**Cup chaos in Saxony** — Dresden's wobbling form meets a Schalke side still hunting rhythm, and neither can afford a slip in the DFB Pokal gauntlet. 🔵

Dresden have won just once in five and got absolutely hammered 3-0 by Kiel last time out. Schalke aren't much steadier, though they've at least nabbed two wins lately — but losing 1-2 to Freiburg stings when you're meant to be climbing.

Key storylines:

- **SG Dynamo Dresden** are missing key defender K. Schmidt to cruciate ligament injury, leaving the backline stretched against Schalke's attacking forays
- **FC Schalke 04** are without five(!) players including full-back R. Gosens and midfielder K. Karaman, forcing improvisation in midfield and the wing
- **H2H history** reads dead even — 5 wins each in the last 13, so no clear edge here

Expected lineups:

- **SG Dynamo Dresden**: T. Schreiber, N. Rapp, J. Sterner, L. Boeder, F. Müller, N. Hauptmann, B. Bobzien, V. Vermeij, R. Wagner, K. Inanoglu, K. Okpala
- **FC Schalke 04**: L. Karius, N. Katić, H. Kuruçay, T. Becker, A. Gantenbein, A. Aouchiche, S. Tanaka, E. Ebimbe, J. Adamu, E. Džeko, H. Hee-chan

Prediction:

**1-1** — Both teams are ragged right now, and those injury lists are brutal. Cup tie screams a draw that tips to Schalke in ET. 🤞