The initial situation
It was just three years ago that Arminia was dueling with the sports club in the German House of Lords. Since then, the Ostalb club has been relegated twice in a row and had to worry about staying in the league for a long time in the 2023/24 third division season. It was only two match days before the end of the season that they managed to avert further relegation.
Things are currently going much better on the mountain pasture. Also thanks to coach Mitch Kniat, who the club stuck to last season. Under the 39-year-old, Bielefeld has found a good mix of defensive stability and respectable offensive play. With just 13 goals conceded, they have by far the best record of all third division teams after 16 match days.
A few weeks before the winter break, Arminia is in third place in the rankings. Only one meter is missing from the frontrunner, Energie Cottbus. Before the cup game on Tuesday evening, the team also continued to gain self-confidence: In the duel with the Ingolstadt team, who have been unbeaten in eight games, they prevailed in the Schüco Arena – which also attracts an average of over 20,000 fans on home game days in league three – thanks to a remarkable long-range goal from the full-back Louis Oppie won 1-0.
In any case, the DSC is a power, especially in front of its own audience. In the league there has only been one defeat in eight home games and in the cup Hannover 96 and Union Berlin had to give up in the first two rounds.
The personnel situation
Only Joel Felix (thigh injury) will certainly not be able to play against SC. Noah Sarenren Bazee and Jeredy Hiltermann, who were recently injured, have returned to training, but it might be too early for them to play. Center forward André Becker, who has already scored twice in the cup but also had to take a break in recent weeks, will be back in the squad.
The voices before the game
Mitch Kniat on the round of 16: “We have to repeat what we showed against Ingolstadt tomorrow. The boys are in top shape, can make the extra meters and we have had 24 hours more time to regenerate. Freiburg are an extremely hard-working team, they are very well prepared The opponent has good offensive quality that will give us a task.”
Julian Schuster about the opponent: “The Alm is something special. Hannover and Union have already felt it. But that doesn’t just have something to do with the stadium, but also with the quality of the squad. They play a good role in the 3rd league. We are maximum warning.”
Photo: Imago Images
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