Knock-out football, floodlights, league leaders - Ole before #FCERBL

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RB Leipzig

·27 October 2025

Knock-out football, floodlights, league leaders - Ole before #FCERBL

RB Leipzig go from one away game straight into another this week, as they'll hope to follow up the 6-0 demolition in Augsburg with another win away at Energie Cottbus on Tuesday night. The DFB-Pokal tie is scheduled to kick off at 20:45 CET.

RBL head coach Ole Werner took questions from journalists today, and discussed a highly motivated opponent, a change in the net for Leipzig and the magic of the DFB-Pokal.

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Latest squad update:

Benjamin Henrichs, Kosta Nedeljokvic and Viggo Gebel are all unavailable for selection.
Max Finkgräfe is back involved in team training and is a possibility for the squad this week.

What are we expecting in Cottbus?

"It's a knock-out game against the top team in the third division. That is by no means an easy task. We'll make sure that we're as prepared as we possibly can be. We're going into the game as favourites and we're embracing this role. Of course, the underdog will always try to put up a fight with the whole public behind them. It's about focusing on ourselves and producing the kind of performance that we've been enjoying in the Bundesliga recently. We want to control the game and avoid it becoming too hectic. We're confident that we can produce a strong performance and make it into the next round.I'm something of a Cottbus expert by now, this will be my third year in a row having played a game against them. I don't have any concrete knowledge to draw on this week, as they've seen quite a lot of change within their squad recently. I obviously know the coach and how he likes to play. We have a huge amount of respect for Cottbus. This is a team that can create chances both through long balls in behind as well as by building up play from the back. We also have to be prepared for a side that are impressive from set pieces. They have been continuing to improve as a team and you can see that in the table. And as ever with a 3. Liga side, we know that an atmospheric game on the road awaits."

A change between the sticks:

"Maarten Vandevoordt will start in goal in Cottbus. He has been making a really good impression in training and we have complete trust in him. He's also partly to thank that we're in this second round, having been so impressive in Sandhausen."

Possible squad rotation:

"I won't be revealing details of that yet. We'll train on Monday for the first time since Saturday's game, and so it will depend on how I feel each player has come off of the win over Augsburg. We'll come to a decision before the game and pick what we see as the best possible starting XI, as we're absolutely committed to making it into the next round. Mental and physical readiness will play a role in the selection, but we haven't completely decided yet.I can see that all my players are highly motivated, even just over the last week. In a packed week like this, everyone has to be ready. They're all preparing to face their opponents, and getting familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. That's the same routine as always, whether we're up against a third-division side or a Bundesliga team. No-one is underestimating the league leaders in the 3. Liga."

The magic of the DFB-Pokal:

"Even as a fan, before I became a coach, the DFB Pokal was always a competition with a special allure for me. You have fixtures that you rarely see in day-to-day football. Everyone can remember those special cup ties. The fact that you're always playing knock-out football makes for a really interesting dynamic. It's such a fantastic competition in my eyes, one that I'm always looking forward to. The pitches can vary hugely, and you're playing without VAR or goal-line technology. For that reason, we're going to have a different scenario to that in the Bundesliga."

The prospect of a penalty shootout:

"I don't give much thought to the penalty takers, as you never know who's going to be on the pitch if it comes down to a shootout. Who then steps up also has a lot to do with how each player is feeling after 120 minutes. Of course, you prepare for your opponent and think about who could end up taking one. That's part of normal preparation for a game. We will try our best, though, to wrap the match up in 90 minutes regardless."

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