Who are Rot-Weiss Essen and their RB Leipzig tie?
Rot-Weiss Essen is a German football club from the city of Essen that plays in the 3. Liga, the third tier of German football. The club hosted RB Leipzig, a Bundesliga side, in an early-round DFB-Pokal (German Cup) match on Tuesday at Stadion an der Hafenstraße. The match was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Local time.
Why it's in the news
Essen supporters blocked the entrance to the away section with concrete before the cup tie against RB Leipzig. The match was a DFB-Pokal early-round game between a third-tier host and a Bundesliga visitor.
- Essen vs RB Leipzig — Essen fans seal away section with concrete before Leipzig cup tie
Background
Rot-Weiss Essen, often called RW Essen, is a professional club based in Essen, Germany. It competes in the 3. Liga, which is the third level of the German league system. The club plays its home matches at Stadion an der Hafenstraße.
The DFB-Pokal is the German Cup, a knockout competition open to clubs from across the German league pyramid. Clubs from lower divisions often meet Bundesliga teams in the early rounds. RB Leipzig is a Bundesliga club. The two sides met in this cup tie, and sources describe Essen as the lower-ranked host and Leipzig as the visiting team.
Before the match, Essen supporters blocked the entrance to the away section with concrete, a move that Yahoo Sports described as a gesture of contempt toward Leipzig fans. One headline described the section as sealed shut. Reports also said Leipzig was missing several players for the trip, including Nkunku and Estève, due to injury news.
What people are asking
Where is Rot-Weiss Essen based?
The club is based in Essen, Germany, and plays its home games at Stadion an der Hafenstraße.
What league do Rot-Weiss Essen play in?
They play in the 3. Liga, the third tier of German football, according to the sources.
What is the DFB-Pokal?
The DFB-Pokal is the German Cup, a knockout competition open to clubs from across the German league system.
Why was the away section blocked?
Essen supporters placed concrete over the away section entrance before the match. Reports describe it as a hostile gesture aimed at Leipzig's travelling fans.
Which Leipzig players were missing?
Injury news said Leipzig was missing several players for the trip, including Nkunku and Estève.