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The draw for the German Cup semi-finals on Sunday has set the stage for a heavyweight showdown, as record 20-time winners Bayern Munich were drawn to travel to Bayer Leverkusen.
In the second pairing, defending champions VfB Stuttgart will host a local derby against SC Freiburg. This all-Bundesliga final four represents a high-stakes finish to the competition, with the matches scheduled for April 21 and 22.
Bayern Munich reach the semi-finals this season for the first time since their last trophy win in 2020—a significant drought for the Bavarian giants.
Their journey to this stage was capped by a hard-fought 2-0 quarter-final victory over RB Leipzig, featuring a Harry Kane penalty and a goal from Luis Díaz.
Standing in their way is a Leverkusen side that has already proven to be a thorn in their side, having knocked Bayern out in the round of 16 just last season.
In the other half of the bracket, VfB Stuttgart continue their quest to become the first team to defend the title since Bayern achieved the feat a decade ago.
The holders advanced comfortably with a 3-0 win over Holstein Kiel in the previous round. They now face a Freiburg team that is the only semi-finalist yet to win the trophy.
Freiburg’s road to the last four was the most dramatic of the group, requiring a tense 5-4 penalty-shootout victory to overcome Hertha Berlin after a 1-1 draw.
The winners of these April clashes will advance to the final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on May 23.
While history favours Bayern, the recent form of Leverkusen and the defensive resilience of Stuttgart mean the path to the podium is far from certain.
Freiburg, meanwhile, will look to embrace their underdog status as they chase their first-ever major domestic cup title.
