Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart
, KO: 19:00 , Olympiastadion
Defending champions Stuttgart face the biggest challenge in German football: the 20-time DFB-Pokal winners, Bayern Munich, who haven’t won the trophy since 2020.
The Bavarians have had a nearly flawless season in almost every competition, but after being eliminated by PSG in the Champions League, they’ll have to settle for a domestic double—provided they beat Stuttgart again.
Bayern shattered nearly every existing football record, including the one for most goals scored in the league—122. By comparison, Stuttgart, who finished fourth in the league, scored 71 goals, which was also the second-best performance in the Bundesliga.
The Swabians are a great team that fully deserves to be in the final for the second consecutive year, but the Bavarian machine has been an insurmountable obstacle for them all season long, right from the very start when they played for the Super Cup.
Surprises are always possible, but the world expects another triumph for Bayern Munich, as reflected in the bookmakers’ odds.
How the bookies view it: Not looking good for the Swabians
Bayern Munich are once again heavy favourites in the pre-match odds, with expectations of a dominant victory by a wide margin.
Currently, you can back Bayern Munich at 7/20, while Stuttgart are available at 15/2. If you think the defending champions can at least secure a draw in regulation time, you can bet on that at 17/4.
Recent head-to-head: Bayern won all three H2Hs this season
Stuttgart were one of the strongest teams throughout the campaign, yet they suffered a series of heavy losses to Bayern Munich, which shows just how huge the gap is between the Bavarians and all other teams.
The teams have met three times this season—once in the Super Cup, when Bayern won 2-1, and twice in the Bundesliga, with the Bavarians winning 5-0 and 4-2.
Stuttgart have just one win in the last 10 head-to-head matches, while Bayern have seven, including five consecutive wins.
Players to watch: Diaz dominates in DFB Pokal matches
It probably won’t come as a surprise to mention Harry Kane after this spectacular season. The Englishman has never had a bad season, but since leaving Tottenham, he’s been on a whole new level.
This season, he has scored 57 goals and recorded seven assists in 49 matches across all competitions. Against Stuttgart alone, he has five goals in three matches this season, including a hat trick.
However, the odds on him scoring are very low and don’t appeal to us. It makes more sense to look at Michael Olise or Luis Diaz, who are also having the best seasons of their careers.
The Colombian, in particular, has scored in three of the last four cup matches, and against Stuttgart, he has three assists and one goal this season.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Bayern Munich: Urbig, Tah, Upamecano, Laimer, Bischoff, Kimmich, Goretzka, Musiala, Olise, Diaz, Kane
Stuttgart: Nubel, Mittelstadt, Chabot, Hendriks, Lewelling, Andres, Fuhrich, Stiller, Nartey, Demirovich, Undav
Anything else catch the eye?
It would be one of the surprises of the season if Bayern Munich didn’t come away with a double on Saturday, given all the factors and the previous matches between the two teams.
Still, Stuttgart is an exceptional team and explosive enough to cause problems for the Bavarians, so we certainly expect to see a high-scoring match with goals from both sides.
The last 16 H2Hs in a row have featured at least three goals. A full 11 of those 16 matches have featured at least four goals. We’re expecting a thrilling final and for Bayern Munich to win their 21st DFB-Pokal title and their first since 2020.
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