Bayern set for cup clash at Wolfsburg
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Holders VfL Wolfsburg will host the battle of the German Cup's second round on Tuesday when runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are guests at the Volkswagen Arena.
Wolfsburg lifted the cup last May in Berlin with a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, who knocked Bayern out in the semi-finals on penalties in Munich. Wolfsburg finished second to Bayern in the Bundesliga last season, but were routed 5-1 last month at the Allianz Arena when Robert Lewandowski scored five goals in just nine minutes.
With a place in the third-round at stake in Wolfsburg, Bayern are in no mood to rest on their laurels with Pep Guardiola's side bidding to repeat their 2013 treble of UEFA Champions League, German Cup and Bundesliga titles. "This is a death or glory match," said Bayern winger Arjen Robben.
Having warmed up for their Bayern clash with a 1-0 win at Darmstadt, Wolfsburg will be the underdogs on Tuesday despite home advantage after beating Guardiola's German league champions on penalties in the pre-season Super Cup.
Halting Bayern's star-studded strike force will be Wolfsburg's main concern as their Brazilian centre-backs Naldo and Dante were exposed for pace when the sides met in the September rout.
Bayern have scored 33 goals in the first ten league matches and between them Munich strikers Lewandowski and Thomas Muller have scored 23 Bundesliga goals.
Werder Bremen are home to Cologne while Schalke are out for revenge against Borussia Monchengladbach at the Veltins Arena after the Royal Blues lost 3-1 at Gladbach on Sunday in the league.
On Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund are home to second-division neighbours Paderborn, who have won both of their matches since ex-Germany midfielder Stefan Effenberg took charge ten days ago following seven defeats in ten games.
Dortmund, the 2012 German Cup winners, warmed up for the cup clash with a 5-1 drubbing of bottom side Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday with Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang claiming a hat-trick and Germany's Marco Reus netted twice. "I am really looking forward to the game," said Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel.
"Of course, since Paderborn signed Stefan and had two wins, the match has a new look to it. That's the cup, but we will do all we can to win the game.
"I was a big fans of his as a player and I like his style of analysing games. I am not surprised that he has got things moving forward, but on Wednesday we want to put our foot on the brake."