Hannover vs. RB Leipzig: DFB Cup quarter-final probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog

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Zieler made 254 Bundesliga appearances across spells with Hannover, VfB Stuttgart and Cologne, facing Leipzig on four occassions. The six-time Germany international is yet to post a win against Die Roten Bullen, suffering three defeats whilst conceding six goals, but has been in fine form more recently. After missing a chunk of the current Bundesliga 2 campaign through injury, he has kept clean sheets in four of Hannover's last six matches, including in back-to-back wins over St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel, as well as their 3-0 triumph over Bayern Munich-besting Borussia Mönchengladbach in the previous round of the cup. That followed victories in preceding stages against Eintracht Norderstedt (4-0) and Fortuna Düsseldorf (3-0). The Reds are the lowest ranked team left in the DFB Cup, but their mini revival has given them a six-point buffer on the relegation zone in Bundesliga 2 and extends their unbeaten home run this calendar year to four matches in all competitions. Head coach Christoph Dabrowski, who lifted the trophy as a player with Werder Bremen in 1998/99, is set to stick with the same side that beat Kiel 2-0 this past weekend.

Leipzig are the only Bundesliga team still competing in three competitions, thanks in no small part to Nkunku's 23 goals and 11 assists across 35 games in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League/Europa League. The French playmaker stepped off the bench to score the winner against Bochum on Sunday as Leipzig climbed back up to fourth, making them the highest-ranked team left in this season's domestic cup. Striker Andre Silva and midfield pair Konrad Laimer and Dani Olmo were also deployed in the second period, following a busy schedule at home and abroad. With a home game against top-four rivals Freiburg to come on Saturday, head coach Domenico Tedesco is expected to rotate once again. Defender Josko Gvardiol served a one-match ban at the weekend, but is available for the trip to the HDI Arena. Die Roten Bullen have reached the quarter-finals without conceding after seeing off Sandhausen (4-0), Babelsberg (1-0) and Hansa Rostock (2-0). Hannover are the only other remaining side with an unblemished run.

Hannover forward Maximilian Beier is the competition's joint-top scorer this season on four goals, level with Erling Haaland, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Milos Pantovic.

Hannover's only DFB Cup triumph to date came in 1992 when they beat Gladbach 4-3 on penalties after the match itself ended 0-0 after extra-time. They, Hamburg and Karlsruhe are the only previous winners left in the competition.

These teams have never met in the cup before, but Die Roten Bullen won all four Bundesliga meetings between 2017 and 2019.

Dominik Szoboszlai is the only Leipzig player with more than one goal in this season's competition; the 21-year-old has two from two outings.

Nkunku has a goal and two assists in the 2021/22 DFB Cup.

Leipzig have reached the final on two occasions, but lost 3-0 to Bayern in 2019 and 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund last year.

Probable line-ups

Hannover: Zieler - Dehm, Franke (c), Börner, Hult - Diemers, Kaiser - Stolze, Kerk, Beier - Teuchert

Out: Ernst (Achilles), Muroya (ankle)

Doubtful: Frantz (not included), Hansen (not included), Ochs (not included)

Coach: Christoph Dabrowski

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol - Mukiele, Adams, Kampl, Henrichs - Szoboszlai - Poulsen, Nkunku

Out: -

Doubtful: -

Coach: Domenico Tedesco