Eintracht Trier vs RB Leipzig – News and Probable Lineups

Eintracht Trier is set to face the daunting challenge of overcoming RB Leipzig when they meet at Moselstadion this Saturday in the initial round of the DFB-Pokal.

Currently situated in the fourth tier of German football, the home side understands that Leipzig will be viewed as the strong favorites. Nonetheless, the DFB-Pokal has seen numerous instances where lower league teams eliminate higher-ranked clubs.

Match overview

Eintracht Trier competes in the Regionalliga Southwest division, where they currently sit eighth with three points following two weeks of matches. Their latest encounter resulted in a 2-1 victory against VfR Mannheim on August 16.

This match marks the club’s return to the DFB-Pokal for the first time since they were eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the first round of the 2016-17 season, which marked their third consecutive exit in the opening stage of this tournament.

In reality, the hosts have been unable to progress past the first round in 18 out of their 31 entries into the tournament, suffering first round exits in 10 of their last 13 DFB-Pokal attempts.

Under the guidance of head coach Thomas Klasen, the team has encountered difficulties at home, having lost three of their last seven competitive matches at Moselstadion, while achieving only a pair of victories.

They have failed to score in four of those seven home contests and have managed to keep just two clean sheets.

RB Leipzig will consider the 2026-27 season a successful one as they finished third in the Bundesliga, securing a spot back in the Champions League, marking their place in the top four for the eighth time in ten seasons.

Die Roten Bullen’s DFB-Pokal history is less extensive than many clubs who regularly compete at the top level, as they were established in 2009. However, they have secured the cup title twice, in the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons.

Ole Werner was at the helm when the team was defeated 2-0 by the eventual DFB-Pokal champions Bayern Munich in February, and they were also ousted in the semi-finals by the 2024-25 winners Stuttgart.

Martin Demichelis has taken over as head coach, leading the team to three victories and two losses in five friendly matches, with both defeats occurring in his latest outings.

Leipzig’s away form during the 2025-26 season was erratic; they claimed three wins and suffered four losses in their last seven away fixtures.

Team News

Eintracht Trier’s goalkeeper Leon-Oumar Wechsel will rely on center-backs Noah Awassi, Tim Corsten, and Gianluca Pelzer to shield him from being overwhelmed by shots.

Mateo Kritzer may play a pivotal role at the base of midfield, while Shawn Blum and Damjan Marceta are likely candidates to lead the attack.

For RB Leipzig, defender Lutsharel Geertruida is poised to be included and could replace Castello Lukeba alongside Willi Orban.

Midfielder Christoph Baumgartner was a potential option, but he is sidelined due to a thigh injury sustained in June, possibly paving the way for Ezechiel Banzuzi, Arthur Vermeeren, and Andrija Maksimovic to feature instead.

Ayodele Thomas might be trusted to start in an attacking role on the left, potentially benefitting from playing in conjunction with experienced player Antonio Nusa.

Eintracht Trier probable starting XI:

change; Awassi, Corsten, Pelzer; Heinz, Spang, Kritzer, Tekerci, Lohei; Blum, Marceta

RB Leipzig probable starting XI:

Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Geertruida, Raum; Maksimovic, Vermeeren, Banzuzi; Nusa, Gomis, Thomas

Eintracht Trier has had challenges generating adequate scoring opportunities, particularly at home, and breaking down their Bundesliga rivals will likely prove difficult.

RB Leipzig is anticipated to secure victory, and even if they face lapses in concentration during this fixture, their quality should suffice to secure a win.