DFB Pokal Preview: Gladbach visit rusty Offenbach

Fourth-tier Kickers Offenbach will head into their DFB Pokal last-16 tie with Borussia Monchengladbach light on match practice.

Kickers Offenbach will be light on match practice when they host Borussia Monchengladbach in the DFB Pokal round of 16 on Wednesday.

The 1970 DFB Pokal champions, who lead Germany’s Regionalliga Sudwest, had Friday’s league fixture away to Homburg postponed, after heavy rain left the pitch unplayable.

It means Offenbach will face Gladbach having not completed a competitive game since December 2 due to the German fourth-tier’s extended winter break, while the Bundesliga visitors will arrive with eight matches under their belt this year, including Sunday’s clash with Paderborn.

But Offenbach’s coach Rico Schmitt refused to get too down about his team’s situation, telling the Offenbach Post: “Then our launch is just the DFB Pokal match at a packed stadium.

“Who else can say that in our league but us?”

Offenbach defeated Cologne 2-1 in the 1970 DFB Pokal final – the greatest day in the Hessen-based club’s history.

Schmitt’s men have accounted for Ingolstadt and Karlsruher in the opening two rounds of the cup competition.

Gladbach defeated Homburg and Eintracht Frankfurt to qualify for the last 16.

Resurgent Borussia Dortmund will look to build on their 3-0 Revierderby triumph over Schalke on Saturday when they visit third-tier Dynamo Dresden on Tuesday.

Dortmund were woeful in the first half of the Bundesliga season but Jurgen Klopp’s team have won their past four league games to surge into 10th position.

Dresden, who are eighth in the 3. Liga, defeated Jahn Regensburg 3-2 on Saturday.

3.Liga-leaders Arminia Bielefeld will host Werder Bremen on Wednesday having warmed up with a 4-0 thrashing of Unterhaching.

In the one all-Bundesliga tie, Freiburg will welcome Cologne to the Schwarzwald Stadion on Tuesday, while Kaiserslautern will visit Bayer Leverkusen and Aalen host Hoffenheim.

The Bundesliga’s leading two clubs will be in action on Wednesday with Bayern Munich hosting Eintracht Braunschweig and Wolfsburg visiting Red Bull Leipzig.