DFB Pokal Hot Takes and Bundesliga Musings
The DFB Pokal semifinals took place on Tuesday and Wednesday and each game brought the proper amount of intrigue and excitement that you want (and hopefully) expect from the German Cup. Below, we broke out a few quick hitters from each game and then hit some Bundesliga tidbits.
Bayern Munich 6, Bayer Leverkusen 2
- The first half of this match was electrifying and the second half did not disappoint either. Bayern relied on the offensive mastery of Thomas Müller (hat trick) and Robert Lewandowski (brace) to lead the way. Thiago Alcantara added a goal as well, but Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery were equally as important for Die Roten creating space and pushing the pace at Leverkusen.
- Even with the offensive outburst, the most key player on the field for Bayern may have been goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. Ulreich has continued to put forth impressive performances and should have built up his resume enough to be a part of the Die Mannschaft team for the World Cup. At this stage, Ulreich is a better third option behind Manuel Neuer and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen than either Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen) or Kevin Trapp (Paris Saint-Germain).
- Even in the loss, Die Werkself showed the flashes of brilliance, speed, and attacking flair that will surely make it a primary contender to Bayern Munich next season. Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz, Kevin Volland, and Leon Bailey are developing into a fearsome quartet that will cause headaches for any club.
- Despite the massive talents of Havertz and Bailey, Brandt looks to be the player that ignites the engine for Leverkusen. To get where it wants to be - at the top of the Bundesliga standings - Die Werkself is going to have to invest in quality depth for its defensive and central midfield positions to help manager Heiko Herrlich.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1, Schalke 04 0
- Frankfurt's effort was incredible despite some choppy play throughout the contest. It wasn't outstanding for any of the normal reasons (although the winning goal was masterful), however, it was mostly due to how the squad rallied to shake off the hangover on the bitter news it received last weekend. Frankly, it was a surprise that the Eagles were able to reach the DFB Pokal final for the second year in a row after getting decimated 4-1 last weekend against Leverkusen. Frankfurt looked shell shocked by the news that coach Niko Kovac would be joining Bayern Munich after the season. For as much of a dumpster fire as the Eagles were Saturday, they were disciplined, focused, and determined to reach the Cup final.
- Again, Kovac has done a tremendous job with Frankfurt and his move to Munich is a double-edged sword. In some ways it feels like he willed the squad to win this game behind the 75th minute game-winner from Serbian forward Luka Jovic. Surely Kovac and the Eagles will be extra motivated for the DFB Pokal final in Berlin. If anything, we can't argue with the way he spends his post-game: "We not only drink a beer after winning; we always drink beer." (thanks to John N. Dillon of BavarianFootballWorks.com for the translation!).
- For the Royal Blues, however, the loss was bitterly disappointing. Schalke has been having a markedly good season, even with the knowledge that midfield star Leon Goretzka will also be exiting after the season to join Bayern. With Domenico Tedesco pushing the right buttons for the Royal Blues, it is safe to assume they will be in a good spot to remain in a fight at the top of the table.
Bundesliga Musings
- As expected, Borussia Dortmund is reportedly going to think closely about a massive roster overhaul. As we predicted last week, Mario Götze is on the leaked list of players that BVB is allegedly ready to move on from. The full list includes (player name, age, year their contract ends):
Mario Götze (25), 2020
Gonzalo Castro (30), 2020
Felix Durm (25), 2019
Raphaël Guerreiro (24), 2020
Alexander Isak (18), 2022
Sebastian Rode (27), 2020
Nuri Sahin (29), 2019
Jadon Sancho (18), 2022
Marcel Schmelzer (31), 2021
André Schürrle (27), 2021
Jeremy Toljan (23), 2022
Julian Weigl (22), 2021
Dan-Axel Zagadou (18), 2022
There certainly are some big names and prospects there. Rumors have already started that Weigl will join Thomas Tuchel at PSG, while other players like Götze, Schürrle, Schmelzer, and Rode could probably benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
Names like Isak, Sancho, and Toljan, however, were once thought to be cornerstones of Dortmund's next generation. Sancho, in particular, has been rumored (per Kicker) to have a lack of focus off the field, which has subsequently affected his on-field performance.
The interesting part about the potential roster cleansing for Dortmund is how young many of the players are. With rumors of off-the-field issues running rampant, blowing up the locker room may be the only way to rebuild the roster.
- The battle to avoid relegation is getting a little congested these days. FC Koln (21 points) and Hamburger DV (22 points) look like locks for relegation, while SC Freiburg (30 points), Mainz (30 points), and Wolfsburg (30 points) are all battling to avoid the final spot. Hannover 96 (36 points) has really played well enough to stay, but is also within reach of relegation, while Werder Bremen (37 points) and FC Augsburg (37 points) are somewhat safe for the moment. In reality, Koln's god-awful start to the season sealed their fate and Hamburger has largely been an embarrassment. From there, it's more difficult. Freiburg was better at the beginning of the season, while Mainz and the Wolves have each played better of late.
