
The DFB Cup is not without its rule changes this season. The eight-second rule has been implemented to reduce time-wasting, with the opposing team being awarded a corner if a goalkeeper controls the ball for longer than this time. In the case of a double touch during a penalty, there will now be a retake if the kicker accidentally touches the ball twice or hits their other leg. If a shot is missed in a penalty shootout, the other team would take their turn.
A small Revierderby is also in the cards for the DFB Cup: a match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Borussia Dortmund, with only about 33 kilometers between their stadiums. This is the first such match in 17 years. If Borussia Dortmund's coach, Niko Kovac, wins the DFB Cup with them, he could tie the record for most DFB Cup wins and become the second coach to win the cup with three different clubs.
Bundesliga clubs aim to avoid slip-ups as favorites in the first round, with Manuel Neuer, goalkeeper of FC Bayern Munich, hoping to tie Bastian Schweinsteiger for the most DFB Cup titles if Bayern wins their first cup title in five years. The first round will not be completed until a week and a half later due to the Supercup match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Bayern Munich.
With an exciting mix of matches, rule changes, and broadcast details, the 2021-2022 DFB Cup promises to be an enthralling competition. Stay tuned for updates as the tournament unfolds!
