Jena/Wolfsburg. Before the clash in the DFB-Pokal semi-final, Wolfsburg national player Janina Minge explicitly warns her team against underestimating FC Carl Zeiss Jena. The fact that the Thuringian side currently sits at the bottom of the Bundesliga table is completely irrelevant for the cup competition.
- Who: Janina Minge (26, VfL Wolfsburg)
- Opponent: FC Carl Zeiss Jena (Women)
- Competition: Semi-final in the DFB-Pokal (2025/26 season)
- Key statement: Jena is considered an uncomfortable opponent with a robust defense and an enthusiastic home crowd.
Minge expects a “complicated task”
In the run-up to the important knockout match, the 26-year-old midfielder spoke very respectfully about the underdog from the Paradies in an interview. While the reigning DFB-Pokal winners VfL Wolfsburg enter the match as clear favorites and accept this role, they are warned. “We won’t be blinded by the fact that Jena is currently last in the Bundesliga. That plays no role at all in a DFB-Pokal semi-final,” Minge emphasized.
Especially the compact defensive work of the Jena players requires a lot of patience. In the previous encounters in the Frauen-Bundesliga this season, Wolfsburg was able to prevail 2:0 and 3:1, but Minge remembers hard-fought points: “Those were by no means easy victories. Jena stands very well in defense. We first have to break through this bulwark.”
Home advantage at the Kernberge
Another decisive factor is the special atmosphere on site. The tight stadium and the loud support of the fans would release additional energy in the FCC players. “They have absolutely nothing to lose and will give 200 percent to fulfill their dream of the final in Köln,” the national player continued. An early goal for VfL would make the task easier, but they are prepared for an intensive and long game.
Background: Women’s Football in Jena
Women’s football has a long and proud tradition in the university city on the Saale. Once successful as FF USV Jena, the women have been firmly integrated into the club structures of FC Carl Zeiss Jena since summer 2020. Reaching the final rounds of the DFB-Pokal regularly ensures strong mobilization of the regional fan scene at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld. Cup matches against top European teams like VfL Wolfsburg are considered sporting holidays for the Jena location, where the Thuringian side often surpasses themselves.
Source:
Janina Minge: “Jena last? That plays no role in a semi-final”
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.