Magdeburg vs Fortuna Dusseldorf Prediction 05.12.2023

• Competition: Germany - DFB Pokal
• Date: Tuesday, 5th, December 2023
• Kickoff: 17:00 UK / 18.00 CET
• Venue: MDCC-Arena (Magdeburg)

Two 2. Bundesliga counterparts, Magdeburg and Fortuna Dusseldorf, will lock horns on Tuesday as they cross swords in the Round of 16 of the DFB Pokal at the MDCC-Arena.

Magdeburg, a former winner of the Cup Winners' Cup (1974), faced a series of unfortunate results in the past period, which culminated in a drop to the second part of the Zweite Bundesliga table. Fortunately, Der Blau managed to regain some much-needed confidence ahead of the DFB Pokal tie in recent weeks, as they picked up maximum points in the clashes with Osnabruck 2-0 and Kaiserslautern 4-1 last time out. With these consecutive triumphs, Christian Titz's squad has amassed a total of 19 points from the opening 15 matches, yet they must exercise caution as the relegation zone lurks closely behind with a mere two-point gap. Moreover, the squad from the MDCC-Arena struggled to secure a spot in the national cup's Round of 16, narrowly edging out Holstein Kiel in a penalty shootout.

Trapped in the confines of the German football second tier for a lengthy four-year period, Fortuna Dusseldorf is displaying clear intentions to rejoin the top-flight and is currently executing the necessary steps to realize that aspiration. After completing 15 weeks in the Zweite Bundesliga, the team under the guidance of Daniel Thioune currently occupies the ideal fourth position, trailing just two points behind second-placed Holstein Kiel, who holds the ticket for automatic promotion to the top tier. Much like their DFB Pokal challengers, Flingeraner failed to book a place in the next round of the national cup during the regular 90 minutes, but stepped up in the extra 30 minutes to demolish third-tier side Unterhaching in a thrilling nine-goal 6-3 victory.

Magdeburg vs Fortuna Dusseldorf Betting Tips: X2 (Double chance)

The only advantage Magdeburg will possess is the support of their loyal fans from the stands, but even with that, we believe it won't be sufficient for them to secure passage to the quarter-finals of the German Cup. Securing consecutive victories against bottom-dwellers Osnabruck and out-of-form Kaiserslautern, clouds the true picture of this team, which, prior to these successes, endured a dismal streak of eight consecutive league matches without a win, managing only three points in that span (D3, L5). Der Blau's defensive line emerges as a prime culprit in the abrupt downturn in form, frequently affording opposing teams the opportunity to cause harm on multiple occasions within the course of the game. 

Fortuna Dusseldorf, vying for promotion to the German top-flight, may seamlessly capitalize on this defensive vulnerability, especially as they enter this cup tie riding high on impressive performances, first putting five past Schalke (5-3) and then blanking Nuremberg (5-0) in the previous round. Flingeraner's forward line stands tall as one of their strongest assets this season, particularly making an impact during their travels by notching a minimum of three goals in six out of the last eight away fixtures. It's crucial to bear in mind, among other aspects, that Dusseldorf settled both league confrontations in their favor in the last term, clinching victories of 2-1 and 3-1. Although Wednesday won't be a leisurely stroll for the boys in the red and white uniforms, we are confident they will do enough to come out on top and clinch a position among the top eight in the DFB Pokal, marking a milestone after four campaigns.