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Borussia Dortmund's delayed DFB-Pokal campaign is set to commence on Tuesday, when they take on fifth-tier opponents HEBC Hamburg at Volksparkstadion.
Black and Yellow's participation in the German Supercup final prevented them from playing the first round of the DFB-Pokal before the start of the league season, but they now have the chance to progress into the second round.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund key stats
- Borussia Dortmund have kept five clean sheets in their last seven first-round DFB-Pokal games.
- HEBC Hamburg lost 7-0 in their only previous DFB-Pokal match.
- Fabio Silva has scored one goal in 28 minutes for Dortmund this season.
HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund preview: An easy route or an historic exit?
HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund — Tale of the Tape
| HEBC | vs | Borussia Dortmund |
|---|---|---|
| 13th (Oberliga Hamburg) | Position | 5th (Bundesliga) |
| 6 | Points | 3 |
| 5 | Goals For | 2 |
| 7 | Goals Against | 0 |
| 1 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 16th | Home / Away Rank | 6th |
Regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, HEBC should enjoy the occasion given it will be their first appearance in the DFB-Pokal since they lost 7-0 to Eimsbutteler TV 1934-35.
The club have been given permission to use Hamburger SV's Volksparkstadion, and the financial benefit of playing at the ground against one of Germany's biggest and most historic clubs could be transformative.
HEBC boss Philipp Obloch has overseen two wins and three losses in all competitions this season, and if he is to avoid defeat against BVB, he will need his players to be at their best defensively.
Expect to see a three-man defence featuring Bastian Stech, Janek Wrede and Julius Stegema, and the trio could be stationed behind three midfielders.
Dortmund managed to beat Hamburger SV 2-0 on Saturday, with their win in the Bundesliga coming after their 2-1 defeat in the Supercup final to Bayern Munich on August 22.
Niko Kovac's side boast a rich history in the DFB-Pokal having won the tournament five times, while they have reached a total of 10 finals.
However Black and Yellow have failed to advance beyond the round of 16 since 2023-24, though all three of their eliminations have come against Bundesliga teams, and a defeat on Tuesday would be one of the most shocking results in German football.
Unfortunately, attacker Giannis Konstantelias suffered ligament damage against Hamburger SV and will miss months of action, but Kovac may have named youth players in Tuesday's lineup instead of him anyway.
HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund form guide & betting tips
| HEBC | vs | BVB |
|---|---|---|
LWLWL |
Form | W |
| 6 | Points | 3 |
| 13th | Form Table | N/A |
| 5 | Goals For | 2 |
| 7 | Goals Against | 0 |
LWLWL |
Form (All Comps) | LW |
Whispers predicts: HEBC Hamburg 0-6 Borussia Dortmund
The bookmakers would be shocked with anything other than a Dortmund win, evidenced by the fact they have suspended betting for an away victory.
Odds are not available for this match, but predicting Borussia Dortmund to Keep a Clean Sheet makes sense given they have kept five clean sheets in their last seven first-round DFB-Pokal games.
Given the enormous disparity in quality between the two sides, backing Borussia Dortmund to Score Over 5.5 Goals would be sensible.
Fabio Silva scored in the Supercup final against Bayern Munich, and he was left on the bench against Hamburger, so perhaps backing Fabio Silva to Score at Anytime would be the right call.
> Borussia Dortmund to Keep a Clean Sheet | Likelihood: Probable
> Borussia Dortmund to Score Over 5.5 Goals | Likelihood: Possible
> Fabio Silva to Score at Anytime | Likelihood: Outsider