Under the guidance of Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen saw their record-breaking unbeaten streak end with a loss to Atalanta BC in the Europa League final. Meanwhile, their opponents, Kaiserslautern, are chasing their third DFB-Pokal title, having previously won in 1990 and 1996. Though they’ve been stuck in the 2. Bundesliga for some time, this final gives them a chance to relive past glories, at least for one night.
Kaiserslautern's path to the final included a notable victory over Koln, their only top-flight opponent, and a memorable win against third-tier Saarbrucken, who had earlier knocked out Bayern Munich. By defeating Saarbrucken 2-0, Kaiserslautern reached their eighth DFB-Pokal final, though they’ve lost five of their previous seven, most recently to Bayern Munich in 2002-03.
Their 2. Bundesliga season wasn't impressive, finishing 13th with 39 points from 34 matches. However, they ended on a high note, thrashing Eintracht Braunschweig 5-0, marking their third win in four games. Friedhelm Funkel's team has been prolific in front of goal, scoring at least three times in each of those victories and maintaining a 12-game scoring streak across all competitions.
Leverkusen, despite their recent Europa League heartbreak, have had an incredible run. They went 51 games unbeaten before their loss in Dublin. Ademola Lookman's stunning hat-trick for Atalanta ended Leverkusen’s dreams of an invincible season. However, Leverkusen still have the chance to become only the sixth team to achieve the German domestic double, joining the likes of Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen, Koln, and Schalke.
Leverkusen have been in top form in the DFB-Pokal, scoring 23 goals in their five matches this season, with at least three goals in each game. Encounters between Leverkusen and Kaiserslautern have been rare due to the latter's time in the second tier.
The last time they met in the DFB-Pokal was in the 2014-15 season, with Leverkusen winning 2-0 after extra time, a year after losing 1-0 to Kaiserslautern in the 2013-14 quarter-finals.
Now, with former Liverpool star Xabi Alonso at the helm, Leverkusen look to bounce back from their Dublin disappointment and secure a memorable domestic double.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Even though Kaiserslautern defender Almamy Toure was sent off on the final day of the 2. Bundesliga season for violent conduct, his suspension only applies to league matches. This means he's available to play in the DFB-Pokal final at the Olympiastadion.Top scorer Ragnar Ache, who netted 16 goals in the 2023-24 season, is doubtful due to an Achilles injury. Similarly, Jan Elvedi, dealing with a calf issue, is also a question mark. Both will be game-time decisions. Long-term injuries keep Ben Zolinski, Hendrick Zuck, and Julian Niehues out of the lineup. However, if Ache can't play, Kaiserslautern can rely on Marlon Ritter, who scored a hat-trick in their recent 5-0 win over Braunschweig.
Leverkusen may have left Dublin disappointed, but they didn’t suffer any new injuries. All players will be assessed due to the quick turnaround and the journey back home. Florian Wirtz, who played 81 minutes in the final, is fit, so Xabi Alonso has a full squad to choose from.
Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick, who were on the bench for the Europa League final, are eager to start. Additionally, Robert Andrich, Nathan Tella, and Odilon Kossounou are likely to see some action as Alonso considers rotation options across all areas of the pitch.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Kaiserslautern possible starting lineup:Krahl; Toure, Tomiak, Kraus; Ronstadt, Raschl, Kaloc, Puchacz; Ritter; Ache, Hanslik
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Tella, Wirtz; Boniface
EXPERT PREDICTION
Kaiserlautern 2-4 Bayer Leverkusen
Kaiserslautern will undoubtedly put up a strong fight, relying on their knack for scoring. However, we believe Leverkusen will shake off their Europa League disappointment and secure the domestic double.
