SV Darmstadt will host Schalke 04 at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on Wednesday evening for their second encounter within five days. This matchup follows a recent league game where Darmstadt fell 1-0 to Schalke, highlighting their recent struggles in attack.
Darmstadt started the season strongly but has since experienced a decline, remaining winless in their last three matches and dropping to sixth place in the 2. Bundesliga standings. Their last victory came in the DFB-Pokal against VfB Lübeck, where they won 2-1 despite dominating possession.
Darmstadt head coach Florian Kohfeldt expressed enthusiasm for the cup match, noting the excitement surrounding a home game and the historic significance of the two clubs facing off. He acknowledged that both teams are well-matched, setting the stage for an exciting cup night.
Historically, Darmstadt has reached the second round in four of their last ten Pokal campaigns, with their best performance in the 1986/87 season when they advanced to the quarter-finals. Last season, they were eliminated in the round of 16.
In terms of team news, Darmstadt will be without Fabian Nürnberger for the upcoming match.
On the other hand, Schalke 04 enters the match in excellent form, having won their last five games and losing only once in their last eight, which has propelled them to the top of the 2. Bundesliga table. Their strong defensive performance has been a key factor, as they have the best defensive record in the league.
In the DFB-Pokal first round, Schalke narrowly defeated Lokomotive Leipzig with a 1-0 victory after extra time, thanks to a late goal from Bryan Lasme. Schalke's head coach, Miron Muslic, emphasized the significance of the cup and their goal to advance to the next round.
Schalke boasts a rich history in the Pokal, having reached the final four times and winning three titles, the latest being in the 2010/11 season. However, they have not progressed beyond the second round since the 2020/21 season.
In terms of injuries, Schalke will be missing several players, including Christian Gomis, Christopher Antwi-Adjei, and Timo Becker, among others.
The two teams recently faced off last Friday, where Schalke secured a narrow victory. Historically, Schalke has won both previous Pokal meetings against Darmstadt.
Predicted lineups for the match are as follows:
SV Darmstadt (3-3-2-2): Schuhen (GK) - Pfeiffer, Vukotić, Maglica - Klefisch, Akiyama, Richter - Corredor, Marseiler - Hornby, Lidberg
Schalke 04 (3-4-2-1): Karius (GK) - Ayhan, Katić, Kuruçay - Gantenbein, El-Faouzi, Schallenberg, V. Becker - Bachmann, Karaman - Sylla
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