Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund hope to set up a mouth-watering clash against holders Bayern Munich by ending the run of third-division minnows Sportfreunde Lotte in Tuesday’s rescheduled German Cup quarter-final.
The tie has been moved to Osnabruck’s Bremer Bruecke stadium after the original fixture at Lotte’s tiny ground had to be postponed because a heavy snowfall before kick-off left the greasy playing surface unplayable.
“I would have prefered an easier opponent, but even against Borussia we have our chance,” insisted Lotte’s coach Ismail Atalan.
Lotte have had plenty of giantkilling experience this season, beating Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, plus second-division 1860 Munich, en route to the in previous rounds.
Dortmund are currently third in Germany’s top flight and into the draw for Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League with star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having scored eight goals in four games.
But Dortmund crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Hertha Berlin on Saturday as they suffered from a chronic inability to finish their chances.
“It is another game, another competition and we want to go through, but again this will be played on a heavy ground,” said Dortmund captain Marcel Schmelzer.
Lotte are third in Germany’s third division and should Dortmund prevail, they will face holders Bayern in the last four at the end of April in a repeat of last year’s final, which the Bavarians won on penalties.
Dortmund will be without centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos and will be playing their third game in seven days after the win over Benfica and defeat to Hertha.
