Leipzig welcome in-form Frankfurt in DFB Cup

Hugo Ekitiké (l.) and Omar Marmoush have been in sensational form for Eintracht this term.

RB Leipzig could do with a timely lift in the shape of a DFB Cup victory when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the competition's round of 16, yet Wednesday's hosts are in for a huge test against their in-form visitors (kick-off: 8.45pm CET).

Latest

When Leipzig opened their DFB Cup challenge with a 4-1 win against Rot-Weiss Essen back in August, hopes were high in Saxony of a promising season ahead. Indeed, by the time Marco Rose's men ended St. Pauli's Pokal challenge in October, Die Roten Bullen appeared to be flying on the domestic front as they joined Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga standings. A draining UEFA Champions League campaign and a run of five defeats in six winless games since, however, have seen Leipzig momentarily enter crisis mode, and the need for some cup cheer with Eintracht in town cannot be understated, particularly after a bruising 5-1 reverse at home to Wolfsburg at the weekend. The hosts have been forced to do without injured star turn Xavi in recent times while the likes of forwards Loïs Openda and Benjamin Šeško could each do with refinding their scoring touch for a team that is currently low on morale.

What will undoubtedly raise trepidation levels at the Red Bull Arena is that visitors Frankfurt are arriving on a high. Eintracht's sequence of seven straight wins in nine unbeaten games in all competitions stands in sharp contrast to their opponents' travails, and in Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitiké the Eagles have two high flyers who are the envy of Europe right now. Among his 17 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season, Marmoush has enjoyed three goal involvements in the DFB Cup (a goal and two assists) while his attacking teammate Ekitiké has scored three times in the competition, with Eintracht ousting Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Mönchengladbach in previous rounds. The five-time Pokal winners are not just blazing a trail at home in league and cup, Dino Toppmöller's side are also setting a sizzling pace in the UEFA Europa League, and they will take some stopping on Wednesday.

Watch: Omar Marmoush - a fascinating journey

Match stats

Leipzig missed the chance to potentially make history as the first team to win three successive DFB Cups after going out to Wolfsburg in last season's second round.
Die Roten Bullen beat Frankfurt in the 2022/23 DFB Cup final - one of their five previous competitive wins against the Eagles (D8, L5).
Openda is Leipzig's biggest goal threat so far this season with six goals and five assists in all competitions.
Frankfurt lifted the DFB Cup for the fifth time in 2017/18. In the last 20 years, they have also finished as runners-up on three occasions.
Marmoush has registered 17 goals and 11 assists across 20 competitive appearances so far in 2024/25, including two goals and an assist in the DFB Cup.
Eintracht have won just one of their previous nine trips to Leipzig - 1-0 in last season's Bundesliga - losing five and drawing three.

Probable teams

Leipzig: Gulácsi - Geertruida, Orbán (c), Seiwald - Henrichs, Vermeeren, Kampl, Nusa - Baumgartner, Šeško - Openda
Out: Bitshiabu (muscular), Castello (thigh), Elmas (hamstring), Klostermann (thigh), Ouédraogo (thigh), Poulsen (thigh), Raum (ankle), Xavi (ankle)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Marco Rose

Frankfurt: Trapp (c) - Collins, Tuta, Koch, Theate - Knauff, Skhiri, Larsson, Götze - Ekitiké, Marmoush
Out: Amenda (ankle)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Dino Toppmöller

LIVE blog!

New posts available

Leipzig

Frankfurt

DFB Pokal Round of 16 Red Bull Arena

Previous meetings

The last five meetings between these two have been evenly split, with each side winning twice and the remaining game ending in a draw. The last time they met in the DFB Cup was in the 2023 final, where Leipzig claimed the trophy with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai.

League standings

While Frankfurt stay hot on the heels of Bayern in second, Leipzig have slipped to fourth after a tough few weeks. At this point last season, Leipzig sat in fifth with two points more than they have currently (23) while Frankfurt sat in seventh on 18 points, eight less than they have this season after 12 games.

123s

Watch: RB Leipzig 1-5 Wolfsburg - highlights

Leipzig come into this game on the back of another defeat, this time at home to Wolfsburg. That makes it three losses from their last four games, with nine goals conceded in the last two.

123s

Watch: Heidenheim 0-4 Eintracht Frankfurt - Highlights

Frankfurt made it four wins in a row and five games without defeat against Heidenheim on Sunday. They remain in second place, four points off Bayern.

Leipzig team news

Marco Rose lost Castello Lukeba in the 5-1 defeat to Wolfsburg, but Xaver Schlager did return. Lukas Klostermann may return for this match, while there are long-term ailments for Bitshiabu (muscular), Elmas (hamstring), Ouédraogo (thigh), Poulsen (thigh), Raum (ankle) and Xavi (ankle).

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Wednesday's DFB Cup round of 16 tie between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt at the Red Bull Arena.