After the cup sensation is before the tough league routine. At least for 1. FC Saarbrücken, who travel to MSV Duisburg.

As great as the joy was, as exuberant as the celebrations were: Four days after their sensational run to the DFB Cup semi-finals, third-division side 1. FC Saarbrücken must turn their focus back to the league.

Instead of facing a Bundesliga team – the Saarland side knocked out three of them on their cup trip with FC Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach – they now travel to a relegation candidate from the 3rd division, MSV Duisburg.

“We are well advised to approach each task on its own merits. We can’t prevent the cup game from being talked about in the surrounding area, but our focus is on the game at MSV,” said coach Rüdiger Ziehl, emphasizing: “They have their backs to the wall, but they have good quality and upgraded once again in the winter. On the other hand, we’ve already shown that we’re capable of flipping the switch again after cup matches.”

That’s right. Three days after the Bayern sensation, there was a 2-2 draw against SV Sandhausen, followed by a 4-0 win over SC Freiburg II after the victory against SGE. Now the trip to the Zebras.

1. FC Saarbrücken travels to MSV Duisburg with ex-Zebra

For Lukas Boeder, who played 34 third-division matches for MSV in 2019/2020, it is a return to his old stomping ground. “The fans will whip MSV forward. On the other hand, we haven’t forgotten the last game there either. It’s perhaps a good thing that things are getting a bit choppy,” said the defender, alluding to the 2-2 draw in pre-season, in which three players were sent off. “You could already tell in training that the focus is fully back on the league,” added Boeder.

Compared to the cup win against Gladbach, 1. FC Saarbrücken will be without the suspended Patrick Sontheimer against MSV Duisburg. “But players like Calogero Rizzuto, Simon Stehle and Julius Biada are fully fit again. We have a wide selection and will see who brings the necessary freshness,” emphasized Ziehl.