Fortuna Düsseldorf goes into the semi-finals of the DFB Cup at Bayer Leverkusen with a lot of respect – but also with a healthy dose of fighting spirit.
The outsider doesn’t want to hide from the almost overwhelming Bundesliga leaders. “I want a cup fight. It’s a huge opportunity for us,” said coach Daniel Thioune before the duel on Wednesday (04/03/2024, 8:45 p.m.) in the BayArena: “My dream is to be on the evening of May 25th in the Olympic Stadium with the to sit on the golden thing.”
Fortuna comes to Leverkusen with a lot of tailwind, after all, the Düsseldorf team has been unbeaten in seven competitive games. In addition, Fortuna has turned a deficit into at least one draw nine times this season, and in most cases even a win – like in the spectacular 4:3 after 0:3 against Kaiserslautern. Mentally, Düsseldorf will be ready.
Live ticker and audio stream, Wednesday from 8:45 p.m. arrow right
Thioune sees a one percent chance
Thioune is still aware of how difficult the task will be against Xabi Alonso’s high-flyers. “If you had asked me about this cup game a few years ago, I would have said that we would probably lose nine out of ten games. Currently I would say that we would lose 99 out of 100 games,” said the 49-year-old, emphasizing : “Leverkusen will decide how the game goes.”
Thioune hasn’t been able to learn anything tactically from his colleagues so far: “None of them won against Leverkusen. That’s why I have to come up with something. We’ll develop an idea that can be implemented. In the best case scenario, you’ll see a lot of it on Wednesday .”
Tzolis and the mentality as a bargaining chip
But it is clear that Fortuna has to rely on its defense, its comeback qualities and its top scorer Christos Tzolis (26 scorer points). In any case, the opponent seems to have been warned. “This is a courageous team, with intense players, very flexible and dynamic, with a very good coach. This is a top team,” said Leverkusen coach Alonso.
Despite the mammoth task ahead, Fortuna believes in its chance – the dream of the first final since 1980 is alive in Düsseldorf. “The anticipation can be felt everywhere in the city,” said sports director Christian Weber: “Being able to compete with a team like Bayer Leverkusen is a nice thing.”
Strong Düsseldorf Cup history
In the cup history, the Düsseldorf team have so far been more successful than the overwhelming favorites. Fortuna won the cup in 1979 and 1980. In total, the club reached the final seven times, including three in a row (1978 – 1980).
DFB Cup: Tzolis is Fortuna Düsseldorf’s straw arrow on the right
The Düsseldorfers also hold a record that has stood for more than 40 years with a series of winning 18 cup games in a row. And in the two previous games against Bayer Leverkusen in the cup (1979 and 1986), the Düsseldorf team were also able to prevail.
Bayer Leverkusen’s squad width could become a triple factor arrow right