Borussia Dortmund will travel to Sportpark am Lotte Kreuz to face third division side Sportfreunde Lotte as the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup gets underway this week. Just like Arminia Bielefeld last season, Lotte has been the surprising team in the cup this year. The small club from Nord Rhine-Westphalia, had a sensational run so far, beating the likes of Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen and 1860 Munich on their way to the quarter-finals.
However, on Tuesday, their biggest challenge in club history will await them, as they have to outdo a Borussia Dortmund side, packed with quality individuals. Tuchel’s men are on a great run, registering their two consecutive 3:0 victories.
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Borussia Dortmund Lineup For Their DFB Cup Clash Against Lotte
Goalkeeper: Veteran goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller might make a comeback to the starting eleven after a long time. The 36-year-old is still a part of Tuchel’s squadron but has been largely outshined by Roman Burki. This will be a big chance for Weidenfeller to prove his mettle.
Right Back: Lukasz Piszczek will get back to his right back position. The Polish international featured as a centre back in Saturday’s win over Freiburg, providing a solid display at the back. However, he will look to use his offensive qualities against Lotte in order to dominate the flanks.
Centre Back: Sokratis’ will lead his side from the back. The Greek international had a great game against Freiburg, managing a shutout and scoring the opener in the first half. His solidity will be crucial as Dortmund look to keep the Lotte attack at bay.
Centre Back: Matthias Ginter didn’t feature this week but might earn a recall. The future of the young 22-year-old defender is highly insecure especially after Borussia Dortmund announced the signing of Omer Toprak from Leverkusen. He will look to prove the critics wrong with a solid performance against Lotte.
Left Back: Erik Durm might once again feature ahead of the immortal Marcel Schmelzer. Despite suffering from a series of injuries in the past two years, Durm still has a key role in Thomas Tuchel’s system, often featuring as a late substitute.
Center Defensive Midfield: Julian Weigl has successfully nipped down an automatic spot in Dortmund midfield, at the age of 21. He was the rising star of last year’s Bundesliga and has been impressive this season too. He will provide security for the backline as well as administrate the entire midfield.
Center Defensive Midfield: Gonzalo Castro will compliment the 21-year-old Weigl in the heart of the pitch. His quick-witted style of play often lends Dortmund an extra advantage in the link up play and in the final third as well.
Right Midfield: Marco Reus will feature from the right-hand side, partnering with Lukasz Piszczek as they seek to dominate the flanks. Reus’ exceptional assist helped Aubameyang score the second goal against Freiburg. A similar performance might just be the destructive formula for the Lotte defence.
Center Attacking Midfield: Ousmane Dembele completed a whopping nine dribbles against Freiburg! The French winger has been causing some serious trouble for the opposition wherever he plays. One of the brightest talents in Europe, Dembele is widely expected to breach the Lotte defence with offensive skills.
Left Midfield: Raphael Guerreiro achieved a 9.1 rating from whoscored for his exception performance on the weekend. His well executed free kick found Sokratis for the opener while he also took part in almost every single attacking moments from Dortmund. His cleverness will hand Dortmund an extra edge against the minnows Lotte.
Striker: Fingers are crossed for Aleksander Isak making his debut for Dortmund. However, we still favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to start on Tuesday’s encounter. While the new signing may feature on as a late substitute. Auba scored a brace this week in the Bundesliga, meaning he is now the joint top scorer in the league with 19 goals.
