PREVIEW DFB-Pokal: Derby-Time in Munich

Derby-time in München

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The quarterfinal of the DFB-Pokal ist the midweek-hotspot in German football. On Tuesday Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart try to benefit from their home-advantage against second-division-sides Hoffenheim and Carl Zeiss Jena. On Wednesday it's derby-time when Wolfsburg and the HSV face each other in the North, Bayern and 1860 doing the same in the South.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND - 1899 HOFFENHEIM (26/02, 19:00)

Borussia Dortmund wants to save their season when the face 1899 Hoffenheim on Tuesday. The underdog-guest is on fire in the 2. Bundesliga at the moment and even another promotion seems no mission impossible, on the other hand the hosts just want to keep alive their dream of a Place in Europa. Lying in position 11 after 21 games is nothing to satisfy the Borussia-Fans. The former Champions-League-winner seemed to sink like a yellow-black sumarine in the last years. The lost millions and made negative headlines all the time with bankruptcy being more realistic then another title.

"Dorfclub" Hoffenheim comes to the Ruhrgebiet without fear but respect. "Playing in Dortmund is something special. It's the biggest stadium in the country and I hope that it won't become a nightmare for us", says Manager Ralf Rangnick. The 87.000 places in the Signal Iduna Park will not be full but Rangnick knows that it is different "to go out there or to come on the field against Wehen." Therefore they made a special mental-plan for the biggest game in the club-history. But five Hoffenheim-wins in a row also made an impact and BVB-chief-executive Hans-Joachim Watzke warns: "One thing is clear, that will not be easy."

VFB STUTTGART - FC CARL ZEISS JENA (26/02, 19:00)

"We have a great chance to reach the semifinal and must make it", says Stuttgart-Manager Armin Veh before their home-game against lowly Carl Zeiss Jena onm Tuesday. Although goalscoring-hero Mario Gomez and skipper Fernando Meira are doubtful, Veh stays optimistic: "Jena did well in the last away-games bur we are taking this match very serious." Jan Simak can apply for employment in the next season, after the czech offense-genius was standing out with his magic. Jena will loose their midfield-turntable and his former club Hannover 96 and other teams are looking to sign the former child of sorrow. If Jena goes down he is "free" for 250.000 Euro.

dark horse Jena made a name as cup-specialist back in the times of the former DDR reaching the final in the European Cup Winners Cup 1981 where they just lost 1:2 against Dinamo Tbilisi. "We are down in the table at the moment, but we can show on the field that there is still a strong power in our team", says Manager Henning Bürger reminding of the last rounds when they kicked out Armina Bielefeld and cup-holder 1. FC Nürnberg.

VFL WOLFSBURG - HAMBURGER SV (27/02, 17:45)

Felix Magath faces his old love HSV when his new club VfL Wolfsburg want to reach the last four of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday. The 54-year-old football-teacher who led Hamburg to their last championship and even to the European Cup back in 1983 when he scored the decisive goal against Juventus is still in the mind. "Berlin is our target", says the former HSV-hero who learned unter Star-Manager Ernst Happel. The Austrian Mastermind (called "Wödmasta" in his home-country) is the man who impressed Magath so much that he is to this day influenced from him.

Magath was working as club director and Manager after his active career. "That were moments which I will never forget. The HSV is a club that has to be a role model for Wolfsburg." Ten points out of there last four Bundesliga-games gave the "Wölfe" their best start in history and star-striker Grafite announces "things even to get better". The guests hope that superstar Rafael van der Vaart will be back in the squad after injury. "It was good to get some practice against Bayern", said the dutch key-player after his short-entry at the 1:1-draw on Sunday. "The fear is chased away now."

BAYERN MÜNCHEN - 1860 MÜNCHEN (27/02, 20:30)

"Löwen"-power is forced out of 1860 if they want to make the shock of the round on Wednesday. Anything else then a Bayern-win would be a sensation in the Allianz-Arena where the "Roten" are drawn for home-advantage in their combined ground with the "Blauen". But the David and Goliath story will get no new chapter says Oliver Kahn. "I was hoping that we will get 1860 to have another cool game. At best it will be a penalty-kick-out at the end and we win it 10:9."

The 204. derby in München shows the colossal differences in the city. 1860 with a budget of just six millions, Bayern on the top with more then 80 and superstars like Franck and Luca Toni.

Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA-Cup are still possible for the favourite, while 1860 would celebrate the promotion to the top league like a champions-league-title. "We will run and fight like lions. That's the motto", says Stefan Reuter who was in former times playing-part of the arch-rival.

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