RB Leipzig have been handed a tough away draw in the DFB-Pokal, facing Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16. The draw for the round of 16 was conducted on Sunday at the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
Sporting director Marcel Schäfer addressed the pairing immediately. "A cup game against Leverkusen is certainly one of the most demanding tasks you can get in the last 16, especially away from home," Schäfer said. The memory of the last meeting is fresh: Leipzig lost 2-0 to Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on September 20.
The Red Bulls qualified for this round with a 6-0 win at Eintracht Trier and a narrow 2-1 victory at Rot-Weiß Essen. The last-16 ties are scheduled for December 1 and 2. The final will be played on May 29, 2027 at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
Focus on the League
Before the cup resumes, Leipzig are fully focused on the Bundesliga. Marco Rose's team currently sits in fourth place with 15 points. The side has recorded five wins and three defeats from its last eight league games. They trail leaders Bayern Munich by three points. This season, the team has scored 22 goals and conceded just 11.
Last time out, they secured a 2-0 away win at FC Schalke 04 on Saturday. The goals were scored by Antonio Nusa from the penalty spot (37') and Rômulo (78'). That result marked a third consecutive win in all competitions. Their form over the last five matches shows three wins and two defeats. This followed a 2-1 cup win at Rot-Weiß Essen, where Christoph Baumgartner scored both goals, and a 4-0 league victory against SV Elversberg.
The next league opponent is FC Augsburg, who visit the Red Bull Arena this Saturday. Augsburg currently sits in 10th place. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-1 home win for Leipzig in March.
The cup challenge in Leverkusen awaits in early December.
More detail at Die Welt Sport
