DFB Pokal Quarterfinal Draw: Union to host St. Pauli, Karlsruhe headed to HSV
The draw for the DFB Pokal quarterfinals was concluded on Sunday evening.
While German football fans might be somewhat disappointed to miss out on a Hamburg Derby, there's still plenty of excellent contests lined up for the coming round at the beginning of March.
Hamburger SV and 1. FC St. Pauli will not end up facing one another the Pokal, at least not in the coming quarterfinal round. Instead the Kiez Kickers will square off against fellow "cult club" 1. FC Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Hamburger SV will host Baden-Württemberg's Karlsruher SC; a non-regional rivalry that has always been bitter since the two teams met in the 2014/15 promotion-relegation playoff.
While German football fans might be somewhat disappointed to miss out on a Hamburg Derby, there's still plenty of excellent contests lined up for the coming round at the beginning of March.
RB Leipzig--considered by many to be the favorites as the strongest club left in the completion--weren't able to get a home fixture draw. Domenico Tedesco's Saxons will travel to the HDI Arena to take on Hannover 96. Freiburg and Bochum were also drawn together with the Westphalians retaining the hosting rights. Bochum defeating visiting Freiburg 2-1 at home on the current campaign's 13th matchday.
Here is the draw in full:
FC Union Berlin - FC St. Pauli
Hamburger SV - Karlsruher SC
Hannover 96 - RB Leipzig
VfL Bochum - SC Freiburg
The quarterfinals will be played on March 1st and 2nd.