Bayer favorite? Alonso: "There are also St. Pauli and Düsseldorf"

DFB Cup - Bayer favorite? Alonso: "There are also St. Pauli and Düsseldorf"

Record winners FC Bayern are out, defending champions RB Leipzig are out, runners-up Borussia Dortmund are out - but Xabi Alonso takes every opponent seriously.

"There's also St. Pauli, Fortuna Düsseldorf or Hertha," said the former world and European champion when asked whether he and Bayer Leverkusen are now the clear favorites in the DFB Cup. Bayer undoubtedly have this status. After all, apart from the Bundesliga leaders, only VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchengladbach are still in the quarter-finals.

But that is warning enough for Alonso. "There are always surprises in the cup," he said. And then the Basque explained why he warns against the second division teams in particular: "I see the quality, they play good soccer. And the cup is a different competition."

Stanisic: "It's not far to Berlin"

Despite the 3:1 win in the round of 16, which was ultimately a fitting result, second-division runners-up SC Paderborn also showed this on Wednesday. "Going into half-time with 3:3 shots on goal in Leverkusen is something not quite so many have managed," said coach Lukas Kwasniok. The aim was to keep the game open for as long as possible, said the coach, "and not to box ourselves in like one or two Bundesliga teams did here". What Kwasniok did not say: Just like Dortmund three days earlier when they drew 1-1.

However, the second division teams are probably the lesser danger for Bayer. The bigger one is the Africa Cup in January, when five players will be missing for up to a month in goal scorer Victor Boniface, the set defenders Odilon Kossounou and Edmond Tapsoba as well as Nathan Tella and Amine Adli - and thus perhaps also the quarter-finals, which are still to be decided.

But one thing is clear: "It's not far to Berlin," said Bayern loanee Josip Stanisic, who has never experienced the final in the capital with Munich. But the Croatian also warned: "We still have to stay focused. No matter whether we're playing against a first, second or third division team."

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1. Lukas Kwasniok, coach of SC Paderborn, commended their performance against Bayer Leverkusen, noting that going into halftime with 3:3 shots on goal in Leverkusen is not a common feat.
2. Borussia Dortmund, runners-up in the previous season, were also eliminated from the DFB Cup, adding to the list of top German clubs out of the competition.
3. Josip Stanisic, on loan from Bayern Munich, acknowledged the short distance to Berlin and the anticipated DFB Cup final, expressing his eagerness to experience it despite the challenges ahead.
4. Lukas Kwasniok revealed that SC Paderborn aimed to keep the game open against Bayer Leverkusen to avoid early boxing in, as some Bundesliga teams had done before.
5. Borussia Mönchengladbach, along with VfB Stuttgart, is one of the remaining teams in the DFB Cup quarter-finals, posing a potential threat to Bayer Leverkusen's title hopes.
6. Xabi Alonso, the former world and European champion playing for Bayer Leverkusen, reminded everyone that no team should be underestimated in the DFB Cup due to its unique nature and potential for surprises.
7. RB Leipzig, the defending champions, and FC Bayern Munich, the record winners, were both knocked out of the DFB Cup, leaving a void that Bayer Leverkusen and other teams have an opportunity to fill.
8. Hertha BSC, Düsseldorf's rivals, are still in contention for the DFB Cup, signaling a potential confrontation between the two second-division teams in the upcoming stages.
9. Bayer 04 Leverkusen, also known as Bayer Leverkusen, is one of the favorites in the DFB Cup despite RB Leipzig and FC Bayern's early exits, thanks to the quality of their play and team dynamics.
10. Despite the absence of key players due to the Africa Cup in January, Bayer Leverkusen remains focused on the DFB Cup and is keen on progressing to the latter stages of the competition.
11. Lukas Kwasniok acknowledged the fighting spirit and soccer skills displayed by his SC Paderborn team against Leverkusen, emphasizing the potential threats that second-division teams pose in the DFB Cup.
12. Xabi Alonso acknowledged the importance of the second division teams in the DFB Cup – teams like Stuttgart, Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Bavaria, Hertha, and Düsseldorf – citing their quality, creativity, and unique competition dynamic.

Source: www.stern.de