2023 DFB Pokal final: 3 talking points as RB Leipzig defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0

RB Leipzig have won the 2023 DFB Pokal final by defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0, and lifting the trophy for the second consecutive time. The Red Bull club had won their first-ever trophy in the German Cup last year, and they have now defended their title and have made it two straight wins in a row. 

After a tumultuous season in the Bundesliga, which saw them eventually finish in the top four, their season was somewhat destined for average. But fans now have something significant to rejoice about now that they have finished the season with an important trophy. 

Here are the three talking points from the 2023 DFB Pokal final. 

3 key points as RB Leipzig defeat Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2023 DFB Pokal final 

Christopher Nkunku’s fairytale goodbye 

The French striker has played his final game for RB Leipzig in the 2023 DFB Pokal final, as he will be joining Chelsea in the coming weeks. The move to London was finalised during the January transfer window, and it is now only a matter of time before the transfer is made official. 

In the Bundesliga, Nkunku finished as the joint top scorer alongside Niclas Fullkrug, at 16 goals. That is in spite of his injuries throughout the season, which made him miss several games. In hindsight, he could have easily finished as the sole top scorer with many more goals if he had stayed fit. 

In the final, Nkunku opened the scoring for RB Leipzig in the 70th minute, after his effort took two deflections and caught Kevin Trapp completely wrong footed. He also had an important role to play for the second goal, holding off several Frankfurt players to find Dominik Szoboszlai, who produced a composed finish. 

Nkunku was rightfully named the man of the match, and says goodbye to RB Leipzig in the best possible manner. 

Heartbreak for Frankfurt 

Die Adler missed out on European football next season by goal difference. And having come up short in the DFB Pokal final as well is a tough pill for their fans to swallow. 

They were pressuring Leipzig very well throughout the game, and were unlucky to have not found the back of the net. In spite of several openings in their favour, a lack of clinical finishing prevented the former Europa League winners from making it another trophy-winning season. They will now have to regroup ahead of a big summer which could see their star players Randal Kolo Muani and Daichi Kamada both leave the club. 

Are RB Leipzig finally one of Germany’s big clubs? 

Having only been founded in 2009, RB Leipzig are very new in terms of their peers. But, the success that they have achieved during this time is simply remarkable. They have been regulars in the Champions League since 2017/18, and have made it to the semi-finals in 2020 as well. 

Now, they have two domestic trophies in a country dominated by Bayern Munich’s monopoly, and finally have a decent case to be called a top club. They are a selling club, unlike Bayern, and seem to have the killer instinct that Dortmund have been lacking. As a result, it might not be too far that we see them lift the league title very soon as well.