round 4 - match preview
Schalke embrace role of cup favourites as semi-finals beckon
Three days after the 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt the Royal Blues are heading southwest once again. Schalke travel to FSV Mainz, who currently sit in second place in the second division table, in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup on Tuesday (kick-off: 2030 CET, live on ZDF and Premiere).
"I've watched Mainz twice and they are no pushovers", said Fred Rutten. The Dutchman was particularly impressed by their team spirit and tactical organisation. "The back four are excellent, the midfield is well organised and the strikers Bancé and Baljak are in good shape physically", he explained. Mainz, who have operated in a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1 formation so far this season, therefore deserved to be sitting in a promotion spot, he said.
Jörn Andersen's men reached the quarter-final stage with wins at SV Babelsberg 03 (2-1 after extra-time), at home to FC Cologne (3-1) and at SC Freiburg (3-1). "These results tell you how good they are", Rutten continued. "And they'll be desperate to progress another round in front of their own fans." All the more so, as that would be the biggest success in the club's cup history. The second division outfit have previously reached the quarter-finals three times. But if Rutten gets his way, 2009 will not be the year they reach the semi-finals. "We want to reach the next round because our goal in this competition is Berlin. I don't care how we go through, as long as we win", Rutten continued.
"We have respect for our opponents but we don't fear them. We're the first division club and so we're the favourites. If we're going to go through, though, the players will have to give it all they've got. 90 percent won't be enough to win in Mainz. So we'll need to show total concentration, especially as the atmosphere in the stadium is good. That could inspire the home side."
Two Mainz players who are likely to be especially motivated are Schalke old boys Niko Bungert and Tim Hoogland. They are now an integral part of the Mainz defence, having both made 21 league appearances so far this season.
