Saturday did not go well for MSV in the 3rd division, who are under even more pressure than before ahead of the derby at Rot-Weiss Essen.
From 4:30 p.m. it’s all systems go in Essen. Derby time in the 3rd division. Rot-Weiss Essen take on MSV Duisburg. And the “Zebras” are under maximum pressure since the results. More is not really possible.
1860 Munich: Won. Waldhof Mannheim: Won. Arminia Bielefeld: Picked up a point. MSV therefore know that they are eight points behind the drop zone ahead of the game, and the goal difference is not in Duisburg’s favor either.
A three-pointer in Essen is therefore essential if the third division lights are not to go out prematurely. MSV coach Boris Schommers has made two changes to his squad for the 2-0 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld. Tim Köther and Joshua Bitter replaced Jonas Michelbrink and Marvin Senger in the first eleven.
RWE coach Christoph Dabrowski made just one change from the 4-0 win over BVB II, with Nils Kaiser slipping into the starting eleven to replace the suspended right-back Andreas Wiegel.
One thing is clear: MSV, who have eight players with four yellow cards – Alaa Bakir, Marvin Knoll, Jonas Michelbrink, Robin Müller, Vincent Müller, Thomas Pledl, Marvin Senger and Niclas Stierlin – have to win and that would also give them revenge for the 2-1 defeat in the first leg, when RWE won in stoppage time. An emotional moment that Dabrowski in particular has dug out of the box in the run-up to the game.
What both coaches had to say ahead of the game
Christoph Dabrowski: “I like to work with pictures. That’s why I might pull out pictures or short videos. I like to show things that trigger something again. The atmosphere, the passion, the fans are always fully involved. It will be another 90 minutes of high intensity. The atmosphere will be boiling, we’ll do everything we can to win the derby.”
Boris Schommers: “It’s a great game in front of a sell-out crowd. In every derby, the aim, the desire and the will must be to give your all so that you get a good result for yourself, your club and the fans. That’s exactly our plan. We are looking forward to this game. It’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back, especially after last week’s game. I can already say this much: We’ll be making one or two options – for the squad as well as for the starting line-up.”
How RWE and MSV will play
RWE: Golz – Kaiser, Rios Alonso, Götze, Brumme – Müsel, Sapina – Obuz, Harenbrock, Young – Doumbouya
MSV: Müller – Bitter, Knoll, Fleckstein, Kölle – Köther, Castaneda – Pledl, Esswein, Engin – Ginczek
Referee: Max Burda