Rot-Weiss Essen — Borussia Dortmund : Match Preview and Prediction for August 18,2025
Rot-Weiss Essen Team Overview
Previous Season Performance
“Rot-Weiss Essen” concluded the previous Third League season in ninth position, finishing nine points adrift of the top three promotion spots. Pre-Season Preparation
Ahead of the new campaign, the hosts underwent a highly productive pre-season, participating in seven friendlies. Their results were excellent, with seven victories and just one defeat. Notably, they secured impressive wins against both Magdeburg (5-2) and Bundesliga side Augsburg (2-1). League Start Struggles
However, while their pre-season performance under Uwe Koschinat was stellar, the league campaign has started with only two points from two opening fixtures, drawing with 1860 Munich (1-1) and TSV Havelse (1-1). Key Player Acquisition: Marvin Obuz
Essen’s management successfully completed the permanent transfer of Marvin Obuz, who previously featured for them on loan. The winger contributed an impressive 25 goal involvements, and expectations are high for him to at least replicate that output. Rot-Weiss Essen Injury Report
Koschinat has excluded three injured players from the squad: Celebi, Janssen, and Schulte-Kellinghaus.
Borussia Dortmund Team Overview
Club World Cup Impact
Borussia Dortmund had limited time for rest and preparation due to their participation in the Club World Cup. CWC Performance Review
The ‘Black and Yellows’ performed creditably at the CWC, exiting in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid (2-3) despite having a golden opportunity to equalize in the dying seconds. Pre-Season Friendlies
Niko Kovač’s squad has only played three friendly matches, with the last two featuring strong opponents: Siegen (8-1), Lille (3-2), and Juventus (1-2). Transfer Window Activity
Surprisingly, Borussia’s owners were not particularly active in the current transfer window, signing only Yan Couto (from Manchester City) and Jobe Bellingham (from Sunderland). However, given that they managed to retain their core squad, these additions might suffice. On the other hand, they successfully generated revenue by selling the surplus Jamie Gittens to Chelsea for €56 million. Borussia Dortmund Injury Update
Niko Kovač faces a similar situation with injuries, though these absences are not considered critical: Süle, Schlotterbeck, Duranville, and Can. Match Prediction & Betting Tip
Given that this is a cup tie, the Croatian coach has an excellent opportunity to assess his players in an official fixture and fine-tune the starting lineup for the first Bundesliga matchday. The significant class difference between these teams hardly needs mentioning, as Essen is a mid-table side in the Third League. With most of the ‘Black and Yellows” key players available, the hosts’ chances of success are diminishing. Last year, they faced RB Leipzig at this very stage and suffered a heavy 1-4 defeat on home turf. I’m inclined to predict a similar outcome tomorrow, therefore, I will back the visitors with a ‘Handicap -1.5’. DFB-Pokal
Mark Thompson 
