Rhein-derby: Leverkusen welcomes Kühnen FC Köln in the Cup quarter-finals!

Rhein-derby: Leverkusen welcomes Kühnen FC Köln in the Cup quarter-finals!

In the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup, the exciting duel between the defending champion Bayer Leverkusen and the second division club 1. FC Köln. Bayer, who has celebrated great success in recent years, welcomes the Cologne team who go into the game as a blatant outsider. Coach Gerhard Struber of 1. FC Köln was impressed by Leverkusen's skill level and referred to Florian Wirtz, whom he compared to Lionel Messi, as a key player: "We have to be lucky in order to be able to defend him," said Struber. He recognized that Leverkusen was one of the best teams in Europe and asked his players to be courageous and respectful to bring the favorite out of balance, as sportkrone.at reported.

The pressure in the Rhine derby

Bayer Leverkusen is not only the defending champion in the DFB Cup, but also has a strong position in the Bundesliga. After a sovereign 3-1 win against TSG Hoffenheim, the team stays on the heels to FC Bayern and has now overtaken the Cologne in the eternal table. Leverkusen lies with 2486 points ahead of Cologne, which has 2484 points, which increases the importance of today's game. It is a race for fame and recognition, and Leverkusen could further expand his lead in the eternal table until the end of the season, such as ZDF reported.

The duel also has a historical dimension, since the two teams have met several times in the past. Despite the current differences in performance and the return of Cologne to the second division, the sports spirit remains upright. Cologne urgently needs success to reduce the pressure in both the league and in the cup. Trainer Struber is aware of the challenges and wants to use the strength of his team, even if expectations are not the highest. "We are blatant outsiders," he emphasizes and underlines the seriousness of today's encounter.