Preview: Oberachern vs. Borussia Monchengladbach - prediction, team news, lineups

There are four divisions between these forthcoming opponents, with Oberachern competing in the fifth tier of German football after earning promotion in 2015.

Match preview

Indeed, it would be tough to find a bigger mismatch in the world of football than the upcoming cup tie at Waldsportplatz on Sunday.

Oberachern have failed to finish any higher than sixth place in the Baden-Wurttemberg region of the Oberliga in their seven successive seasons in that division, ending up in 13th spot last campaign.

This will be their first-ever match in the DFB-Pokal having qualified via winning the Sudbaden regional cup last season, and has been dubbed the "game of our lives" by manager Thomas Leberer.

The minnows will hope to catch their opponents cold in Gladbach's first competitive match of the season, having opened their defence of the regional cup with a 4-2 win over TuS Oppenau on Wednesday.

The three-time DFB-Pokal winners are embarking on a new era under former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, who has replaced Adi Hutter in the Gladbach dugout.

It was perhaps no surprise to see Hutter leave the club after only one disappointing season, with many surprised to see the 14-time Austria international depart Eintracht Frankfurt in the first place having guided them to a superb fifth-placed finish in the 2020-21 campaign.

Meanwhile, since finishing fourth in the 2019-20 season, and qualifying for the Champions League as a result, Gladbach have regressed to eighth and 10th-placed finishes.

An unbeaten pre-season under Farke suggests that Die Fohlen may be on the road to recovery, but with key players Breel Embolo and Matthias Ginter departing for pastures new and little signed in the way of replacements, fans may need to be patient before expecting Farke's slick football from Carrow Road to translate at Borussia-Park.

Still, they could hardly have been handed a more favourable opening cup match, with a morale-boosting heavy victory likely to provide plenty of confidence ahead of their Bundesliga opener against Hoffenheim next weekend.

Oberachern form (all competitions):

Borussia Monchengladbach pre-season form:

Team News

Oberachern will be without left-back Gabriel Springmann, who continues to recover from a cruciate ligament rupture.

Leberer will hope to have star attacker Nico Huber in top form after the forward bagged 15 goals last season.

In his first competitive game in charge of the club, Farke will be deprived of the services of Marvin Friedrich, Kouadio Kone and Hannes Wolf due to injury.

The 45-year-old may select the same XI which drew 1-1 in a friendly with Real Sociedad last weekend, meaning a competitive debut for Ko Itakura after his £4.5m move from Manchester City.

Oberachern possible starting lineup:

Redl; Fritz, Zwick, Leberer; Ludwig, Guzelcoban, Gueddin, Asam; Awell, Ambri, Huber

Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Bensebaini; Kramer, Neuhaus; Herrmann, Hofmann, Stindl; Thuram

We say: Oberachern 0-4 Borussia Monchengladbach

This should be a routine victory for Gladbach as Farke looks to get his time at the club up and running with a victory.

The difference in quality between these sides could not be more stark, with the likes of Jonas Hofmann and Marcus Thuram likely to be eager to get themselves off the mark for the season.

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