With a place in the Europa League up for grabs in the DFB-Pokal final, Stuttgart will hope to end Arminia Bielefeld‘s fairy tale run in the competition on Saturday.
Third-tier side Arminia Bielefeld managed to defeat DFB-Pokal holders Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in the semi-final on April 1, while Bundesliga club Stuttgart beat RB Leipzig 3-1 in their semi-final clash on April 2.
Match preview
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Die Arminen were able to limit Leverkusen to just 0.29 xG from open play, and it should be noted that the defeated champions’ 22 touches inside the box was just two more than the victors managed.
Bielefeld will be playing in the 2. Bundesliga next term after they finished first in the 3. Bundesliga, and they did so with the division’s joint third-best offensive (64) and best defensive records (36).
Die Blauen met Stuttgart in the second round of the DFB-Pokal in October 2022 – losing 6-0 – but they have defeated top-flight sides in each of their last four in the competition.
Boss Michel Kniat‘s team have scored 11 and conceded just three in their five matches in the tournament this season.
Bielefeld are unbeaten in 13 games and emerged victorious 11 times in that period, keeping seven clean sheets.
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Stuttgart managed to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 in their final Bundesliga fixture of 2024-25 on May 17, and that was their third consecutive win.
Hoeness’s side also kept opponents at bay twice while scoring eight goals in that time, and they have triumphed in their five DFB-Pokal games this term by a cumulative score of 14-2.
Two of their three goals against Leipzig last time out were as a result of corner routines, and their return of 18 set-piece goals in the Bundesliga was the league’s joint best.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness will be disappointed by his team’s ninth-placed finish in the top flight this season, but a victory on Saturday would bring the club their first piece of silverware since 2006-07 when they won the Bundesliga.
A victory for Die Roten would see them claim their fourth DFB-Pokal title, whereas a win for Bielefeld would see them become the 22nd different winner of the cup since 1952-53, and they would also be the first team outside Germany’s top two divisions to be declared champions.
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Team News
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Bielefeld have often played a back four in the league, but they utilised a back three against Leverkusen, and Kniat may select Leon Schneider, Stefano Russo and Maximilian Grosser in central defence in order to provide extra defensive solidity.
In midfield, Sam Schreck and Mael Corboz could be paired together between wing-backs Felix Hagman and Louis Oppie.
Attackers Noah Joel Sarenren Bazee and Marius Worl will likely be asked to support striker Joel Grodowski.
Opponents Stuttgart will be sweating on the fitness of midfield maestro Angelo Stiller, but if he is not ready to start from the first whistle, Hoeness could field a double pivot consisting of Atakan Karazor and Enzo Millot.
However, centre-back Leonidas Stergiou‘s foot injury is set to keep him from the pitch until the middle of June, and his absence may force Die Roten to start Finn Jeltsch, Julian Chabot and Ramon Hendriks in the backline.
The Bundesliga side played Jamie Leweling and Deniz Undav behind centre-forward Nick Woltemade last time out, and they are likely to do so again on Saturday.
Arminia Bielefeld possible starting lineup:
Kersken; Schneider, Russo, Grosser; Hagman, Schreck, Corboz, Oppie; Bazee, Worl; Grodowski
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks; Vagnoman, Karazor, Millot, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Undav; Woltemade
We say: Arminia Bielefeld 1-2 Stuttgart
Given Bielefeld’s impressive run against Bundesliga sides in this season’s DFB-Pokal, they will almost certainly pose significant challenges against Stuttgart.
However, Stuttgart ended their league campaign in outstanding form, and when factoring in that they will be playing against a lower-division club, they should be seen as clear favourites to win the competition.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.click here.
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