For several reasons, Leverkusen is the clear favorite for winning the cup

The primary reason why Bayer Leverkusen is the top favorite for the overall victory is that the team is in excellent form. They have now won nine consecutive matches and remain undefeated this season. The fourteen unbeaten matches (13 wins, 1 draw) in a row equal the club's record since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 1979. Additionally, the nine-match winning streak also equals the club's record.

Furthermore, Bayer Leverkusen is in great scoring form in the DFB Pokal. They have now scored in the last 28 consecutive matches in the tournament, which is the longest scoring streak of any team that has ever participated in the cup competition.

Competition

Another reason why Leverkusen is favored for the overall victory is that the competition has been struggling significantly this season. The first two rounds were a battlefield for Bundesliga clubs. In fact, besides Bayer, only five clubs from the top tier remain in the round of 16. This is the lowest number ever in the history of the DFB Pokal.

In addition to the Bundesliga leaders, the remaining teams in the tournament include Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfL Wolfsburg, VfB Stuttgart, and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Decisive Players

Finally, what also works in favor of Bayer Leverkusen is that the club has several players who can make a difference. Consider standout player Florian Wirtz. He has emerged as Germany's assist king in recent years. In 2023, he provided a total of seventeen assists, which is at least five (!) more than any other player in the Bundesliga.

And Bayer can always rely on the attacking contributions of wingback Jeremie Frimpong. The Dutchman has scored three goals and provided five assists in nine Bundesliga matches. In the cup match against Freiburg, he started on the bench but made an immediate impact as a substitute with an assist. "Leverkusen missed Frimpong's input. He always provides decisive moments in a match," concluded Kicker.