Borussia Dortmund start their 2026-27 DFB-Pokal campaign away to HEBC on Tuesday at the Volksparkstadion, aiming to build on their league win at the weekend.
The Prussians began their new Bundesliga season with a narrow 2-0 win over Hamburg at the Signal Iduna Park as Serhou Guirassy and Giannis Konstantelias combined to sink the visitors.
Despite the positive result on the day, Dortmund's night ended in bitter fashion as Konstentelias picked up a serious injury in the second half that is now set to sideline him for months.
Moreover, Samuele Inacio was also shown a 77th-minute red card for a rash challenge but remains available for Tuesday's clash as the suspension only applies to Bundesliga matches.
Head coach Niko Kovac is expected to make a raft of changes by resting many of his first-team stars in what's a great opportunity for substitutes and reserve players to shine.
Meanwhile, HEBC mark their first return to DFB-Pokal since 1934-35 season as they clinched the Hamburg Cup back in May which paved their way here.
Here are some interesting stats ahead of the clash:
1) First meeting
Borussia Dortmund have faced over 100 different opponents in the DFB-Pokal throughout their history, but now come up against a new one in HEBC.
The fifth-tier side are contesting in the German cup for just the second time in history. In fact, their last one came way back in 1934-35 season, where a 7-0 hammering by Eimsbutteler ended their journey in the first round.
2) No first-round heartbreak in two decades
It's been five years since Borussia Dortmund last clinched their DFB-Pokal title, but haven't lost out in the first round of the cup since 2005-06 season.
Back then, second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig came from behind to beat them 2-1 as the BVB suffered a first round exit for just the 12th time in their history.
But in 20 years since then, the Prussians have consistently managed to reach the second round of the competition.
3) Normal time victory for eight years in a row
Of all their first-round wins in the domestic cup since 2006, the last time that Dortmund needed extra-time to beat an opponent was in 2018.
Greuther Furth were the hosts and came agonizingly close to causing an upset after breaking the deadlock in the 77th minute.
Axel Witsel saved the blushed in the fifth minute of stoppage-time as the match went into extra-time, were Marco Reus then scored the winner in the 121st minute.
Add us as a preferred source on Google