Werder Bremen vs RB Leipzig
The Germany Cup heads to the Weserstadion on Friday night where Werder Bremen will face up to the might of Red Bull Leipzig and it might get messy!
This upcoming DFB-Pokal matchup pits together two sides at opposite ends of the Bundesliga table – one with a heap of pressure on its shoulders and the other with a steely focus on the task in hand.
Here at SBOTOP, we have RB Leipzig as second favourites to lift the DFB-Pokal at odds of 2.30. The bigger favourites are Borussia Dortmund at 1.70, who play second-tier Holstein Kiel in the other semis.
But this is Leipzig’s last chance of silverware this season since they’re trailing FC Bayern by seven points in the Bundesliga and dumped out of the Champions League by Liverpool.
For Werder, meanwhile, this is a welcome distraction to their league campaign which has gone badly off the rails. Survival in the top tier is Die Werderaner’s number one priority but they would dearly love to make the cup final on 13th May.
Talking Points
Worrying times for Werder Bremen
This has been a difficult campaign for Florian Kohfeldt’s Bremen given their worsening form in the latter weeks. However, they’ve done well to make the last four of the DFB-Pokal, reaching the semifinals thanks to a 1-0 win over SSV Jahn Regensburg.
But after a run of seven consecutive league defeats, they are in serious danger of relegation – with a single point above Koln in 16th and four ahead of 17th placed Hertha Berlin who have three games in hand.
Kohfeldt will have his team primed for this big chance of glory but the players can’t avoid the situation they find themselves in.
It’s a big ask. Die Werderaner are available at odds of 4.03 to get through to the final while RB Leipzig are as low as 1.21, but there will be no lack of running from the hosts.
In Max Eggestein and Theo Selassie, Bremen have players ranked second and fourth in terms of distance covered in the whole of the Bundesliga.
US-based striker Josh Sargent is their best chance to breach the Red Bulls defence. He scored in Bremen’s last league win, a 2-0 victory over Arminia Bielefeld way back on 10th March.
Is this Nagelsmann’s farewell?
The pre-match DFB-Pokal 2021 news has largely been overshadowed by the announcement that Bayern Munich have made a bold move for RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The 33-year-old is on his way to join the champions, taking with him an impressive reputation. He saved Hoffenheim from relegation before leading them to Champions League football for the first time and then he took Leipzig to the Champions League semifinals in 2020.
Leipzig are aiming for second best in the Bundesliga and Nagelsmann will be keen to lead them to a trophy. They beat a strong Wolfsburg 2-0 to get this far in the competition and should find a way to beat Werder Bremen.
Creative midfield duo Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku can unlock any defence, while Yussuf Poulsen, Emil Forsberg, and Alexander Sorloth all have a keen eye for a goal.
History
Red Bull have won eight of the 12 meetings between these two sides – drawing one, while Bremen have triumphed on three occasions.
But Die Roten Bullen have won the last four, most recently a 4-1 victory two weeks ago as Alexander Sorloth scored a brace. The Norwegian hitman is likely to start and will be itching to get at the Werder defence again.
The favourites’ recent form has been patchy – with three wins, one draw, and two defeats. That has seen them drift out of title contention so they will be desperate to win this game to get a shot at silverware.
It all adds up to a Leipzig win so let’s take a look at the very latest DFB-Pokal 2021 odds and find the best value.
Betting Tip
 |
 |
Werder Bremen vs RB Leipzig | RB Leipzig Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.03 |
| May 1, 02:30 (GMT+8) |
At 7.33 to win in 90 minutes, Bremen are a long shot and with good reason while Leipzig are at 1.31 and the draw is at 4.84.
Leipzig have plenty of firepower and Bremen’s defence has been leaky of late, conceding three goals to Union Berlin last week, and four to both Red Bull and Borussia Dortmund earlier in April.
I’m looking for a comfortable Red Bull victory, and a repeat of the 4-1 outcome a couple of weeks ago may not be far away.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
|
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
