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Schalke will hope to avoid a cup upset when they face FC Villingen in the first round of the DFB Pokal on Sunday.
Dimitrios Grammozis’ side bounced back in their second 2. Bundesliga game last Sunday when they beat Holstein Kiel away from home.
The win will provide a massive shot of confidence for the newly assembled squad, and they will hope to progress at the expense of Villingen.
Villingen will be massive underdogs heading into the tie as they play their football in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg or the fifth tier of German football.
FC Villingen vs Schalke Head-to-head
Villingen’s domestic season is yet to begin, but they have scored a combined 11 goals in their previous two Regional Cup games against Freiburger FC and FC Neustadt.
Schalke, meanwhile, lost their opening 2. Bundesliga game against Hamburg, but beat Holstein Kiel 3-0.
The two sides have squared off just once, in a 2016 DFB Pokal first-round tie. Schalke comfortably won the game 4-1.
FC Villingen form guide: W-W
Schalke form guide: L-W
FC Villingen vs Schalke Team News
FC Villingen
Villingen have a fully-fit squad to choose from. The club announced the signing of Spanish striker Pablo Aguilera last month and he could get a few minutes against Schalke on Sunday.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Schalke
Schalke will once again be without the duo of Salif Sane and Danny Latza for the game against Villingen. Ralf Fährmann has returned to training, and is in line to start in place of Michael Langer in goal.
Injured: Danny Latza, Salif Sane, Rabbi Matondo
Unavailable: Michael Langer
Suspended: None
FC Villingen vs Schalke Predicted Lineups
FC Villingen Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Andrea Hoxha; Mauro Chiurazzi, Dragan Ovuka, Nico Tadic, Jonas Busam; Leon Albrecht, Erich Sautner, Adrian Rama-Bitterfeld, Anthony Mbem-Som Nyamsi; Nedzad Plavci, Kamran Yahyaijan
Schalke Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Ralf Fährmann; Marcin Kaminski, Timo Becker, Malick Thiaw; Thomas Ouwejan, Blendi Idrizi, Victor Palsson, Yaroslav Mikhailov, Reinhold Ranftl; Marius Bulter, Simon Terodde
FC Villingen vs Schalke Prediction
Schalke are overwhelming favorites for the win, and we expect them to come out on top by some distance.
Dimitrios Grammozis is expected to go with a strong lineup with a few rotations that should get the job done.
Prediction: FC Villingen 0-4 Schalke
