Hertha Berlin vs. Union Berlin: DFB Cup probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Hertha would love nothing more than to feature in a cup final for the first time at their Olympiastadion home, but a Berlin derby for a place the last eight is the first immediate hurdle for Tayfun Korkut's men, who warmed up for the tie with a scoreless draw in Wolfsburg at the weekend. Forward Ishak Belfodil made a successful return to feature for 90 minutes in that encounter, which bodes well for the Algerian ahead of Wednesday's tie. Club captain Dedryck Boyata - another previously sidelined - was given three minutes against the Wolves so may get more time here. Sidelined at the weekend due to suspension, Boateng is available again, however, the Old Lady's top marksman this season, Stevan Jovetic, continues to nurse a calf complaint. Speaking ahead of the round of 16 tie, centre-bacl Niklas Stark said, "We need to give our fans a gift on Wednesday by progressing to the next round of the cup."

Union are the form side going into a first-ever DFB Cup clash with their city rivals, with Die Eisernen up to fifth place in the Bundesliga following an impressive weekend win against Hoffenheim. That Union performed so well in the immediate aftermath of losing central defender Marvin Friedrich to Borussia Mönchengladbach speaks volumes of the morale in Urs Fischer's team. Dominique Heintz, a new arrival from from Freiburg, made his debut at the weekend and could feature again at the Olympiastadion as the new back three find their feet. Niko Gießelmann is in doubt due to a thigh injury but Sheraldo Becker is in line for a start after the winger's solid return to first-team affairs from the substitutes bench on Saturday. Top scorer and derby hero in the first half of the season Taiwo Awoniyi remains unavailable as he's with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations. "We want to reach the next round, that's the clear plan," Union's weekend match-winner, Grischa Prömel, said of Wednesday's game. "It's a big game for the whole club."

Match stats

Neither side has ever won the DFB Cup, but both have been losing finalists - Hertha twice in 1966/67 and 1978/79 and Union in 2000/01. Hertha's reserves were also beaten in the 1992/93 final at the Olympiastadion by Bayer Leverkusen.

This will be the first ever cup fixture between these two sides. There has been nothing to separate the two from nine previous league meetings - five in the Bundesliga and two in Bundesliga 2 - with three wins apiece and three more draws.

However, there have been seven previous Berlin derbies in the DFB Cup. While this is Union's first, the Old Lady have featured in four, progressing twice, including the last derby in October 1999 (3-2 win vs. Tennis Borussia).

Hertha have not played a home domestic cup fixture since 30 October 2019, when they beat Dynamo Dresden 8-7 on penalties.

Awoniyi has scored in each of his two appearances against Hertha as a Union player, with no player scoring more goals than the Nigerian striker (two) in this fixture's history.

Genki Haraguchi previously featured 106 times for Hertha from 2014 to 2017, scoring six times and providing 10 assists for the club.

Probable line-ups

Hertha: Schwolow - Klünter, Stark, Boyata (c), Plattenhardt - Richter, Ascacibar, Tousart, Serdar - Belfodil, Maolida

Out: Bjorkan (heel), Christensen (not included), Jarstein (knee), Pekarik (not included)

Doubtful: Jovetic (calf)

Coach: Tayfun Korkut

Union: Rönnow - Baumgartl, Knoche, Heintz - Ryerson, Möhwald, Prömel, Oczipka - Haraguchi - Kruse (c), Becker

Out: Awoniyi (Africa Cup of Nations), Van Drongelen (not included)

Doubtful: Gießelmann (thigh)

Coach: Urs Fischer