Second-tier Kaiserslautern will attempt to deliver a miracle when they take on Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal Final at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Saturday, 25 May. Check out our German betting tips for the contest below.
Kaiserslautern vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: One sided final in store
After suffering their first loss of the season in the Europa League final against Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen will take their frustrations out on Kaiserslautern, so we expect a dominant win for them in the DFB Pokal final.
Key Stats
- Kaiserslautern finished all the way down in 13th position in the 2. Bundesliga this season.
- Bayer Leverkusen have lost only one of their 52 competitive fixtures this term.
- Bayer Leverkusen have scored at least three goals in nine different matches since the end of the winter window.
- Victor Boniface found the net in each of Bayer Leverkusen’s last three domestic contests.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Kaiserslautern are massive underdogs
- HOME: 10/1 (11.00) – 9.1%
- DRAW: 13/2 (7.50) – 13.3%
- AWAY: 1/8 (1.13) – 88.9%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Kaiserslautern’s chances of upsetting the odds to win the DFB Pokal on Saturday are wafer-thin, however, their cause became even more difficult when Bayer Leverkusen lost the Europa League Final to Atalanta in midweek. Die Werkself will be doubly determined to do a professional job in Berlin after their continental misstep and they are priced as 1/8 to win the German cup final for that reason.
Leverkusen tasted defeat for the first time this season when they were outclassed 3-0 by Atalanta in Dublin though our football tips have backed Xabi Alonso’s side to bounce back at the first time of asking with a comfortable triumph over their second-tier opponents.
Last five H2Hs: First meeting in nearly a decade
Germany DFB Pokal 03/03/15
Bayer Leverkusen
Kaiserslautern
Germany Bundesliga I 24/04/93
Kaiserslautern
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany Bundesliga I 17/10/92
Bayer Leverkusen
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern used to be an established Bundesliga side, though they have drifted down the divisions in recent years and they haven’t crossed paths with Bayer Leverkusen since a cup game back in 2015. Leverkusen won that tie 2-0 after extra time.
Kaiserslautern preview: Hosts missing a quartet
Ben Zolinski, Jan Elvedi, Julian Niehues and Hendrick Zuck are all out of action for Kaiserslautern while Ragnar Ache is a doubt due to personal reasons. Kaiserslautern won their final league game 5-0 against Eintracht Braunschweig.
Predicted lineup: Krahl – Zolinski, Kraus, Tomiak, Puchacz – Soldo, Raschl, Zimmer, Ritter, Redondo – Hanslik
Europe Friendlies 05/09/24
L
VfB Stuttgart
4
Kaiserslautern
1
Germany Bundesliga II 31/08/24
L
Hertha Berlin
4
Kaiserslautern
3
Germany Bundesliga II 24/08/24
W
SC Preussen Munster
0
Kaiserslautern
1
Germany DFB Pokal 17/08/24
W
FC Ingolstadt
1
Kaiserslautern
2
Germany Bundesliga II 09/08/24
D
Greuther Furth
2
Kaiserslautern
2
Bayer Leverkusen preview: Hradecky, Andrich and Boniface to return?
Bayer Leverkusen have no fresh injury or suspension concerns, though Xabi Alonso could make changes to the XI that lost convincingly to Atalanta in the Europa League Final on Wednesday evening.
Predicted lineup: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Stanisic, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo – Frimpong, Wirtz, Boniface
Germany Bundesliga I 31/08/24 L RB Leipzig 3 Bayer Leverkusen 2 Germany DFB Pokal 28/08/24 W Carl Zeiss Jena 0 Bayer Leverkusen 1 Germany Bundesliga I 23/08/24 W Borussia M'gladbach 2 Bayer Leverkusen 3 Germany Super Cup 17/08/24 W VfB Stuttgart 2 (3) Bayer Leverkusen 2 (4) Elite Club Friendlies 10/08/24 D Real Betis 1 Bayer Leverkusen 1
Player to watch – Robert Andrich
Robert Andrich has been a key driving force behind Bayer Leverkusen’s success this season, though the 29-year-old was left on the bench for Wednesday’s Europa League Final and his combativeness was missed in Die Werkself’s defeat.
Andrich should be energized
Andrich should be fresh and raring to go in Saturday’s DFB Pokal final and the midfielder is in line to return to Leverkusen’s starting XI this weekend. Andrich is never far from the action and he has scored three times and picked up three yellow cards in his last six appearances.
