Real Reason Why German Minnows Couldn’t Play DFB Pokal Game Against RB Leipzig at Home Revealed

• FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen were thoroughly beaten by RB Leipzig 8-0 in the opening round of the DFB-Pokal
• Fourth tier side FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen were at first due to play RB Leipzig at home in the DFB-Pokal
• RB Leipzig payed for FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen's player and fans to travel to Leipzig for the DFB-Pokal clash

Much like England’s FA Cup, the DFB-Pokal serves up some clashes between minnows and giants.

That was the case when FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen took on the defending champions RB Leipzig.

While the game was originally scheduled to be contested at Teutonia’s home ground, it was eventually played at the Red Bull Arena. Sadly, the reason for the switch comes down to a combination of DFB regulations, bitterness among teams, and vandalism.

To find out just happened, we start at the beginning:

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Who are FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen?

Teutonia are a German Football Association side from the city of Hamburg. Founded in 1905, they play their home games at the Stadion Hoheluft. They are currently playing in the fourth tier of German football and competed for the first time in their history in the DFB-Pokal this season.

Why couldn’t FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen play at their own stadium?

Stadion Hoheluft can seat 5 000 fans, but the biggest problem is the AstroTurf pitch. According to DFB-Pokal rules, cup games cannot be played on artificial grass.

Could FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen play the game anywhere else?

Teutonia’s first option was to ask their neighbours, St Pauli, if they could play the fixture at their stadium. As reported by News18, the second division side denied the request because they are against RB Leipzig’s business model. They also feared that their fans would protest if they allowed Leipzig to play in their stadium. Despite being around for 13 years, Leipzig are still hated by some German sides.

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What happened next?

Teutonia then decided to go to Dessau to use the Paul Greifzu stadium for their game, but vandals put an end to that dream. Reuters reported that the pitch was intentionally damaged with chemicals and could not be used for any games. As a result, there was no other option but to move the game to the Red Bull Arena.

How does the move impact FC Teutonia 05 Ottensen’s finances?

As per the DFB’s rules, the home team gets 45% of the match fees, the away team gets 45%, and the DFB takes 10%. For home sides, there’s also a chance for more income, especially when a small team like Teutonia host the likes of Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku. Sadly Teutonia didn’t get to benefit from that as they were forced to travel to Leipzig. They also didn’t have the benefit of having most of their fans present.

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How did RB Leipzig help out?

To their credit, Leipzig did show sympathy for their opponents. Leipzig paid for Teutonia’s players and some supporters to travel to the game to alleviate their costs.

Timo Werner grabs hattrick as RB Leipzig annihilate FC Teutonia Ottensen at Red Bull Arena in DFB Pokal

RB Leipzig ran riot at home as they beat FC Teutonia Ottensen at the Red Bull Arena in the DFB-Pokal.

The game was billed as a proper David and Goliath battle as Teutonia are in the fourth division of German football.

The defending champions took a while to get going but never looked back as they stormed to a 4-0 lead at halftime.