BUNDESLIGA PROBLEM: Schalke have lost their last four cup games against Bundesliga opposition. They’ve never lost five cup games in a row against Bundesliga teams.
STRONG ON THE ROAD: Schalke have scored in each of their last 19 away German Cup matches - the second longest run in the club’s history. Their best run came between 1936 and 1965, when they scored in 26 consecutive away German cup games.
WEINZIERL‘S RETURN: Schalke’s trainer Markus Weinzierl was not only born in Bavaria, but he also played 113 times for Bayern’s second team between 1995 and 1999, scoring 11 goals.
Two wins away from Berlin. Eight teams will battle it out next Tuesday and Wednesday in pursuit of the final in the capital. The quarter finals will be played on 28th February and 1st March. Here are the key facts about the four games.
PAIRINGS: In Arminia Bielefeld and Sportfreunde Lotte a second and a third division team has made it to the quarter finals. Arminia will face Eintracht Frankfurt, while Lotte meet Dortmund. In Munich and Hamburg, two all Bundesliga ties will be played as Bayern entertain Schalke and Borussia Mönchengladbach travel to Hamburg.
DATES AND TIMES: The ties will be played on 28th February and 1st March. On both days, one game will kick-off at 18:30 CET and the other at 20:45.
HAWK-EYE: In the quarter finals goal line technology will be used in the three Bundesliga stadia: Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt. There are two important premises for the use of Hawk-Eye: firstly, the technology must already be installed in the stadium (which it is for the 18 Bundesliga teams) and, secondly, the match ball which the home side chooses to use must be compatible with the technology.
THREE SUBS BECOMES FOUR: Since the last 16 stage, in the event of extra time, a total of four substitutes are allowed to be used, with a maximum of three being allowed in normal time.
IN SEARCH OF A 74TH CUP WINNER: The cup dates back to 1935 when it was called the ‘Tschammer Cup’. 25 different teams have lifted the trophy. Essen (Schwarz-Weiß and Rot-Weiß), Munich (Bayern and TSV1860) and Vienna (Austria and Rapid) are three cities with two former winners.
TROPHY: The trophy itself is 52cm tall and weighs 12.5 pounds. Its worth is estimated to be around €100,000. The cup was designed by Cologne goldsmith Wilhelm Nagel. The base of the trophy has space for graving the winner’s name until 2020.
PENALTY RECORD: In the current tournament there have already been 14 matches which have been settled by a penalty shootout. That’s already a record, eclipsing the previous high of 13 from the 2014/15 season.
HARNIK MUST WATCH: Hannover‘s Martin Harnik is the leading goalscorer in the competition with four goals. Three players are behind him on three goals: Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski, Hamburg’s Bobby Wood and Schalke’s Yevhen Konoplyanka.
WATCH OUT, FRANKFURT: Bielefeld have been in four previous quarter finals and have always progressed, albeit they’ve always been at home.
AWAY DAY SPECIALISTS: Bielefeld have had to play all of their games in this season’s competition away from home. Four of their last six cup away matches have gone to extra time.
MINIMALISTS: Frankfurt have only scored three goals (excluding penalties) in this year’s German Cup, that’s the lowest out of all of the quarter finalists.
ARMINIA‘S PENALTY KINGS: Bielefeld beat Astoria Walldorf to book their place in the last 8 and won a German Cup record-equalling sixth consecutive penalty shootout. They equalled Bayern’s record of six between 2002 and 2015. Arminia last lost a German Cup penalty shootout in 2003 in St. Pauli.
UPGRADE: Sportfreunde Lotte and BVB are meeting for the first time in a competitive match. Almost exactly one year ago Lotte lost to Dortmund’s second team through a goal from Marco Hober.
BVB SERIES: Dortmund have won their last 17 German Cup matches against teams from lower divisions. Their last defeat against such opposition came in 2010/11 when they were knocked out by Kickers Offenbach.
BATTLE OF THE DEFENCES: Hamburg and Gladbach are both yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition.
BUNDESLIGA PROBLEM: Schalke have lost their last four cup games against Bundesliga opposition. They’ve never lost five cup games in a row against Bundesliga teams.
STRONG ON THE ROAD: Schalke have scored in each of their last 19 away German Cup matches - the second longest run in the club’s history. Their best run came between 1936 and 1965, when they scored in 26 consecutive away German cup games.
WEINZIERL‘S RETURN: Schalke’s trainer Markus Weinzierl was not only born in Bavaria, but he also played 113 times for Bayern’s second team between 1995 and 1999, scoring 11 goals.
