1. FC. Saarbrücken vs Bayer Leverkusen
Time: 2:45 PM EST
TV: ESPN
Odds: 1. FC. Saarbrücken +1300, Draw +600, Bayer Leverkusen -800
1. FC. Saarbrücken are in the midst of a dream run as the 4th division side hosts Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal semifinal.Don’t mistake Saarbrücken for a minnow who just caught some breaks, they’ve beaten two Bundesliga sides and two 2. Bundesliga sides to get here. Saarbrücken were also in first place when the fourth division was called off and will now be promoted to the 3rd division. This is a composed team that plays well together and finds a way to win games, needing stoppage time goals and shoutout wins to advance in each round. The club has also benefited from playing every round at home in front of their passionate crowd, but this time they will need to advance without the help of the fans. Since the 4th division season was canceled, Saarbrücken hasn’t played a competitive match in over four months. Their manager has said this will give them a boost as they have been able to spend time preparing specifically for Bayer Leverkusen, but bettors should be worried that the players haven’t seen game speed action in a long time.
Bayer Leverkusen come into this game as the heavy favorite. Leverkusen have been playing great football since the return of the Bundeslia, and have the 3rd best record over the last six games. Bayer have also been one of the best teams in the league away from home this year, and with the 3rd best away record in the league they have picked up more points away than they have at home. In addition to their superior quality, Bayer have the advantage of having played five games in empty arenas so they will be more comfortable with the atmosphere and have had time to shake off the rust from a two month hiatus.
Saarbrücken will need to continue the strong defensive performances of their last two DFB Pokal matches, where they allowed only one goal and needed penalties to advance in both games. Leverkusen will be the best side they’ve faced thus far in the cup and even with wunderkid Kai Havertz sitting this out they look to be a handful for the 4th division side. The DFB Pokal is Bayer’s best chance to win a trophy this year, so expect them to be focused and motivated for this one. If Saarbrücken had a few games under their belt and were playing in front of their home crowd the fairy tale might not end here, but unfortunately for them Bayer look to be too much to handle. Bettors should not that this game will go to extra time and penalties if necessary, so make sure to double check the market before placing a bet to ensure you are betting on the correct one. For a reminder on how this can impact the different markets be sure to read our soccer betting guide.