Final four square off in German Cup semifinals
Bremen's unprecedented four-match battle with Hamburg gets underway with the Cup semifinal on Wednesday. But before that Leverkusen try to seize their last chance for some silverware against Mainz.
Among the high hopes Leverkusen carried into this season, one is still alive. If they can get past second-division Mainz, the underachieving squad will book a place in the Cup finals in Berlin on May 30. After topping the table for parts of the first half of the season, coach Bruno Labbadia's charges have been wretched of late, winning only three of their last 10 matches and dropping down to ninth in the league. One reason is that, with their own stadium undergoing renovations, they've had to play their home matches in Duesseldorf. That's also the case with Tuesday's semifinal. Still, Leverkusen have to fancy their chances -- with no major injury problems against an opponent from Division Two. And winning the Cup would go a long way toward salvaging a disappointing season and probably save Labbadia's job. Mainz, for their part, are certain to pack defenders into their own half and hope for a late goal, a strategy that worked well in their quarterfinal upset of first-division Schalke in early March. Epic rivalry The other Cup finalist will be determined when Bremen travel to Hamburg on Wednesday. It's the first of a four-game series between the Northern German rivals -- with a UEFA Cup semifinal tie and a league match to follow later in April and in May. Bremen, who have slipped down to tenth in the Bundesliga table, have been on cruise control in the league. But it will be a different story in the two cup competitions, with titles and a spot in international competition up for grabs. Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese has promised his side will try to "get on Hamburg's nerves" and win all four matches. The visitors will be bolstered by the return of superstar playmaker Diego who was rested with a perhaps fictional injury in the league last weekend. Hamburg, meanwhile, are third in the league and have an outside shot at winning a triple. But they should beware, if they think they're bound to be victorious in something. As recently as 2002, Leverkusen had a chance to win the Bundesliga, the Cup and the Champions League -- only to emerge, in the end, empty-handed. Author: Jefferson Chase Editor: Trinity Hartman
German Cup
DFB-Pokal BBL-Pokal DFB-Pokal_(women) DHB-Pokal German_Cup_(ice_hockey) 2011–12_DFB-Pokal 2009–10_DFB-Pokal 2012–13_DFB-Pokal 2016–17_DFB-Pokal 2006–07_DFB-Pokal 2008–09_DFB-Pokal 2018–19_DFB-Pokal 2015–16_DFB-Pokal 2010–11_DFB-Pokal 2005–06_DFB-Pokal German_Rugby_Union_Cup
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Hamburg
Hamburg Hamburger_SV German_Open_Tennis_Championships Hamburg_Hauptbahnhof Hamburg,_New_York University_of_Hamburg WTA_Hamburg Hamburg,_Pennsylvania Hamburg,_Arkansas Hamburg,_New_Jersey Hamburg_Airport Hamburg_(horse) Hamburg_(village),_New_York Handball_Hamburg Bombing_of_Hamburg_in_World_War_II Hamburg,_Iowa
Cup
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Wednesday
Leverkusen
Leverkusen Bayer_04_Leverkusen BayArena Bayer_Giants_Leverkusen Leverkusen_Mitte_station Bayer_04_Leverkusen_(women)
Mainz
Mainz Electorate_of_Mainz Mainz_Hauptbahnhof 1._FSV_Mainz_05 Johannes_Gutenberg_University_Mainz Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Mainz Battle_of_Mainz Elector_of_Mainz Mainz_Cathedral Fortress_of_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1793) SMS_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1792) Mainz_carnival Siege_of_Mainz_(1814) Mainz_(journal)
Leverkusen
Leverkusen Bayer_04_Leverkusen BayArena Bayer_Giants_Leverkusen Leverkusen_Mitte_station Bayer_04_Leverkusen_(women)
Mainz
Mainz Electorate_of_Mainz Mainz_Hauptbahnhof 1._FSV_Mainz_05 Johannes_Gutenberg_University_Mainz Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Mainz Battle_of_Mainz Elector_of_Mainz Mainz_Cathedral Fortress_of_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1793) SMS_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1792) Mainz_carnival Siege_of_Mainz_(1814) Mainz_(journal)
Cup
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Berlin
Berlin Humboldt_University_of_Berlin Berlin_(band) German_Open_(WTA) Berlin,_New_Hampshire Berlin_Hauptbahnhof Olympiastadion_(Berlin) Berlin,_Connecticut Berlin_International_Film_Festival Berlin,_Maryland Berlin_(Lou_Reed_album) Berlin,_New_Jersey Berlin,_Massachusetts Berlin,_Wisconsin East_Berlin Battle_of_Berlin
May 30
coach
Bruno Labbadia
Bruno_Labbadia
Duesseldorf
Düsseldorf
Tuesday
Leverkusen
Leverkusen Bayer_04_Leverkusen BayArena Bayer_Giants_Leverkusen Leverkusen_Mitte_station Bayer_04_Leverkusen_(women)
Division Two
Football_League_Second_Division Segunda_División Scottish_Football_League Scottish_Football_League_First_Division EFL_League_One LigaPro Scottish_Football_League_Second_Division 2007_ICC_World_Cricket_League_Division_Two 2011_ICC_World_Cricket_League_Division_Two Scottish_Junior_Football_North_Division_Two 2019_ICC_World_Cricket_League_Division_Two Leinster_League_Division_Two Football_League_Third_Division Liga_Indonesia_First_Division ICC_World_Cricket_League_Division_Two EFL_Championship
Cup
Norwegian_Football_Cup Coupe_de_France Taça_de_Portugal Coppa_Italia Serbian_Cup Belgian_Cup Cup Croatian_Football_Cup Svenska_Cupen Challenge_Cup Copa_del_Rey Finnish_Cup DFB-Pokal Russian_Cup_(football) Ukrainian_Cup Estonian_Cup
Labbadia
Bruno_Labbadia
Mainz
Mainz Electorate_of_Mainz Mainz_Hauptbahnhof 1._FSV_Mainz_05 Johannes_Gutenberg_University_Mainz Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Mainz Battle_of_Mainz Elector_of_Mainz Mainz_Cathedral Fortress_of_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1793) SMS_Mainz Siege_of_Mainz_(1792) Mainz_carnival Siege_of_Mainz_(1814) Mainz_(journal)
Schalke
FC_Schalke_04 Schalke_(Harz) Gelsenkirchen FC_Schalke_04_(esports)
March
Cup
Norwegian_Football_Cup Coupe_de_France Taça_de_Portugal Coppa_Italia Serbian_Cup Belgian_Cup Cup Croatian_Football_Cup Svenska_Cupen Challenge_Cup Copa_del_Rey Finnish_Cup DFB-Pokal Russian_Cup_(football) Ukrainian_Cup Estonian_Cup
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Hamburg
Hamburg Hamburger_SV German_Open_Tennis_Championships Hamburg_Hauptbahnhof Hamburg,_New_York University_of_Hamburg WTA_Hamburg Hamburg,_Pennsylvania Hamburg,_Arkansas Hamburg,_New_Jersey Hamburg_Airport Hamburg_(horse) Hamburg_(village),_New_York Handball_Hamburg Bombing_of_Hamburg_in_World_War_II Hamburg,_Iowa
Wednesday
Northern German
UEFA Cup
UEFA_Europa_League 2008–09_UEFA_Cup 2007–08_UEFA_Cup 2006–07_UEFA_Cup 2005–06_UEFA_Cup 2003–04_UEFA_Cup 2004–05_UEFA_Cup 2000–01_UEFA_Cup 2002–03_UEFA_Cup 2001–02_UEFA_Cup 1999–2000_UEFA_Cup 1992–93_UEFA_Cup 1977–78_UEFA_Cup 1998–99_UEFA_Cup 1996–97_UEFA_Cup 1975–76_UEFA_Cup
April
May
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Bundesliga
Bundesliga Frauen-Bundesliga Basketball_Bundesliga Austrian_Football_Bundesliga 2016–17_Bundesliga 2013–14_Bundesliga Handball-Bundesliga 2007–08_Bundesliga Bundesliga_(baseball) 2012–13_Bundesliga 2014–15_Bundesliga 2011–12_Bundesliga Handball-Bundesliga_(women) 2008–09_Bundesliga 2009–10_Bundesliga 2015–16_Bundesliga
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
goalkeeper
Tim Wiese
Tim_Wiese
Hamburg
Hamburg Hamburger_SV German_Open_Tennis_Championships Hamburg_Hauptbahnhof Hamburg,_New_York University_of_Hamburg WTA_Hamburg Hamburg,_Pennsylvania Hamburg,_Arkansas Hamburg,_New_Jersey Hamburg_Airport Hamburg_(horse) Hamburg_(village),_New_York Handball_Hamburg Bombing_of_Hamburg_in_World_War_II Hamburg,_Iowa
superstar playmaker
Diego
Diego_(footballer,_born_1985) Diego Diego_Walsh Diego_Barcelos Diego_Costa_Silva Primo_Colón Diego_(Ice_Age) Diego_Columbus Diego_Brown Diego_Souza_(footballer,_born_1984) Diego_(footballer,_born_1982) Diego,_Prince_of_Asturias Diego_García_Bravo Diego_(bishop_of_León) Diego_Boneta Diego_Rodríguez_Fernández
Hamburg
Hamburg Hamburger_SV German_Open_Tennis_Championships Hamburg_Hauptbahnhof Hamburg,_New_York University_of_Hamburg WTA_Hamburg Hamburg,_Pennsylvania Hamburg,_Arkansas Hamburg,_New_Jersey Hamburg_Airport Hamburg_(horse) Hamburg_(village),_New_York Handball_Hamburg Bombing_of_Hamburg_in_World_War_II Hamburg,_Iowa
2002
Leverkusen
Leverkusen Bayer_04_Leverkusen BayArena Bayer_Giants_Leverkusen Leverkusen_Mitte_station Bayer_04_Leverkusen_(women)
Bundesliga
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Cup
Norwegian_Football_Cup Coupe_de_France Taça_de_Portugal Coppa_Italia Serbian_Cup Belgian_Cup Cup Croatian_Football_Cup Svenska_Cupen Challenge_Cup Copa_del_Rey Finnish_Cup DFB-Pokal Russian_Cup_(football) Ukrainian_Cup Estonian_Cup
Champions League
UEFA_Champions_League UEFA_Women's_Champions_League 2012–13_UEFA_Champions_League 2013–14_UEFA_Champions_League 2009–10_UEFA_Champions_League 2014–15_UEFA_Champions_League 2010–11_UEFA_Champions_League Women's_EHF_Champions_League 2011–12_UEFA_Champions_League 2008–09_UEFA_Champions_League 2015–16_UEFA_Champions_League 2016–17_UEFA_Champions_League 2006–07_UEFA_Champions_League 2017–18_UEFA_Champions_League 2007–08_UEFA_Champions_League Basketball_Champions_League
Author: Jefferson Chase Editor: Trinity Hartman
German Cup
DFB-Pokal
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Bremen
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Hamburg
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Leverkusen
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Mainz
1._FSV_Mainz_05
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Bruno Labbadia
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Berlin
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Duesseldorf
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Schalke
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Tim Wiese
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Diego
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Author: Jefferson Chase Editor: Trinity Hartman
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