Ahead of DFB-Pokal clash: Toppmöller heaps praise on BVB | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund faces Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB-Pokal – a duel with intensity and history. Coach Dino Toppmöller shows great respect for BVB but believes in the strength of his team.

Eintracht Frankfurt is expecting a real heavyweight in Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening (6:30 PM/ZDF and Sky) in the DFB-Pokal. For coach Dino Toppmöller, the match is much more than just a second-round game. “Given the pairing, the game could have also taken place in Berlin,” said the coach, referring to the quality of both teams.

After the 2-0 victory against FC St. Pauli, Eintracht travels with momentum into the knockout duel. It was the first competitive match since the first round of the cup without conceding a goal – a signal that positively encourages Toppmöller: “We gave a good collective response on Saturday and showed that we can bring exactly these virtues to the field.”

Nevertheless, the Frankfurt coach sees the opponent in the favorite role and ranks BVB alongside FC Bayern as the hottest contenders for the cup victory. “But we definitely want to advance. And that would simultaneously mean that one less team, which counts among the top favorites, remains in the competition,” explained the 44-year-old.

Frankfurt coach Toppmöller eagerly anticipates the duel with BVB

He is particularly impressed by the development under Dortmund’s coach Niko Kovac: “It is not always easy to form a unit with many strong characters and a lot of quality. But that is exactly what he has achieved.”

Toppmöller demands not only aggressiveness but also mental toughness from his team. “We know that it is a game for which we won’t get a second chance,” he emphasized. The home crowd is expected to play a decisive role: “We want to use the spectators as a trump card because we know that in these games, it comes down to the twelfth man.”

Kovac also looks forward to returning to his old stomping grounds. The BVB coach, who won the DFB-Pokal with Frankfurt in 2018, said: “I am happy to come to Frankfurt, but I want to win the game tomorrow against my old love.” The 54-year-old expects an intense duel: “It will be a difficult away game.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.