Rot-Weiss Essen vs RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Dreaming of a giant-killing successful the DFB-Pokal's 2nd round, third-tier Rot-Weiss Essen volition invited an inconsistent RB Leipzig to Stadion an der Hafenstrasse connected Tuesday.

RWE are successful beardown signifier and are looking for a 3rd triumph successful 4 games, though top-flight Die Roten Bullen stay the favourites arsenic they anticipation to physique connected their triumph astatine the weekend.

Match preview

Uwe Koschinat's RW Essen person enjoyed a beardown run successful the 3. Liga and are successful the hunt for promotion, presently sitting 3rd successful the table.

On Friday, RWE secured a 1-0 triumph implicit Jahn Regensburg, courtesy of a back-post header from Lucas Brumme with conscionable 15 minutes connected the clock.

That triumph means Koschinat's broadside person present mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 14 outings crossed each competitions, winning 10 arsenic portion of an awesome tally that goes backmost to a 5-2 decision to Saarbrucken connected August 9.

RW Essen reached this signifier by beating St Pauli 2-0 successful the archetypal circular connected August 23, and overcoming the second-division nine - who were relegated from the Bundesliga astatine the extremity of 2025-26 - volition springiness the underdogs assurance up of Tuesday's showdown.

Additionally, the hosts are undefeated at Stadion an der Hafenstrasse passim the entirety of this season, winning 7 times and drafting conscionable once.

Meanwhile, Leipzig person endured a tumultuous commencement to beingness under Martin Demichelis, who volition spot this clash arsenic a gilt-edged accidental to physique form.

Die Roten Bullen thrashed Elversberg 4-0 connected Saturday, a crippled that saw young striker Tidiam Gomis unfastened the scoring aboriginal successful the 2nd half, earlier regular centre-forward Romulo bagged a brace disconnected the seat either broadside of chap substitute Christoph Baumgartner's third.

That occurrence maintained the Saxons' fantabulous grounds astatine Red Bull Arena, wherever they person won each 5 of their matches this word without conceding a azygous goal, uncovering the backmost of the nett 18 times successful the process.

However, Demichelis's men person struggled immensely connected the roadworthy truthful far, losing each of their 5 distant fixtures since hammering Eintracht Trier 6-0 successful the DFB-Pokal's archetypal circular connected August 22.

Leipzig volition beryllium expecting to interruption that streak of defeats up against third-tier opposition, and triumph could supply the squad with a intelligence boost, though a daze decision would beryllium damaging for morale and volition lone service to summation the unit connected Demichelis.

Rot-Weiss Essen DFB-Pokal form:

Rot-Weiss Essen signifier (all competitions):

RB Leipzig DFB-Pokal form:

RB Leipzig signifier (all competitions):

Team News

RW Essen are lighter successful onslaught than perfect for this clash, fixed that strikers Semir Telalovic (shoulder) and Jaka Cuber Potocnik (outer ligament), arsenic good arsenic wingers Marvin Obuz (ankle) and left winger Aiman Dardari (muscle) are each expected to beryllium unavailable.

In their absence, Marek Janssen could commencement up front, supported by a trio of Noah Pesch, Dickson Abiama and Lucas Brumme.

Midfielders Tony Menzel and Paul Popperl are besides retired of enactment owed to respective ligament tears, though Ruben Reisig should beryllium connected manus to join Janne Sietan successful the centre of the park.

Elsewhere, centre-back Max Geschwill remains sidelined arsenic helium undergoes rehabilitation pursuing a genu injury, truthful Ben Huning and Jose-Enrique Rios Alonso are apt to run astatine the bosom of RWE's defence.

As for Leipzig, they could bring a fig of players backmost into the XI aft making changes against Elversberg, but striker Marc Guiu is continuing his betterment from a hamstring injury, midfielder Assan Ouedraogo is moving his mode backmost aft enarthrosis surgery, and the versatile Christopher Nkunku is simply a uncertainty with an adductor issue.

Similarly, 20-year-old Tidiam Gomis was forced disconnected aft cramp against Elversberg and whitethorn not beryllium acceptable to feature, truthful Romulo could pb the line, with Andrija Maksimovic, Brajan Gruda and Antonio Nusa down him.

Centre-back Castello Lukeba was withdrawn from the squad that faced Elversberg astatine the past infinitesimal owed to illness, and portion helium should beryllium available, Maxime Esteve volition instrumentality his spot adjacent to Willi Orban if helium is not.

Rot-Weiss Essen imaginable starting lineup:

Golz; Kostka, Huning, Alonso, Celebi; Sietan, Reisig; Pesch, Abiama, Brumme; Janssen

RB Leipzig imaginable starting lineup:

Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Reitz, El Aynaoui; Maksimovic, Gruda, Nusa; Romulo

We say: Rot-Weiss Essen 1-3 RB Leipzig

RW Essen are successful beardown signifier crossed each competitions, but they stay the underdogs fixed their third-tier status.

However, Leipzig person struggled connected the roadworthy this season, and adjacent if they prevail, the visitors are improbable to support a cleanable expanse contempt their prime advantage.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.