Eintracht Frankfurt have been waiting for a place in the cup semi-finals once again since 2007 but it could happen this year since they face four-time winners and second-tier side Arminia Bielefeld on Tuesday in the quarter-final. Frankfurt are certainly clear favourites for this one. Eintracht last reached this stage of the competition three years ago, when they were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund. Should they succeed this time round, it would guarantee a home draw for Frankfurt, where they have only lost once so far this season.
Bielefeld, the last remaining second-division side in the competition, are still without a win away from home in the league this season but they are always difficult to beat in the DFB Cup. In fact, they reached the semi-finals of the competition for the third time in the club’s history two years ago (then in the third tier of German football), knocking out three Bundesliga outfits on their way. They have not faced anyone from the top flight this year, overcoming challenges from Dynamo Dresden as well as Regionalliga teams Rot-Weiss Essen and FC-Astoria Walldorf.
“Facing Eintracht Frankfurt away from home is an attractive tie,” said Arminia head coach Jürgen Kramny. “We’ll be right up for this one and want to sell ourselves as best we can.” The two teams have met in the cup twice before and both times it was Eintracht who ran out as winners. They last played each other in 2008/2009 in what was then a Bundesliga fixture, which ended all square.
Eintracht Frankfurt have been waiting for a place in the cup semi-finals once again since 2007 but it could happen this year since they face four-time winners and second-tier side Arminia Bielefeld on Tuesday in the quarter-final. Frankfurt are certainly clear favourites for this one. Eintracht last reached this stage of the competition three years ago, when they were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund. Should they succeed this time round, it would guarantee a home draw for Frankfurt, where they have only lost once so far this season.
Bielefeld, the last remaining second-division side in the competition, are still without a win away from home in the league this season but they are always difficult to beat in the DFB Cup. In fact, they reached the semi-finals of the competition for the third time in the club’s history two years ago (then in the third tier of German football), knocking out three Bundesliga outfits on their way. They have not faced anyone from the top flight this year, overcoming challenges from Dynamo Dresden as well as Regionalliga teams Rot-Weiss Essen and FC-Astoria Walldorf.
“Facing Eintracht Frankfurt away from home is an attractive tie,” said Arminia head coach Jürgen Kramny. “We’ll be right up for this one and want to sell ourselves as best we can.” The two teams have met in the cup twice before and both times it was Eintracht who ran out as winners. They last played each other in 2008/2009 in what was then a Bundesliga fixture, which ended all square.
