- Victoria Berlin is expecting 5,000 fans against Augsburg.
Fourth-tier side FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin is set to enjoy its third appearance in the DFB-Pokal. On Sunday (13:00 CET), the seventh-placed team in the Regionalliga Nordost will host Bundesliga side FC Augsburg. "I hope the guys can enjoy playing against one of the best teams and measure themselves against them. It's a chance for everyone to see where they stand individually," said coach Dennis Kutrieb. "I expect my players to give their all on the pitch."
The Berlin cup winners are now coached by the 44-year-old Kutrieb, after predecessor Semih Keskin moved to league rivals VSG Altglienicke following a third-place finish in the previous Regionalliga season.
The match will take place at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, as Viktoria's usual home stadium in Lichterfelde lacks the infrastructure for games of this caliber. "Around 4,000 tickets have been sold so far, with 1,500 going to Augsburg fans. I'm expecting over 5,000 spectators," said Viktoria's managing director Rocco Teichmann.
New signing with a famous name
Viktoria's league start has been mixed, with one win, one draw, and one loss. In the first round of the Berlin state cup, the defending champions secured a 6:0 win against lower-league side Friedrichshagener SV on Wednesday.
The young team, with an average age of just under 22, lacks experience. In their previous DFB-Pokal appearances, Viktoria failed to progress past the first round against Arminia Bielefeld (0:1) in 2019 and Bundesliga side VfL Bochum (0:3) in 2022.
On Thursday, the club announced the signing of midfielder Lucien Littbarski (formerly of Greuther Fürth II), son of World Cup winner Pierre Littbarski. However, the 21-year-old will not be available for the game against Augsburg.
Despite their young squad, FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin aims to make the most of their third DFB Cup appearance, having previously fallen short against Arminia Bielefeld and VfL Bochum. Regardless, they are set to face a formidable challenge in Bundesliga side FC Augsburg in the upcoming DFB Cup match.
