DFB-Pokal: Leipzig Crave for New Manager Bounce Against Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart vs RB Leipzig

Only four teams are left in this season’s DFB-Pokal. VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig will square off at the MHP Arena this Wednesday night, and the winner of that semi-final match will face the winner between Bayer Leverkusen and Arminia Bielefeld.

VfB Stuttgart made it this far by acing their tests against Preußen Münster, Kaiserslautern, and Jahn Regensburg in the early rounds before dispatching fellow Bundesliga side Augsburg in the quarter-finals. Sebastian Hoeneß’ men are already out of contention in the Bundesliga and Champions League, so the DFB-Pokal is their final hope of silverware this season.

RB Leipzig downed Rot-Weiss Essen, FC St. Pauli, and Eintracht Frankfurt in the early rounds before eliminating Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals. The Red Bulls will have a new man at the helm this Wednesday, as Zsolt Low replaced Marco Rose for the head coaching job, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares in his first match.

 

Talking Points

VfB Stuttgart in poor form

Die Schwaben fell to 11th in the Bundesliga standings because they haven’t won a single game since February. After eliminating Augsburg in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals, VfB Stuttgart didn’t win their last seven matches across all competitions (D2, L5). Discipline has also been a problem for Sebastian Hoeneß’ side, as two of their top defenders were sent off and had to serve their suspensions.

Leonidas Stergiou had to serve his two-match ban after receiving a straight red card in their 2-2 draw against Holstein Kiel last month but is cleared to play against RB Leipzig this Wednesday. On the other hand, fellow centre-back Ameen Al-Dakhil must serve his after being sent off in their 1-0 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. Fortunately for Die Schwaben, Al-Dakhil’s ban is not applicable in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. Angelo Stiller and Maximilian Mittlestadt are also crucial for Die Schwaben because they have 10 assists combined.

VfB Stuttgart will rely heavily on their formidable attacking trio of Ermedin Demirovic, Deniz Undav, and Nick Woltemade to beat RB Leipzig. The three forwards combined for 26 league goals and three assists this season.

 

Low faces daunting RB Leipzig task

After Marco Rose’s dismissal, Zsolt Low has been parachuted in to get RB Leipzig’s season back on track. The 45-year-old tactician will be tasked with helping Die Roten Bullen win their third DFB-Pokal, similar to what Sergio Conceicao did for AC Milan last January when he guided them to Supercoppa Italiana triumph in his first few matches at the helm.

RB Leipzig have slightly better recent form than VfB Stuttgart heading into this match. Low’s new side have won one match after beating VfL Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals last month, and they don’t have any disciplinary issues.

Die Roten Bullen also have players who can create new DFB-Pokal 2025 highlights this Wednesday. Benjamin Sesko, Lois Openda, and Xavi Simons have 25 league goals and 15 assists combined.

 

History

VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig have already met at the MHP Arena earlier this season. The hosts won 2-1 last January, as Jacob Bruun Larsen and Nick Woltemade helped the team overcome a one-goal deficit created by Benjamin Sesko, who scored the first goal of the match in the 10th minute. RB Leipzig were reduced to nine men late, as Sesko and Lois Openda were sent off. These two sides have never met in the DFB-Pokal before. 

VfB Stuttgart won three DFB-Pokals in their history, with their last triumph dating back to 1996-97. Die Schwaben last reached the final in 2012-13, losing to Bayern Munich’s treble winners.

RB Leipzig won the DFB-Pokal twice in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Die Roten Bullen’s five semi-final appearances are the most of any team since their Bundesliga promotion (2016).

RB Leipzig (12) and VfB Stuttgart (11) are the competition’s top scorers this season, combining for 23 goals.

 

Betting Tip

The DFB-Pokal 2025 odds expect a relatively tight contest at the MHP Arena this Wednesday. VfB Stuttgart have a slight edge at 2.08, whereas RB Leipzig aren’t far behind at 3.03, and a draw is at 3.43 in the 1X2 market. However, picking the winner of this contest is difficult since they look evenly matched on paper.

​So, instead of picking the winner, we’re going for a relatively high-scoring affair for this match, hence our recommended bet above. SBOTOP bettors can also consider Over 2.75 at 1.72 and Over 3.00 at 2.00 as alternatives. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-1 in favour of VfB Stuttgart – the result of their most recent meeting – is priced at 8.20 your bet.

   

●●●

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.