DFB-Pokal: Cup Glory Awaits Red Bull or Freiburg

SC Freiburg vs RB Leipzig

Red Bull Leipzig meet SC Freiburg at the Olympiastadion on Saturday in the final of the 2022 DFB Pokal, and it’s a chance for each team to win this silverware for the first time. 

It would be a fitting end to Freiburg’s season after they narrowly missed out on Champions League competition, while Red Bull are still waiting to win a major competition since their explosive arrival in the Bundesliga top flight in 2016.   

Die Roten Bullen are favourites to win the final, at SBOTOP odds of 1.60 while SC Freiburg are at 2.61, but there has been very little to choose between the two teams this season. Only two places and two and three points separated fourth placed Red Bull from sixth placed Freiburg at the final count, while neither team finished the campaign with a bang, Leipzig drawing 1-1 away to relegated Arminia Bielefeld, while Freiburg lost 2-1 away to Bayer Leverkusen.

 

Talking Points

Route to final

Domenico Tedesco’s Leipzig have coasted through the competition so far, with away victories over SV Sandhausen and Babelsberg followed by a 2-0 home win over Hansa Rostock in the Round of 16.

Die Roten Bullen then put in a dominant display to win 4-0 away to Hanover in the quarter finals before beating Union Berlin 2-1 in Leipzig to make it to the final. 

Meanwhile, Freiburg pulled off a very impressive set of DFB Pokal 2022 results particularly when you consider they have played every game away from home. But after beating Wurzburger Kickers 1-0 in their opener, they needed penalties to get past Osnabruck in the second round. A 4-1 win away to Hoffenheim was Freiburg’s biggest win; then after navigating past VfL Bochum in extra time in the quarter final Christian Streich’s team were convincing 3-1 victors over Hamburg to reach their first DFB Pokal final.

 

Third time lucky for Leipzig?

This is the third time Red Bull have reached the final in four years. They lost in 2019 to FC Bayern and then took a 4-1 thumping from Borussia Dortmund in last year’s final, as Dani Olmo’s late strike was a poor consolation after Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland each scored a brace for BVB.  

36 year old Tedesco has a young team which he has improved week on week, since he took over at the club in December when they were floundering in mid table. And a fourth placed finish, with a +34 goal difference, as well as a cup final appearance is the best Red Bull fans could have hoped for.

Leipzig are desperate to keep hold of their prize jewel Christopher Nkunku. The French attacking midfielder has three goals and two assists in this competition and he now has admirers throughout Europe’s top clubs. He will line up alongside Portuguese striker Andre Silva and, when they are on song, the partnership is a sight to behold. 

 

Freiburg know who they are

So the DFB Pokal 2022 betting odds say Freiburg have an uphill task, but they will not be fazed by that as Freiburg is a club which is very comfortable in its own skin. 56 year old head coach Streich has been the boss at Freiburg since 2011 and most of his backroom staff have been with him throughout the last decade.

They have had an outstanding campaign but Freiburg’s quest to get into the top four hit the skids when they lost 4-1 at home to Union Berlin in the 33^rd Round, and they followed that up with a 2-1 loss away to Bayer Leverkusen on the final day. The Black Forest club show no fear, and even in the dying seconds of defeat to Leverkusen, keeper Mark Flekken went up for a corner at 1-1 and was lobbed from the half way line to hand the win to Bayer.

Top scorer Vincenzo Grifo was philosophical about the loss, saying: “Ah, of course you dream of certain things: Champions League, Juventus, Real Madrid. But after a season like this we’re all just incredibly proud. We’re in the cup final next week and we’re in the Europa League next season. What more could you want?    

 

History

The two teams have met just 14 times in history and Red Bull have a small edge, with six wins to Freiburg’s four and there have been four draws, while both meetings this season have resulted in a 1-1 draw.  

Freiburg have the edge in terms of recent form with three wins, one draw and two defeats, compared to Leipzig’s two wins, one draw and three defeats  

 

Betting Tip

Red Bull are slightly odds on to win in 90 minutes at a price of 1.91 while Freiburg are at 3.64 and the Draw is at 3.25.

Over and Under 2.50 goals are both at 1.93 and that suggests a tight game, a 1-1 draw or a winner by the odd goal in three. How about a third 1-1 draw of the season then?

   

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