Rot-Weiss Essen vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction, preview, team news, and more

Embattled Bayer Leverkusen turn their attention towards the DFB-Pokal this week, hoping for some respite after a recent series of poor results.

In a bid to win their first league cup title since 1993, Die Werkself travel to the Stadion Essen to face fourth-division side Rot-Weiss Essen in the round of 16.

Peter Bosz's men have been steadily losing ground in the race for the Bundesliga crown lately. A run of just one win from the last seven games has knocked them off the summit.

Now, they're down to fourth in the standings with 32 points from 19 games. That is a massive 12 points from holders Bayern Munich, who are once again running away with the Meisterschale.

However, the Bavarians have already been eliminated from this competition, boosting the prospects of the remaining teams. Leverkusen will hope to pounce on that opportunity.

Leverkusen have won with a frightening combined score of 11-1 in the previous two rounds. They will be excited to face minnows Essen, who are the lowest-ranked team left in the cup at this stage.

But they've not been pushovers by any means, seeing off top-flight club Arminia Bielefeld and second-tier side Fortuna Dusseldorf in the last two rounds.

Rot-Weiss Essen vs Bayer Leverkusen Head-to-Head

This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the two sides.

💬 "Umschaltmannschaften keine Chance geben": RWE-Chef-Trainer Christian #Neidhart vor dem @DFB_Pokal-Duell gegen @bayer04fussball 👉https://t.co/u06hwoiT7O #immeRWEiter #nurderrwe pic.twitter.com/LuBmbrhz8t
— Rot-Weiss Essen (@rot_weiss_essen) January 31, 2021

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Rot-Weiss Essen Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-D-W

Bayer Leverkusen Form Guide (all competitions): W-L-W-L-L

Rot-Weiss Essen vs Bayer Leverkusen Team News

Rot-Weiss Essen

David Sauerland and Maximilian Pronichev are the only long-term absentees for Rot-Weiss Essen manager Christian Neidhart.

Injured: David Sauerland and Maximilian Pronichev

Suspended: None

Unavailable: None

🗣 Peter Bosz: "I am convinced that we can look ahead and get back to winning our games. We can go on such a run again if we play better football and win games. And important players will soon be back in the squad ... "#RBLB04 | 1-0 | #Bundesliga
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 30, 2021

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Bayer Leverkusen

The Bundesliga side have seven players out injured at the moment. Meanwhile, Jonathan Tah is suspended from the clash for being sent off in the last round.

Injured: Paulinho, Santiago Arias, Sven Bender, Mitchell Weiser, Nadiem Amiri, Lars Bender, and Julian Baumgartlinger

Suspended: Jonathan Tah

Unavailable: None

Rot-Weiss Essen vs Bayer Leverkusen Predicted XI

Rot-Weiss Essen (4-5-1): Daniel Davari; Sandro Plechaty, Daniel Heber, Alexander Hahn, Felix Herzenbruch; Isaiah Young, Marco Kehl-Gomez, Dennis Grote, Amara Conde, Joshua Endres; Simon Engelmann

Bayer Leverkusen (4-3-3): Lukas Hradecky; Daley Sinkgraven, Tin Jedvaj, Edmond Tapsoba, Wendell; Florian Wirtz, Charles Aranguiz, Kerem Demirbay; Moussa Diaby, Lucas Alario, and Leon Bailey