Supporters of Arminia Bielefeld have not had much to celebrate in recent years, as their team has faced consecutive relegations from the Bundesliga to the third division. However, they are now in the mix for promotion, after a disappointing season last year where they finished only six points above the relegation zone. The team’s performance in the DFB-Pokal this season has also brought joy to the fans, as they have reached the quarter-finals for only the fifth time in their history. Their journey to this stage has been impressive, with manager Michél Kniat’s side defeating three teams from higher divisions, including Bundesliga clubs Union Berlin and Freiburg. The team’s recent form has been decent, with three wins in their last five matches (L2), most recently beating 1860 München 3-0 on Friday.
However, their upcoming opponent Werder Bremen will be determined to end their fairytale run. As six-time champions of this competition, Bremen will have to overcome a poor record in away matches against Bielefeld, with only two wins in their last eleven visits (D3, L6). In fact, the last time the two teams met in the cup in 2015, Bielefeld emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. Bremen’s recent form also suggests that they may struggle, as manager Ole Werner’s team has been going through a rough patch in recent weeks. A 5-0 defeat at the hands of Freiburg on Friday not only marked their heaviest loss in over two years, but also extended their record of conceding 22 goals in their last eight matches (W1, D2, L5). This includes a streak of three consecutive losses, which has caused them to drop down the Bundesliga standings.
Keep an eye on Julian Kania, who has scored in each of Bielefeld’s last two league games as a substitute. He also scored the winning goal against Freiburg in the previous round of the DFB-Pokal. For Bremen, Marvin Ducksch has been directly involved in a goal in all three of their DFB-Pokal matches this season (G1, A2). Additionally, seven of his last nine goals have been scored in the second half. An interesting statistic is that six out of Bielefeld’s last nine DFB-Pokal matches have seen four or more total goals.
