RB Leipzig's route to the DFB-Pokal final

The Red Bulls look to earn their second German cup

RB Leipzig finished their Bundesliga season in third place, behind champions Bayern Munich and runners-up Borussia Dortmund. They qualified for next season's Champions League group stage. However, unlike their rivals, they still have a DFB-Pokal final to contest, as they are on the verge of capturing back a trophy they've made their own in recent years.

Since 2018, they've either won or been the finalists of all the DFB Pokal Cup finals, besides the one in 2020, when Bayern ended up winning their last DFB-Pokal trophy over Bayer Leverkusen. Here's a look at the journey of how RB Leipzig yet again reached the final and have scored 4.4 goals per match while also keeping three clean sheets.

Round 1: RB Leipzig 8-0 Teutonia Ottensen

It was the early-season form of Timo Werner that gave RB Leipzig the impetus in the first-round fixture against fourth-division minnows Teutonia Ottensen, as he hit a hat trick in 43 minutes of play. After his return from Chelsea, where he was heavily criticised, he looked like he'd found his redemption back at his old hunting ground in Germany.

However, the all-time goalscorer for RB Leipzig did acknowledge that not much could be taken from these games besides confidence moving forward and building better habits in the early season form in August. He remarked, "It was fun. Those are some of the most unpleasant games because you have to win and still don’t get any compliments for it," according to ZDF.

Also on the scoresheet were Andre Silva, Christopher Nkunku, Dani Olmo, and Emil Forsberg, who also added two assists to his name. Four goals in each half did the job for now-former manager Domenico Tedesco's side as they took their foot off the gas in the second half. However, the only saving grace for Teutonia was the performance of goalkeeper Yannick Zummack, who made a game-high 11 saves and managed to keep the score down to single digits.

Round 2: RB Leipzig 4-0 Hamburger SV

RB Leipzig's second-round opponents were former Bundesliga giants and three-time DFB Pokal winners Hamburg, who visited Red Bull Arena from the second division in the Bundesliga on October 18th, 2022.

However, the longest-serving RB Leipzig player, Yussuf Poulsen, scored a brace to help RB Leipzig to a comfortable 4-0 victory in their first start of the season. Two defenders, Simikan and Henrichs, also found the back of the net in the 69th and 82nd minutes as RB Leipzig made it look easy against a much inferior opposition, scoring four times out of the seven shots on target and easily moving to the third round.

Round 3: RB Leipzig 3-1 Hoffenheim

For the first time in the DFB Pokal this season, Hoffenheim became the first Bundesliga opponent to face RB Leipzig in the third round on February 1. RB Leipzig had all the momentum in the Bundesliga and were two points off leaders Bayern Munich at the time, with a five-match unbeaten streak prior under new manager Marco Rose. And the match turned out exactly as expected with a lower midtable Hoffenheim side in poor form playing off the park in a 3-1 romping at the Red Bull Arena with Forsberg, Laimer, and Werner all on the scoresheet while Kasper Dolberg got a consolation goal in the 76th minute for the visitors, who're dominated with 65% and 6 shots on target, and Leipzig at their efficient, ruthless best.

Quarter-finals: RB Leipzig 2-0 Borussia Dortmund

The Die Roten Bullen faced fellow Champions League and title challengers in the quarter-final stage this time, with their season in near doldrums and going in the opposite direction in comparison to their previous round win over Hoffenheim.

Coming on the back of three consecutive defeats, including a heavy 7-0 at Manchester City in the UCL, Leipzig produced the best first half of football of the season, with innumerable chances to open the score, as early as two minutes when Laimer's shot at goal was saved by Dortmund keeper Kobel. Kobel had to make six saves within the next 12 minutes as Dortmund's goal was peppered by a hungry and motivated home team, who were looking ruthless. Dortmund resistance broke in the 22nd minute as Timo Werner opened the scoring for RB, and gave them comfort to go into the break with a lead, after 14 shots on target!

In the second half, Kobel continued to be defiant in Dortmund's goal and somehow kept the lead at 1 and made nine saves. However, the better side prevailed in the end as captain Wily Orban finished things off in added time and ensured the defending champions progressed to the last four stages.

Semi-final: SC Freiburg 1 - 5 RB Leipzig

For the first time in the competition in 2023, RB Leipzig travelled away to face their opponents away from home, facing Christian Streich's UCL-chasing Freiburg in the semi-final. However, despite all the adversities faced throughout the season, Leipzig were mentally, physically, and tactically superior to their opponents in every phase of the game.

Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo started after a lengthy spell out with injury and produced a magically creative first half. He had a hand in the opening four first-half goals for Leipzig, including the opener in 13 minutes, and virtually ended the contest at the half. His match lasted 61 minutes, as he left the field with a man-of-the-match performance and ensured RB Leipzig's return to the DFB Pokal final for the second consecutive year. Dominik Szoboszlai added one more goal in added extra time from the spot, and Freiburg's Gregoritsch added a consolation for Freiburg in the 76th minute before the contest concluded.