Pre-Match Report
DFB-Pokal: BVB aiming to progress to the last 16 in Wolfsburg
Niklas Süle, Karim Adeyemi, Yan Couto, Gio Reyna and Julien Duranville all remain unavailable. Julian Ryerson, Marcel Sabitzer and Waldemar Anton all had to be taken off injured in the 2-1 defeat away to Augsburg on Saturday. "Julian Ryerson is being scanned today. I don't have high hopes for it," said Sahin, adding: "Every minute counts with Sabi and Waldi. Both of them are doing a bit better now, but we won't decide whether or not they will be able to play until close to kick-off."
Debuts for Kabar and Campbell
The gaps in personnel gave youth players Almugera Kabar and Cole Campbell the chance to celebrate their Bundesliga debuts in Augsburg. Both may be called upon in Wolfsburg as BVB look to secure passage to the next round. Doing so will require the Black & Yellows to achieve something that has eluded them thus far in the Bundesliga this season: win away from home. Trips to Bremen, Stuttgart, Berlin and Augsburg have brought no victories. "Nonetheless we're trying to always keep a clear head," said Sahin, adding: "Dominance is when you create a lot of chances, when you have a lot of actions in the opposition area. We have to work ourselves there. We've done a good job at certain points, but we're finding life hard away from home in the Bundesliga at the moment."
Into the second round after beating Lübeck and Koblenz
BVB have however already won on the road in the DFB-Pokal this season: in the first round the team ran out 4-1 winners away to Phönix Lübeck in Hamburg. For their part, Wolfsburg won their first-round tie 1-0 away to TuS Koblenz. The Black & Yellows have previously faced the Wolves on two occasions in the cup: in 2014, BVB defeated the team from Lower Saxony 2-0 at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK to progress to the final in Berlin. A year later, in May 2015, Borussia again reached the final, where they were defeated 3-1 by Wolfsburg.
Now the goal is to progress to the round of 16 by beating the Lower Saxons. "There will never be a day when I don't look forward to a game as head coach of Borussia Dortmund. Even in a difficult phase, it's a privilege to step out in Wolfsburg with this team tomorrow," said Sahin, going on to add: "Since Sunday, all I've thought about is making it through to the next round of the cup and winning away from home."
Christina Reinke